Governor Hochul Hosts Hudson Valley Roundtable on Tackling Smartphone Use in New York Schools

Statewide Investments in Youth Mental Health

As part of her $1 billion investment in mental health statewide, Governor Hochul has also significantly expanded access to mental health care and resources for young people and their families. The Governor continued this focus on youth supports and services by securing additional investments in the FY25 Enacted Budget.

Governor Hochul took steps in her Enacted Budget to expand mental health support for children across the state and ensure their voices are heard, making good on an agenda she unveiled in her State of the State address in January. The Governor announced $20 million in start-up funding for school-based mental health clinics and launched a rolling application, which will make it easier for interested schools to establish these satellites. The announcement built on the $5.1 million awarded in November to support 137 new school-based clinics, including 82 at high needs schools, and bringing the total number of clinics to more than 1,200 statewide.

The Governor's FY25 Enacted Budget also includes an investment of more than $19 million to provide critical care to young people outside of school environments, including increasing resources for youth receiving treatment in their community or, when necessary, in residential care. Key initiatives such as the Youth Assertive Community Treatment teams, which provide wraparound services and support to young people at risk of entering residential or inpatient psychiatric treatment, have been expanded with $9.6 million to continue serving them at home and within their community whenever possible. Included in the investments to support children and youth, the Governor secured an additional $4 million to support a loan forgiveness program specifically for licensed mental health clinicians serving children and families.

Helping Young People "Get Offline, Get Outside"

This summer Governor Hochul launched the "Get Offline, Get Outside" campaign to promote physical and mental health by helping New York's kids and families to put down their phones, take a break from social media, and enjoy recreation and outdoor social gatherings. In addition to waiving pool fees at New York State Parks, expanding access to outdoor activities and other announcements, this campaign has already helped inspire major increases in attendance at State Parks this summer. State Park attendance over the July 4 weekend hit 2.8 million visitors statewide - an increase of 30 percent compared to the same period of time last year.