Help Bring Mental Health Education to New York State Schools
Call Speaker Heastie and Senate Leader Flanagan Today!!!
Incorporating Mental Health Education into school's existing health education lesson plans has been a top priority for NAMI-NYS for several years. We are close to making this happen.
Yesterday, our advocacy partners on this issue MHANYS reported that thanks to the leadership of Assemblymember Nolan and Senator Marcellino, we are on the edge of bill passage---it is in third reading in the Senate and in the Rules Committee in the Assembly. This basically means, if we can move both houses to get it on the floor for a vote, we have a strong chance of getting the bill passed. But we need you to make this happen.
TAKE ACTION!!!
Please make two phone calls today:
Senate Majority Leader Flanagan: (518) 455-2071
"Please pass S. 6046 and insure that children are taught about mental health in schools"
Assembly Speaker, Heastie, (518) 455-3791
"Please pass. A. 3887 B, and insure that children are taught about mental health in schools"
Additional Resources Which Explain Why This Is So Important
Click here to watch the episode of Mental Health Now which details this issue.
Click here to read NAMI-NYS's Memo of Support on these bills.
50% of mental illnesses develop by age 14, 75% by age 24.
70-80% of children living with mental illness do not receive needed treatment. This leads to decreased performance in schools.
2.2 million adolescents aged 12 to 17 have experienced a major depressive episode in the past year, and nearly 60% of them did not receive any treatment.
The dropout rate for children with severe emotional health and mental health issues is twice that of other students.