Update from MHANYS Policy Director John Richter on SUNY Chancellor John King’s 2024 Address and impact to mental health
MHANYS Attends the 2024 the State of the University Address
Wednesday, May 22, 2024 – SUNY Chancellor John B. King, Jr. delivered his 2024 State of the University address at the Lewis A. Swyer Theater in Albany. After being introduced by Governor Kathy Hochul, the Chancellor addressed a broad range of issues from streamlining the federal student aid application process and doubling funding for the state’s Tuition Assistance Program, to growth in enrollment, and strides in diversity, equity and inclusion. The Chancellor’s comments rang a tone of celebration for SUNY’s accomplishments in the past year while laying out a bold vision for the future.
Amidst comments about improving the lives of students, the Chancellor didn’t neglect the topic of college mental health. He spoke of talks he had with students from SUNY Oswego and SUNY Buffalo – “I heard firsthand from students, faculty, and providers about the benefits of expanded access to in-person counseling and tele-mental health. When we say there is a place at SUNY for every New Yorker, we mean everybody.” SUNY’s expansion of resources for mental health includes hiring more mental health counselors through a commitment of $10 million in ongoing annual operating funds. These funds have supported the addition of 90 mental health counselors, as well as the expansion of the Student Tele-Psychiatry Network.
As an example of mental health workforce development Chancellor King highlighted SUNY Fredonia’s new master’s in Clinical Mental Health Counseling (CMHC), which launched this semester and is on track to exceed enrollment targets for the fall. The CMHC degree prepares individuals to be leaders and advocates in the field mental health counseling and follows a nationally recognized curriculum aligned with national and state standards.
Other workforce development initiatives cited by the Chancellor included continuing to grow the list of SUNY’s 500 microcredentials, which connects students and workers with skill-boosting opportunities. One great example of how microcredentials can change lives, he explained, is the Direct Support Professional microcredential program that SUNY and the Office for People with Developmental Disabilities developed together.
The full text of the Chancellor’s address can be accessed at: https://www.suny.edu/sotu/text/
