Mental Health Update

State Education Department and NYS Office of Mental Health Letter to the Field About Mental Health In Schools
In late August, MHANYS held a town hall meeting with SED Commissioner Rosa and OMH Commissioner Sullivan. They shared a strong vision for the mental health of students across New York State. Both agencies recently sent out a letter outlining their commitment to mental health in schools and noted our School Mental Health Resource and Training Center as a support for schools as they bring mental health education into their classrooms . From School Based Mental Health Clinics to Teen and Youth Mental Health First Aid, we are very pleased to see the shared commitment of both agencies and Governor Hochul on this issue
KATHY HOCHUL
Governor
Earlier this fall, we joined with New Yorkers during National Suicide Prevention Month to inform and engage health professionals and the public about suicide prevention and warning signs of suicide. However, the critical work of our school-based mental health providers and educators is ongoing. To support the critical role these adults play in enhancing student wellbeing, we would like to provide you with some information about two key initiatives that are available to schools and districts to promote our shared goal of ensuring all students, and the adults that support them, have the tools and resources to thrive:
- Establishing school based mental health clinics; and
- Providing Mental Health First Aid to teachers and students.
We have also attached a list of additional mental health resources that you can use all-year-round.
In 2023, Governor Kathy Hochul made a $1 billion multi-year commitment to improving mental health in our State, including the expansion of school-based mental health services, wraparound services, home- based crisis intervention teams, and suicide prevention programming targeting at-risk youth. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention 2021 Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System data shows that of those youth that were surveyed, about 1 in 6 or 16.8 percent seriously considered suicide and 1 in 10 or 9.6 percent attempted suicide. Sadly, New York State loses about 80 youth between the ages of 5- 19 per year due to suicide.
Governor Hochul continued to invest and expand in the state’s mental health efforts in 2024, including advancing groundbreaking policy to ensure that all students, regardless of insurance coverage, can access community mental health services. One of the initiatives we are extremely excited about is the expansion of school-based mental health clinics.
These satellites are programs embedded within the school environment to promote direct and timely access to needed treatment and support for students and their families. To learn more about how to start a school-based mental health clinic, please visit School-Based Mental Health Clinics. Funding is available to expand these clinic satellites into schools. To learn more or to find opportunities to partner with community provider agencies, please email omhchildclinics@omh.ny.gov.
It is also important for those working with young people to obtain age-specific Mental Health First Aid training. The state Office of Mental Health awarded the Mental Health Association in New York State (MHANYS) $1 million to facilitate Youth Mental Health First Aid training for adults who regularly interact with young people, including healthcare providers, teachers, clergy, parents, first responders and other groups. Like physical First Aid and CPR, Mental Health First Aid helps you assist someone experiencing a mental health or substance use crisis and provides support during a non-crisis event.
In addition, MHANYS will soon offer Teen Mental Health First Aid training. This training is specifically geared for teens to become empowered and take charge of their mental health. It also teaches the skills
to talk to their peers about mental health and substance use challenges. It reviews common signs and symptoms related to mental health and substance use, the impact of violence, stigma, and bullying, and how to seek the help of an adult.
Finally, and critically important, New York’s 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline provides a 24/7 connection to trained crisis counselors who can help anyone thinking about suicide, struggling with substance use, experiencing a mental health crisis, or any other kind of emotional distress. Someone concerned about the mental health of another individual can also call, text, or chat 988 if they are worried the individual may need crisis support.
For your information the attached list provides high-quality resources designed to provide schools with the ability to share resources, train school personnel, and get students involved in creative solutions. Please consider sharing and promoting these resources, making use of the Youth Mental Health First Aid training, and learning more about the funding available for school-based mental health clinics.
Some of these resources and links are not owned by the OMH. They are provided by external entities, and OMH does not control their content. By providing these links, we are not endorsing these sites or endorsing any of the opinions expressed. These websites operate under the auspices and at the direction of their respective owners. If you have a question or comment about them, please contact them directly on their website.
Our collective efforts to work in partnership with students, parents, families, mental health providers, educators, and our communities will continue to help build student resilience and improve the mental wellbeing of youth throughout New York State. Thank you for the tremendous work you do every single day promoting social-emotional learning, mental health, and wellness.
Sincerely,
Ann Marie T. Sullivan, MD Betty A. Rosa
Office of Mental Health Commissioner Department of Education Commissioner
Enclosure
Mental Health and Suicide Prevention Resources for NYS Schools, Families, and Students
Fall 2024
For School Professionals:
- MHANYS’ School Mental Health Resource and Training Center – This is a website that offers tools, webinars, and trainings that schools can use to educate students about mental health; from instructional resources to staff development, and information for families.
- National Alliance on Mental Illness for NYS – Information for educators, families, and teens; this website offers resources for mental health education and curriculum development in schools.
- Brief videos on suicide warning signs and providing a warm handoff Video – Warning Signs
- From the Suicide Prevention Center of NY:
- What Every Teacher Needs to Know – This brochure details how to recognize suicide risk in students and the role of teachers in getting help.
- Suicide Prevention in the Classroom – This brochure discusses the DOs and DONTs of suicide prevention discussions in the classroom.
- A Guide to Suicide Prevention in NY Schools – A comprehensive guide about understanding suicide and the role that schools can play in preventing suicide.
