What's happening
This bill requires all New York teachers colleges to add mental health instruction to their curricula.
Why it matters
Equips future teachers. with foundational knowledge to identify, understand, and address mental health issues among students, which can be critical for early intervention and support.
Signals a broader shift. in teacher preparation, recognizing that mental health is integral to student success, not just academic skills.
May lead to more supportive school environments. by ensuring that every new educator enters the workforce with at least a baseline of mental health literacy, potentially reducing stigma and improving student well-being.
Creates enforceable standards. by mandating the commissioner to set and uphold rules, ensuring uniformity and accountability across all teacher preparation programs in New York.
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Who cares
Headline styles
Require Mental Health Course
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
2 Co-sponsors
History
- Referred to higher education
- Print number 2465c
- Amend (t) and recommit to higher education
- Print number 2465b
- Amend (t) and recommit to higher education
- Print number 2465a
- Amend (t) and recommit to higher education
- Referred to higher education
Companion bill
The same bill in the other chamber. A bill becomes law when one version passes both houses and the governor signs it, so either number can carry it.
Require Mental Health Instruction
In Assembly Committee · Higher Education · Sponsor Marcos Crespo
Full text
1 pageUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
2465--C
2017-2018 Regular Sessions
IN SENATE
January 13, 2017
Introduced by Sens. HAMILTON, AVELLA -- read twice and ordered printed, and when printed to be committed to the Committee on Higher Education -- committee discharged, bill amended, ordered reprinted as amended and recommitted to said committee -- committee discharged, bill amended, ordered reprinted as amended and recommitted to said committee -- committee discharged, bill amended, ordered reprinted as amended and recommitted to said committee
AN ACT to amend the education law, in relation to requiring teachers colleges to incorporate a course of instruction in mental health
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. Section 305 of the education law is amended by adding a new subdivision 56 to read as follows:
56. The commissioner shall establish and enforce rules and regulations requiring every college for teachers or teachers college within the state to incorporate instruction in mental health within current curriculum.
§ 2. This act shall take effect on the ninetieth day after it shall have become a law.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD00688-09-7
Reflowed for reading: line numbers and page breaks removed. Cite the official text.
Sponsor's memo
Title of bill
An act to amend the education law, in relation to requiring teachers colleges to incorporate a course of instruction in mental health
Purpose or general idea of the bill
Directs the commissioner of education to require teachers colleges to provide a course of instruction in mental health prior to each student's graduation.
Summary of specific provisions
Section 1 adds a new subdivision 56 to section 305 of the education law to read as follows:
56. The commissioner shall establish and enforce rules and regulations requiring every college for teachers or teachers college within the state to provide a course of instruction in mental health within current curriculum.
Section 2 contains the effective date.
Justification
It is well-documented that teaching about mental health in schools reduces stigma and bullying while encourages youth to seek help. Youth who seek help earlier have better outcomes and improved academic performance than those who go without help.
*Mental health is one of the top health problems for children and teens. Over 200,000 New York children and teens, or one in five, have a mental health diagnosis.
*Suicide is the third leading cause of death for youth aged 15 to 19 in New York (www.nyskwic.org). It is the 2nd leading cause of death for Latina adolescents in our state.
*More than 50 percent of students labeled with emotional or behavioral disorders drop out of high school and, of those who do remain in school, only 42 percent graduate with a high school diploma.
Despite the need for mental health awareness and mental health education, New York State's health curriculum doesn't require the teaching of mental health at teaching colleges to better prepare future teachers when they enter they enter their classrooms.
Our schools have become pressure mills. High stakes testing and economic pressures are creating a stressed out generation. As policy makers debate Common Core, other high stakes testing, and college affordability, our teachers and students report increased anxiety in the classroom.
According to researchers at Indiana University, up to 30% of students experience anxiety that can have significant negative impact on their ability to perform at an optimal level. (http://www.nasponline.org) Long term impacts include depression, anxiety attacks, social withdrawal, and low self-esteem. Students often blame themselves for not being smart enough. Adaptation mechanisms may include "not even trying" or avoiding or even refusing to go to school.
As these symptoms develop and are more visible to teachers and school staff, there is no training in place for these professionals to help
identify a mental health issues or what to do if they suspect there is one.
By requiring that a course in mental health is taken prior to graduating from teaching colleges in NYS, future teachers will be better equipped with identifying students in need of help. Acquiring these skills is not trivial. For many students it is a life and death situation as teen suicide rates and violent behavior by male and female youth has become more pronounced in daily life.
Prior legislative history
A.9060 of 2016. Died in committee.
Fiscal implications for state and local government
None
Effective date
This act shall take effect on the 90th day after it shall become law.
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.