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PUBLIC TESTIMONY
Testimony by Michelle Kraus, Social Work Manager of the Disability Justice Program at New York Lawyers for the Public Interest (NYLPI)
10:18:31
ยท
5 min
Michelle Kraus from NYLPI testifies on the urgent need for increased and baseline funding for mental health services in NYC public schools, particularly for students with disabilities. She highlights alarming statistics on mental health challenges among students and criticizes the DOE's failure to adequately serve students with emotional disabilities.
- Kraus applauds recent bills promoting mental health literacy and peer support in schools.
- She cites a NYLPI report exposing the DOE's failure to identify and serve students with emotional disabilities.
- Kraus urges the council to prioritize hiring more school-based mental health professionals and expanding therapy programs in the FY 2026 budget.
Michelle Kraus
10:18:31
Good evening Chair Josephs and members of the City Council Committee on Education.
10:18:38
I hope you're all having a good evening.
10:18:41
It's been a long day, but a very rewarding day to hear from the students exactly what all of us are advocating for.
10:18:49
I think it really validates all our testimonies.
10:18:52
My name is Michelle Kraus.
10:18:54
I'm the social work manager in the disability justice program at New York Lawyers for the Public Interest.
10:19:00
We are a civil rights legal organization who serves individuals and communities by assisting them in enforcing their legal rights, including children and adults with disabilities.
10:19:11
Thank you for the opportunity to testify today and for your commitment to ensuring that students with disabilities receive the meaningful and supportive education they deserve.
10:19:21
NOPI strongly applauds the enactment of recent bills establishing a peer to peer support model to promote mental health literacy for students, strengthening the student led mental health clubs to promote mental health literacy for students, and strengthening student led mental health clubs with the involvement of clinical candidates.
10:19:43
I'm here today to urge, and this evening to urge, the council to increase and ensure baseline funding for mental health services in New York City public schools, particularly for students with disabilities.
10:19:55
Right now, too many of these students are struggling in silence.
10:19:59
One in five children face a mental health challenge, and the statistics are alarming.
10:20:04
In 02/2023, half of surveyed NY New York City Teenagers reported mild to severe symptoms of depression contributing to school avoidance and chronic absenteeism.
10:20:18
In 02/2021, '16 percent of students reported suicidal ideation with nine percent attempting suicide.
10:20:26
Students identifying as transgender reported high rates of persistent sadness.
10:20:31
And nearly sixty percent of district seventy five students are chronically absent compared to a thirty six percent citywide average, largely due to heightened anxiety, depression, and behavioral challenges.
10:20:45
In 02/2024, NOPI released a damning report titled A Crisis in New York City's Failure to Educate Students Classified with Emotional Disability.
10:20:58
This report exposes the consistent failure of the New York City DOE to identify, classify, and adequately serve these students, condemning them to a future of academic struggle, social marginalization, and too often failure to graduate.
10:21:16
Critically, our students our schools lack the resources to address these needs adequately.
10:21:22
There's a chronic shortage of special education teachers and related service providers, including mental health professionals.
10:21:29
The DOE has admitted that one in five students needing mental health support that do not receive them.
10:21:36
The report underscores that the consequences of the DOE failures are clear.
10:21:41
Students who do not receive mental health support services and related services are more likely to struggle academically, experience higher rates of disciplinary actions, and face long term emotional distress.
10:21:55
We cannot allow these gaps in care to persist.
10:21:58
We are deeply concerned that the mayor's preliminary budget for 02/1926 DOE, but base laden funding for school based does not include base laden fundings for school based mental health clinics previously supported with a $3,600,000 from the mental health continuum, a $5,000,000 partnership between New York City Health and Hospitals, the DOE, and the NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene.
10:22:28
This program was a key component of the Adams administration mental health agenda.
10:22:33
Without this funding, how will the DOE compensate for these lack of services and the students that need these vital services?
10:22:46
Sorry.
10:22:49
The FY twenty six budget must therefore prioritize hiring more school based mental health professionals, especially psychologists, social workers, counselors trained in disability services, expanding social based therapy programs as students receive help before their struggles become crises, funding and funding professional development to equip teachers and staff with tools to identify and support mental health needs.
10:23:16
Investing in mental health is an investment in academic success, student well-being, and the future of our city.
10:23:24
The students of New York City cannot wait any longer.
10:23:27
I urge you to take bold action in this budget cycle to ensure that every child, especially those with disabilities, has access to the mental health support they need.
10:23:36
Thank you so much.