- A list of school and community-based training offerings through the center. For questions or requests, please email SPCNY.Training@omh.ny.gov
- Wellness tools for school staff (and us all)– Wellbeing is a skill that is available to us all. Small investments in time—as little as 5 minutes a day–can have a huge impact.
- The New York Trauma-Informed Network – This website offers trauma–responsive tools and resources.
- NYSED Companion Guide to NYS Office of Mental Health’s Guide to Suicide Prevention in NY Schools – Provides school personnel with the knowledge and tools to identify and act when a student is at risk for suicide.
- Language Matters: Safe Messaging – Offers guidance on using suicide prevention language that is helpful, respectful, and free of stigma.
- Gizmo’s Pawesome Guide to Mental Health – A book for elementary students that takes an upstream approach to support the mental health and wellness of youth.
- Healthy Minds Innovations – Uses neuroscientific research as a guide to design and develop tools that can help people build skills towards well-being.
- AAP: Center of Excellence on Social Media and Youth Mental Health – Serves as a centralized, trusted source for evidenced-based education and technical assistance to support the mental health of children and adolescents as they navigate social media.
For Parents/Families:
- Brief Suicide Prevention Awareness Video from the Mayo Clinic
- From the Suicide Prevention Center of NY: What Every Parent Needs to Know – This brochure coaches parents on recognizing suicide risk in their child and how to navigate the conversations that will inform the next steps.
- NASP: Supporting Children’s Mental Health – Tips for parents and educators.
- Resilience Guide for Parents and Teachers – 10 tips for building resilience in children and teens.
- The Road to Resilience: 10 Ways to Build Resilience – From the Discovery Health Channel and American Psychological Association intended to help readers in taking their own road to resilience.
- Parents’ Guide to Getting Good Care – Walks through the steps to finding the best professional or team for your child and the most appropriate treatment for a disorder or disability – offers guidance on what to look for, questions to ask to make sure you’re getting quality care for your child.
- Talk Away the Dark – A campaign from the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention to educate people across the country on how to spot the warning signs for suicide and begin a conversation that lets someone who needs support know that help is available.
For Youth/Students:
- Seize the Awkward: Starting Tough Conversations about Mental Health – Resources to start a conversation on mental health and support a friend.
- From the Suicide Prevention Center of NY: What Every Student Needs to Know – Addresses warning signs and what to look for if you or a friend or peer might be at risk of suicide.
- The Jed Foundation: Help a Friend in Need – This brochure is a helpful guide on how to help a friend that a student is worried about.
At Risk Populations:
- BEAM: Black Emotional and Mental Health Collective – National training, movement building and grant making organization dedicated to the healing, wellness and liberation of Black and marginalized communities.
- Therapy For Black Girls – Has a great podcast and offers other resources and tools.
- Comunilife – Resources to reduce the risk of suicide and improve the daily quality of life for Latina teens growing up in NYC as well as Poughkeepsie and Yonkers.
- The Trevor Project – Offers tools, resource, crisis intervention and suicide prevention services to lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer & questioning (LGBTQ) young people under 25.
- Act To Change – Grew out of a White House public awareness initiative to address bullying, discrimination, and hate crimes against Asian American Pacific Islander, Sikh, Muslim, and immigrant youth. The website has a Racism is a Virus Toolkit for classroom use along with an anti-bullying presentation that can be downloaded.
- From the Suicide Prevention Center of NY: LQBTQ+ Resources – Includes self-directed learning modules on Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity Expression (SOGIE) basics, recorded webinars, tip sheets for working with LGBTQ+ youth, and crisis hotline information
- Therapy in Color – A mental health directory that allows Black, Indigenous, and People of Color to connect with culturally aware therapists effortlessly by searching on the site.
- Savvy Ally Action – A fun and encouraging approach to being an active ally to the LGBTQ+ communities.
- Gay, Lesbian, & Straight Education Network (GLSEN) – A national network of educators, students, and local GLSEN chapters working to make sure every student has the right to a safe, supportive, and LGBTQ-inclusive K-12 education.
- Channel Kindness – Learning about ways you can share kindness today in your own community.
Encouraging Student Involvement:
- Sources of Strength – A program designed to harness the power of peer social networks to create healthy norms and culture, ultimately preventing suicide, violence, bullying, and substance misuse. The mission of Sources of Strength is to prevent adverse outcomes by increasing wellbeing, help-seeking, resiliency, healthy coping, and belonging.
- Hidden Opponent – an accredited non-profit and advocacy group that raises awareness for student-athlete mental health and addresses the stigma within sports culture.
- Our Minds Matter – Mental health tools for teens.
- NAMI High School – National Alliance on Mental Illness for campus high school leaders.
- Teen Mental Health First Aid – teen MHFA empowers teens to take charge of their mental health and have the skills to talk to their peers about mental health and substance use challenges.
NOTE: Some of these resources and links are not owned by the New York State Office of Mental Health. They are provided by external entities, and OMH does not control their content. By providing these links, OMH is not implying approval of the listed destinations, warranting the accuracy of any information in those destinations, or endorsing the entities producing these sites or any of the opinions expressed on them. These websites operate under the auspices and at the direction of their respective owners. If you have a question or comment about any of these websites, please contact them directly on their website.