Objective

To determine the extent of implementation of the five recommendations included in our initial audit report, Mental Health Education, Supports, and Services in Schools (Report 2020-N-7).

About the Program

The New York City Department of Education (DOE), the nation’s largest school system, serves approximately 907,000 students at approximately 1,600 elementary, middle, and high schools (excluding charter schools). DOE recognizes the importance of mental health well-being in the school setting, stating on its webpage that “Mental health impacts not only our students but our families, schools, and communities” and “Enhanced school mental health programs improve schools’ abilities to provide access and support during the school day.” DOE also acknowledges that students are underserved, stating that “approximately one in five students who could benefit from additional mental-health supports does not get them.”

To help confront the mental health crisis among youth in New York State, the Mental Health Association in New York State, Inc. (MHANYS), a non-profit organization, led a call to action for a State law that would require mental health instruction in the kindergarten–grade 12 health education curriculum. With the passage of the legislation, which amended Section 804 of the New York Education Law (Education Law), effective July 1, 2018, New York became the first state to require that health education in schools must include instruction in mental health. The Education Law mandates all schools to ensure that their health education programs recognize the multiple dimensions of health by including mental health and its relation to physical health to enhance student understanding, attitudes, and behaviors that promote health, well-being, and human dignity.

While instruction is the cornerstone for promoting students’ mental health, a holistic, comprehensive approach would also include mental health awareness training for school staff and ready access to in-school mental health supports and services for all students (currently, these are only required if specified in a student’s individualized education program). Especially given the ongoing challenges during and following the COVID-19 pandemic and the greater need for mental health support and services, schools are an ideal setting for making this type of comprehensive prevention and early intervention program available for all students.

We issued our initial audit report on August 18, 2022. The audit objective was to determine whether DOE was providing mental health instruction to students as required by law. In addition, we also sought to determine the extent to which DOE proactively ensured schools have the mental health supports and services they need, including mental health awareness training for school staff. The audit covered the period from July 2018 through May 2022 and included general education students only. We found that the DOE did not monitor whether schools meet the requirement to have mental health instruction as part of the curriculum, and that DOE could make improvements in the implementation of mental health support and services in schools.

Key Findings

DOE has made progress in addressing the problems we identified in the initial audit report. Of the initial report’s five audit recommendations, four have been implemented and one has not been implemented.

Key Recommendation

DOE officials are requested, but not required, to provide information about any actions planned to address the unresolved issues discussed in this follow-up within 30 days of the report’s issuance.