NEW YORK: Mental Health Education Required for New York Students

9NEWS

School health curricula in New York State will soon include mental health education. Starting next year, all elementary, middle, and high schools will be required to provide mental health instruction to students. New York is the first state to implement this mental health education requirement. “We want to get help to people early so that with earlier intervention we can have a more positive outcome,” said Karl Shallowhorn, community advocacy director for the Mental Health Association of Erie County and Compeer Buffalo. “Students will be more knowledgeable, and so will their teachers, about what to look for if a person is in need of help. They’ll be able to know what the resources are, and by having it as part of the curriculum, it will also normalize the topic of mental health.”

Spark Extra! Read the bill that established the requirement.