NEW YORK — To help schools support children with mental health issues, the New York State Department of Education has provided schools with guidance and resources, according to an announcement made on Thursday by State Education Commissioner Betty Rosa.
This information is meant to guide schools to create policies to identify students in mental health crisis intervene effectively, and prevent suicide risks for students.
“Supporting the mental health and wellbeing of students is a fundamental role of schools that is even more important now when so many young people experienced devastating loss, isolation, and trauma during the pandemic,” Rosa said.
“Schools should nurture the opportunity for students to develop caring relationships with teachers and school staff. It is critical school personnel have the tools to identify and act when a student is in psychological pain. We will continue to work with our partners at the Office of Mental Health to ensure our schools have these life-saving resources.”
Recently, pediatric mental health experts a national emergency has been declared on pandemic-related decline in children and adolescent mental health.
The American Academy of Pediatrics, the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, and the Children’s Hospital Association also found suicide is the second leading cause of death among young people aged 10-24.
The Guide for Suicide Prevention for School Personnel provided to schools aims to identify risk factors, addresses the role of school crisis team, and talk about prevention. NYSED has provided sample protocols, and forms schools can customize to meet their individualized needs.
The new guide was created with the Office of Mental Health Suicide Prevention Center, which can be used with the expansive New York State Office of Mental Health’s A Guide for Suicide Prevention in New York Schools.
If you or someone you know is in crisis, help is available. Call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255), or text the Crisis Text Line (text HELLO to 741741). Both services are free and available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. In New York, an anonymous texting service is also available 24/7. Text GOT5 to 741741.
