AGENCY TESTIMONY
Response to Intro 986 - Mental health professionals in student wellness clubs
0:13:03
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88 sec
Dr. Smith addresses Introduction 986, which proposes a pilot program to involve mental health professionals in student wellness clubs in middle and high schools.
- Relying on a volunteer workforce poses challenges to implementation and raises safety and compensation issues
- Student clubs are organized on a school-by-school basis
- OSH has begun conversations with organizations running student wellness clubs with a mental health focus
- Small pilots are in the beginning stages to understand how these models work in NYC public schools
Dr. Erica Lynne Smith
0:13:03
Introduction 986 proposes a pilot program to involve mental health professionals in student wellness clubs in middle and high schools.
0:13:11
The health department provides oversight and expertise in clinical mental health supports in schools, so we can speak to the clinical workforce aspect of the bill.
0:13:20
Relying on a volunteer workforce to fulfill a mandate could pose significant challenges to implementation and raises issues related to safety and fair compensation.
0:13:29
Student clubs are organized on a school by school basis and reflect the unique interests of the student body and staff's capacity to organize and oversee these activities.
0:13:38
However, OSH has begun conversations with organizations that run student wellness clubs with a mental health focus.
0:13:45
These organizations are currently going through our standard processes to ensure school student safety and privacy.
0:13:51
These are evidence based models that assist schools and
UNKNOWN
0:13:53
students in establishing clubs that promote education
Dr. Erica Lynne Smith
0:13:53
and destigmatate I clubs that promote education and destigmatate I can't say that word.
0:13:58
Destigmatization of mental health topics in a manner appropriate to students.
0:14:00
We are at the beginning stages of small pilots to understand how these models work in New York City public schools, and we look forward to sharing how these models work in New York City public schools, and we look forward to sharing the outcomes of these pilots at a later time.
0:14:16
I will now speak to introduction 996, which would require the health department to develop and offer a peer to peer mental health training program in schools and New York City public schools to distribute information to students on such programs.
