NYC Mayor promises mental telehealth support for HS students

Abstract

All New York City high school students will have access to mental health support through telehealth programs, New York City Mayor Eric Adams announced Jan. 26, his first major effort to address growing concerns about student well‐being, Chalkbeat New York reported. “This year we're rolling out the biggest student mental health program in the country,” Adams said during his annual State of the City speech. “We will provide our high school students with everything from telehealth care to community‐based counseling, depending on their individual needs.” Many students experienced trauma during the pandemic, including the loss of loved ones and frayed social bonds during long periods of isolation. Mental health professionals have seen increases in anxiety, suicidal thoughts and behavior challenges; trends that have raised alarms. School districts across the country are increasingly leaning on telehealth, which may help ease some barriers to mental health care and could make students or families more likely to attend sessions. Still, telehealth requires access to devices, internet, and private space, which may be difficult to guarantee depending on whether students will be expected to access services from home. The city is still exploring how to deliver telehealth services, a spokesperson for the city's health department wrote in an email, offering no further comment about how the program will work.