ALBANY — Gov. Cathy Hochul is taking what advocates say is a historic move to bring more mental health care into schools to combat rising rates of depression and suicide often fueled by social media. ing.
Hochul announced the proposal in his State of the State address last week, saying, “We need a comprehensive approach to youth mental health.” “For decades, our mental health system has been deprioritized and defunded. Make no mistake, this is the defining challenge of our time.”
Her approach is to move away from the more expensive mental health care now focused on adults, after the mentally ill have been admitted to hospital, have been assaulted, or more generally been victims of violence. is about to be abolished.
The idea still needs to be funded in the national budget, and Hochul is expected to propose it on Tuesday.
What you need to know
- Governor Kathy Hochul Further strengthen mental health care in schools to address rising rates of depression and suicide.
- The governor's approach calls for: to eliminate more expensive mental health care, currently focused on adults, after mentally ill people have been admitted to hospital, have committed violence, or have been victims of violence more generally. be.
- Ideas need funding It will be included in the national budget, which Hochul is expected to propose on Tuesday.
Columbia University Psychiatry and NewYork-Presbyterian Morgan Stanley Children's Hospital said in a September report that the surge in mental health crises among children is alarming. Over the past three years, mental health emergencies nationwide have increased by 24% among children ages 5 to 11 and 31% among adolescents ages 12 to 17, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Researchers said 70% of public schools nationwide have reported an increase in students seeking mental health services at school since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic.
“School-based mental health programs are an important part of addressing health disparities,” said Dr. Aiyana Rivera Rodriguez, medical director of school-based mental health programs at NewYork-Presbyterian Morgan Stanley Children's Hospital. “It has the potential to function as a tool.”
“We are seeing children suffering from anxiety, depression, self-harm, grief, trauma and even attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder,” Rivera-Rodriguez said. “Our findings show that youth engaged in treatment-preventive services have improved academic performance, test scores, and attendance rates, and reduced behavioral problems, depressive symptoms, and anxiety symptoms. .”
Hochul's proposal must be approved by the state Legislature, which is considering six bills with similar goals. One bill would put a licensed social worker and a full-time psychologist in every public school.
The bill, sponsored by Sen. Robert Jackson (D-Manhattan) and other Republican senators, states that “many children do not receive the early intervention they need to prevent long-term problems, and they are often treated unnecessarily and inappropriately. The sad reality is that they are forced to receive special education.” assemble. Jessica Gonzalez-Roja (D-Queens). “Many of the long-term problems can be avoided.” The bill was first introduced in 2019 but died in committee.
Hochul's proposal has garnered support from child mental health activists, a rare bipartisan move in Albany, and support from Senate Republican Leader Rob Ortt of North Tonawanda. are collecting.
“I've long felt that there was a deficit in the child health field in New York,” said Ort, a former chairman of the Senate Mental Health Committee. “We're not doing a great job. We're not investing a lot of money. That's how it's best spent…Ask any school administrator. Mental health in schools The number of problems will surprise you.”
A statewide youth mental health advocacy group said Hochul's proposal would be “groundbreaking.”
“A lot of people in the field of child behavioral health are excited,” said Paige Pierce, CEO of Families Together of New York, a group that advocates for mental health services. “Mental health is especially important in schools because schools are where kids are…This is the kind of investment we've wanted forever.”
Mr. Hochul suggests this.
- Open more mental health clinics in schools that want them. Hochul proposes state funding to help open clinics and expanded reimbursement to schools for school-based mental health services. He also said the state will require health insurance companies to cover school-based services.
- Legislation to reduce the way social media manipulates children's emotions and causes depression, suicidal thoughts, and other harmful emotions. Hochul would require social media companies to limit addictive features, such as allowing parents to block access to their platforms at certain times, such as at night. Under Hochul's proposal, violations could result in a $5,000 fine.
- Relevant child data protection laws prohibit online sites from collecting, using, or collecting personal data from anyone under the age of 18, or anyone under the age of 12, without parental consent, with some exceptions. Sharing or selling is prohibited. Violations could result in a $5,000 fine. “Social media is a silent killer for our children's generation,” Hochul said.
- Expand the Youth Assertive Community Treatment Program, which provides children and their families with crisis support, psychotherapy, medication management assistance, and other tools to avoid costly hospitalizations.
- Disburses a portion of student loans for child mental health workers to address the shortage of child psychiatrists and clinicians trained in youth mental health.
On Thursday, Hochul announced that the state will receive $50 million to help hospitals expand access to mental health treatment for children and adults as part of a multi-year, $1 billion effort to improve mental health care. announced that it would provide $1. This funding will provide community-based hospitals with up to $5 million to purchase real estate, design and construct expansions.
She said the state will also provide more funding for children's community residences, which allow young people with health problems to attend community schools and continue living in their neighborhoods. The additional funding will expand the Children's Day Treatment Program to provide intensive daily treatment while living at home and attending school.
“Children are our most precious resource and investing in mental health services for young people will focus on them, preventing them from being forced into situations where they will need care for the rest of their lives. That's important,” Hochul said.
