Governor Kathy Hochul in the present day introduced as much as $50 million in obtainable funding for varsity districts to enhance scholar entry to psychological well being sources and help college students who’ve skilled trauma that has impacted their schooling. A Request for Proposals has been issued by the New York State Workplace of Psychological Well being, who will administer this system.
“Younger college students have been notably hard-hit by the COVID-19 pandemic, struggling disruptions of their schooling, social lives and leisure actions and alternatives,” Governor Hochul stated. “I’ve heard the considerations from many mother and father and educators concerning the affect that COVID-19 has had on our kids’s well-being. This funding will assist be certain that each scholar who has skilled trauma that has impacted their schooling can obtain the mandatory psychological well being sources they want and deserve.”
A complete of as much as $10 million annually over 5 years can be obtainable and distributed to eligible college districts. Awards shall not exceed $500,000 per applicant yearly. Continued funding previous the primary 12 months can be contingent on well timed reporting, passable progress in assembly chosen grant targets, and the provision of funds.
Proposals can be scored, and awards can be made to the very best scoring purposes that meet the minimal scoring threshold till funds are exhausted or till there aren’t any fundable purposes remaining.
Eligible proposals will obtain the next objectives:
Improve entry to psychological well being providers: Enhancement of psychological well being staffing and use of a standardized device to establish scholar wants are each confirmed interventions that improve entry to the methods and helps that deal with the psychological well being of scholars.
Implement built-in psychological well being helps: Selling wellness and resilience throughout the college atmosphere is essential in supporting the psychological well being of scholars and households, notably within the wake of the worldwide pandemic.
Strengthen partnerships with current helps throughout the psychological well being system in addition to the bigger child-serving system: Enhancing coordination between college workers and group suppliers and figuring out sources inside and outdoors the college permits educators to grasp the total vary of providers obtainable and guarantee college students and their households have entry to the total array of helps/providers they want.
Extra details about the Request for Proposals is out there on the OMH web site.
New York State Workplace of Psychological Well being Commissioner Dr. Ann Sullivan stated, “By increasing and enhancing psychological well being sources in our colleges, now we have been in a position to drastically enhance entry to providers for kids and their households. OMH has invested important sources for kids and youth whose lives have been turned the wrong way up by the COVID-19 pandemic, and who at the moment are impacted by nervousness, despair and trauma. The funding introduced in the present day by Governor Hochul will assist us enhance scholar entry to psychological well being sources, and help our college students in addition to their households.”
State Senator Shelley B. Mayer stated, “Even earlier than COVID-19, scholar psychological well being considerations have been on the forefront of points raised by college officers, mother and father and stakeholders at regional roundtables we held throughout the state. The pandemic has solely exacerbated these wants. I’m happy that funds allotted for this necessary initiative will now be distributed to districts all through the state, serving to college students deal with their important psychological well being challenges.”
Assemblymember Michael Benedetto stated, “Psychological well being and wellness particularly after the COVID-19 pandemic has been on the paramount of points schooling should clear up for college students within the state of New York. I’m glad those that want the sources can be receiving them.”
