Columnist
Posted
Friday,August 21, 20269:08 am
Patricia Canzoneri-Fitzpatrick
Mental illness is an epidemic touching most Americans, whether directly or through a loved one. More than one in five adults suffers from mental illness. Even more concerning, one in every seven youth ages 6 to 17 suffers from a mental health disorder
As a mother of four children, I know that mental health is pivotal to a healthy society of people that can work and be financially independent. The pressures our young people face today are immense — the high cost of living, trouble finding employment, student loans. The increased pressures of schoolwork and outside influence of social media don’t help, either. We must ensure that they have the resources they need to navigate life.
As the ranking member of the Senate Mental Health Committee, I have made protecting our residents’ mental health a priority, so that no one in our community has to face these struggles alone. Suicide is now the second leading cause of death among people ages 10 to 24, with rates growing significantly in recent years. This is just heartbreaking
Our schools need qualified mental health professionals to work with students and faculty to identify, report and address mental health concerns before they escalate. That’s why I introduced a bill to provide schools with funding. This state aid program would reimburse school districts outside New York City up to $50,000 when they hire these professionals and offset the burden on property taxes
Most students needing care go unnoticed, so schools need the right tools. A mental health services program coordinator could help identify troubling symptoms early, but that work is only as effective as the tools available to diagnose them. I’ve partnered with Assemblyman Ari Brown to introduce another bill that would direct the commissioners of education, health and mental health to jointly develop model mental health screenings and guidelines that school districts could choose to implement, covering screening frequency, confidentiality, training standards and connecting students to further resources, made available to every district at no charge.
Together, these two bills would ensure that schools are equipped to identify when students are struggling, and to know what to do next
I am also proud to cosponsor another bill that would direct the State Office of Mental Health to develop suicide-prevention materials and authorize schools to incorporate suicide prevention and depression education into their health curriculum. That would help students learn to recognize warning signs in themselves and their peers before a crisis occurs, and would cover topics such as cyberbullying and social media safety.
While much of my efforts on mental wellness have been focused on reaching our youth, mental illnesses do not always remain invisible in adults. No doubt, many of us have seen public examples of the devastating impact of years or decades of mental health struggles, particularly among the homeless population. Some people end up on the wrong side of the criminal justice system, at least in part, because of their struggles with mental illness.
Unfortunately, there is a shortage of mental health professionals in our jails and correctional facilities. Many of these people will one day be back in the community — whether or not any of their mental health issues were addressed. To incentivize more professionals to work in this challenging environment, I have introduced legislation with Assemblyman Jake Blumencranz to establish a loan-forgiveness program for mental health professionals in these facilities to ensure that they can get the assistance they need.
Mental health, like so many challenges we face as a state, cannot be solved with a single bill or in a single legislative session. It requires continuous attention, and a willingness to keep strengthening the re
I remain committed to working with my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to ensure that no New Yorker, and especially no child in New York, has to face these struggles alone, and that every New Yorker has the tools and support they need to help them thrive
Patricia Canzoneri-Fitzpatrick represents the 9th State Senate District
