§ 154 — Child performer advisory board to prevent eating disorders

§ 154. Child performer advisory board to prevent eating disorders. 1.\nThe commissioner, in consultation with the commissioner of health and\nthe commissioner of mental health, shall establish a child performer\nadvisory board for the purpose of recommending guidelines for the\nemployment of child performers and models under the age of eighteen and\npreventing eating disorders such as anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa\namongst such persons. The advisory board shall consist of at least\nsixteen but no more than twenty members appointed by the commissioner,\nand shall include: representatives of professional organizations or\nunions representing child performers or models; employers representing\nchild performers or models; physicians, nutritionists and mental health\nprofessionals with demonstrated expertise in treating patients with\neating disorders; at least one representative from each of the\ncomprehensive care centers for eating disorders established pursuant to\narticle thirty of the mental hygiene law; advocacy organizations working\nto prevent and treat eating disorders; and other members deemed\nnecessary by the commissioner. In addition, the commissioner of health\nand the commissioner of mental health, or their designees, shall serve\non the advisory board. The members of the advisory board shall receive\nno compensation for their services but shall be reimbursed their actual\nand necessary expenses incurred in the performance of their duties.\n 2. The advisory board is authorized to develop recommendations to the\ncommissioner establishing guidelines relating to the employment of child\nperformers and models under the age of eighteen for purposes of\npreventing and accessing treatment for eating disorders such as anorexia\nnervosa and bulimia nervosa amongst such child performers and models.\nWhen developing such guidelines, the advisory board shall consider (a)\nbody mass index standards or weight and height standards, (b) employment\nrestrictions for persons diagnosed with or suspected of having an eating\ndisorder, (c) requiring medical or mental health screenings, by medical\nor mental health professionals with demonstrated expertise in the\ndiagnosis and treatment of eating disorders, for persons suspected of\nhaving an eating disorder, and (d) requiring referrals for treatment of\neating disorders.\n 3. The advisory board shall further develop recommendations for\neducational and informational materials for such child performers and\nmodels, their parents and/or guardians and their employers regarding\nawareness and recognition of eating disorders, and referral and\ntreatment information of eating disorders such as anorexia nervosa and\nbulimia nervosa.\n 4. The commissioner shall consider the recommendations developed by\nthe advisory board, which include employment guidelines and the\ndevelopment of educational and informational materials pursuant to this\nsection, when adopting, promulgating, amending and rescinding the rules\nand regulations necessary to carry out the provisions of this section.\nThe advisory board shall report to the commissioner regarding its\nrecommendations, including the guidelines, programs and findings\ndeveloped pursuant to this section.\n