A state Assembly member from Brooklyn is asking the state Legislature to take the first steps toward creating community mental health clinics.

Assemblyman Joseph Lentol, D-Brooklyn, is proposing a new section in the state Mental Hygiene Law to establish integrated community mental health clinics. The state Health Commissioner would be empowered to set standards to operate and fund the clinics.

There is no funding attached to the proposal nor any discussion of how many such clinics would be located within a county.

The state would also be responsible to establish standards for integrated services to deal with mental health issues, anger management issues, substance abuse issues and isolation issues, periodic evaluation of services provided by the clinics, staffing patterns and guidelines for determining state aid to the clinics.

“The state continues to fail individuals who suffer from brain diseases that manifest itself in symptoms of mental illness. No matter the health care discussion; brain health always gets shortchanged,” Lentol wrote in his legislative justification. “This legislation endeavors to advance access to treatments for mental health in a statewide community health center model. Research has proven that health care must be accessible — not only financially — but geographically as well. Community clinics that offer integrated services for families caring for individuals with mental health symptoms; substance abuse; isolation concerns and anger management are fundamental to addressing our mental health crisis.”