[Ed: Sandra Richardson, RN, recently retired from the NYS Department of Health, put her data analysis expertise to work examining the consequences of required reporting of potential danger by all NYS mental health providers. It is not good. This is a VERY important paper, peer reviewed and published in a mainstream public health journal. We highly recommend reading the full article. Ms. Richardson’s comments follow.]
This 2025 research paper summarizes an anonymous survey among gun owners and reveals the impact of mental health reporting laws on their health care decisions. The survey was conducted online in 2024 and the results were rolled up to a population level using other data sources (see paper). The math is easy to check but beware of rounding numbers before the final result.
The results show that NY SAFE Act Mental Hygiene Law (MHL) 9.46 reporting adversely impacts gun owners’ health care decisions. Among NYS gun owners and because of MHL 9.46, 93.8% (2,930,462) are less likely to seek mental health care if needed, 96.1% (3,000,653) are less likely or would not report issues to a mental health provider, and 93.3% (2,912,915) have less trust or do not trust in mental health providers. The paper also reveals that MHL 9,46 reporting captures only 1.5% of its target population and that for every MHL 9.46 report there are 241 gun owners less likely to seek care if needed.
Gun owners are not inherently violent and only a very small percentage of people with mental health concerns are violent. This reporting is ineffective in capturing its target population and keeping large numbers of people from seeking care if needed. Ending this reporting, with its structural stigma against both gun owners and mental health, may improve care seeking and participation in treatment which could benefit population health. Please read the paper for more details and references.
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—Sandra Richardson, RN, BSN, with an MS in Epidemiology has worked in many clinical settings and as a Research Scientist for the NYS Dept. of Health. In retirement, she investigated the impact of mental illness reporting on gun owners seeking help. She enjoys hunting, fishing and gardening.