Below is the email that will be sent in support of A.6804/S.7236 with the subject:
"New York needs to take immediate steps to address the mental health crisis in higher education"
I’m writing to ask for your support of A.6804 (Gunther)/S.7236 (Brouk), which would promote policies to increase mental health literacy on campuses and encourage whole health parity. The bill would result in mental health training for students and staff on SUNY, CUNY and independent college campuses. It would also make resources available to colleges and universities that they can use to review and improve their mental health related policies and protocols.
I’m very concerned about what many are calling a college mental health crisis. There's evidence that this crisis has been growing and getting worse since at least 2007. An Active Minds study released in April of 2022 showed a 135% increase in depression and 110% increase in anxiety among college students between 2013 and 2021, and in 2021 60% of college students met the criteria for one or more mental health conditions.
Another indication of the severity of this crisis is that over 90 percent of college presidents reported being very or somewhat concerned about student mental health during the COVID-19 crisis, making it their top concern. And the American Council on Higher Education found that over 66 percent of all presidents are reporting an increased use of mental health services due to COVID-19.
Everyone on college campuses is impacted by this crisis including students, faculty, and staff. At the height of the COVID pandemic more than half of college faculty reported signs of professional burnout, with 40% considering leaving their jobs.
I am joining the Mental Health Association in New York State, Inc. in support of A.6804/S.7236, and I respectfully request that you vote to pass this legislation.
