Section 7.07. Office of mental health; scope of responsibilities

(a) The office of mental health is charged with the responsibility for
  assuring  the development of comprehensive plans, programs, and services
  in  the  areas   of   research,   prevention,   and   care,   treatment,
  rehabilitation, education, and training of the mentally ill. Such plans,
  programs,  and  services  shall  be  developed by the cooperation of the
  office, the other offices of the  department  where  appropriate,  local
  governments,  consumers  and  community  organizations and agencies. The
  office shall provide appropriate facilities and encourage the  provision
  of  facilities  by  local  government  and  community  organizations and
  agencies.
    (b) The office of mental health shall advise and assist  the  governor
  in  developing  policies  designed to meet the needs of the mentally ill
  and to encourage their full participation in society.
    (c) The office of mental health  shall  have  the  responsibility  for
  seeing  that  mentally ill persons are provided with care and treatment,
  that such care, treatment and rehabilitation  is  of  high  quality  and
  effectiveness,  and  that  the  personal  and  civil  rights  of persons
  receiving care, treatment and rehabilitation are adequately protected.
    (d) The office of mental health shall foster programs for the training
  and development of persons capable of providing the foregoing services.
    (e) Consistent with the requirements of  subdivision  (b)  of  section
  5.05  of  this  chapter,  the  office  shall carry out the provisions of
  article thirty-one as such article pertains to  regulation  and  quality
  control of services for the mentally ill.
    (f)  The  office  shall establish, and provide technical and financial
  support   to   establish   two   programs   promoting   culturally   and
  linguistically  competent mental health services. Such programs shall be
  operated in a collaborative manner with the Nathan  S.  Kline  Institute
  for  Psychiatric  Research,  the  New  York State Psychiatric Institute,
  academia, mental health care providers, communities  interested  in  the
  mentally ill and other interested private and public sector parties. The
  programs,  in  consultation  with  the  office's  multicultural advisory
  committee, shall investigate  and  report,  to  the  commissioner  on  a
  biannual  basis recommendations as to best practices for the delivery of
  culturally  and  linguistically  competent  mental  health  services  to
  underserved   populations  affected  by  disparities  due  to  cultural,
  linguistic and systemic barriers.