The removal of a question about mental health history on the New York state bar application was celebrated this week at the state’s law schools, where leaders said the change sends a positive message about the importance of mental health in the legal profession as a whole.

As she announced the change Wednesday in the 2020 State of the Judiciary address, Chief Judge Janet DiFiore acknowledged that some law students had avoided seeking mental health treatment because they were worried about answering “yes” to the question, which asked if the prospective attorney had “any condition or impairment” relating to mental health.