Wellness and Mental Health
A Student-Ready Schools and Campuses Report

Expand Access to Mental Health and Wellness Support 

• Int. 0581-2026: Requires the Department of Education to assess whether schools have private, safe office spaces for counselors and social workers to conduct confidential therapeutic sessions. 

• S5024: Mandates a minimum staff-to-student ratio for counselors in K-12 schools. 

• S3007C / A3007A: Sets aside permanent state funding to subsidize psychiatric clinics operating within public schools. 

• S6524: Requires SUNY and CUNY to strengthen student mental health policies and assessments to intercept clinical needs before a crisis occurs. 

​​

Integrate Wellness into the Educational Experience 

• Int. 0344-2024: Establishes standardized mental health crisis re-entry protocols. 

• Resolution 0407-2024: Requires all future educators to complete mandatory trainings on youth mental health. 

• S6524: Requires SUNY and CUNY to establish student wellness committees, enforce staff trainings on mental health, and create student wellness days.  

• S1008: Establishes preventative behavioral health curriculums across NYS college campuses. 

 

Strengthen Educator Capacity and Supportive Learning Environments 

• Int. 0692-2026: Provides school paraprofessionals with annual workforce stabilization payments. 

• S9460 / A10498: Funds the implementation of the class size reduction law, which caps high school academic class sizes at 25 students.  

• A3041A: Provides mandatory mental health crisis and intervention education for K-12 building administrators.  

• S9101: Funds dedicated grants for teachers and staff to pursue wellness initiatives and emotional support programs. 

 

Center Student Voice in Wellness Policy and Practice 

• S6524: Implements regular mental health surveys for college students to track the campus climate. 

• S1007: Forms a permanent, state-level Youth Health Advisory Board to collaborate on wellness laws affecting youth. 

​​