Empowering NYC’s Youth Through Mental Health Education and Support Programs

We believe that every young person in New York City deserves to grow up feeling supported, empowered, and equipped with the knowledge and skills to navigate life’s challenges. 

A strong focus on mental health awareness in schools and after-school programs aids in building our youth’s self-awareness and coping skills so they can learn to recognize emotions and express themselves and develop skills to empower them to manage stress, build resilience, and form healthy relationships with others.

According to the CDC, “mental health includes our emotional, psychological, and social well-being. It affects how we think, feel, and act. It also helps determine how we handle stress, relate to others, and make healthy choices.”

Mental Health Among NYC’s Youth: A Growing Concern

In the 2024 New York City State of Mental Health Report, findings showed that, as of 2021, 15% of children aged 3 to 13 had a mental health diagnosis. The most common diagnoses being anxiety (8%) and depression (3%).  

Regarding teens, 38% of public high school students reported feeling sad or hopeless as of 2021. In 2023, a survey found that 27% of NYC teens experienced mild symptoms of depression, 14% moderate symptoms, and 11% severe symptoms.

As far as anxiety, the same survey found that 10-25% of teens experience worry (about the future, their well-being, and/or the well-being of loved ones) often or always. As of 2021, 16% of public high school students had seriously considered suicide in the previous 12 months.

The statistics may be alarming, but they only fuel our commitment to making a positive impact. With access to mental health education and support, our young people can thrive academically, emotionally, and physically. 

How Do Mental Health Programs Affect Students in NYC?

With school-based mental health programs in NYC, schools see an increase in academic performance, attendance, student self-esteem, overall health, and parent/teacher knowledge of mental health challenges. There’s also a notable decrease in emergency room use for mental health services.

Why is Mental Health Education Important?

Beginning mental health education at a young age can increase the likelihood that children will grow up being able to effectively recognize the signs and symptoms of mental health challenges in themselves and others. With a strong foundation of mental health knowledge, our youth, and their parents are better equipped to manage emotional challenges as they arise and know where to turn for help when they need it.

A focus on mental health isn’t just essential for mental well-being. It also impacts physical well-being. For example, people with depression are at a higher risk of developing chronic diseases such as diabetes, heart disease, stroke, and Alzheimer’s disease.

How are Schools or After School Programs Using Mental Health Education

In 2016, Governor Cuomo signed a bill requiring schools to provide mental health education as part of the K-12 programming. This has prompted many organizations and schools to introduce initiatives that support mental health education and support.

One notable example is a New York Presbyterian Hospital-Columbia University program in collaboration with the NYC Department of Education. A recent Columbia University Irving Medical Center article shares that the School-Based Mental Health Program partners with schools to provide teachers with social-emotional learning training and facilitate caregiver workshops. The team also works with students to provide tailored treatment based on each child’s individual needs. Their findings show these interventions have led to improved test scores, grades, and attendance and decreased behavioral problems, depression, and anxiety in students K-8. 

Road to Success: Mental Health Education and Support

At Road to Success, we’re passionate about inspiring and empowering all young people to take control of their futures. We are committed to the growth and development of young people in New York City and provide various programs and activities, including mental health support programs. As of 2024, we are focusing on streamlining our referral process, expanding our wellness team’s activities, developing comprehensive protocols for crisis intervention, implementing robust intake and assessment tools, expanding staff’s capabilities with workshops and training sessions in Social and Emotional Learning and Mental Health, and so much more! 

With these new initiatives, we are on the path to significantly impacting the mental health and well-being of our community. 

Read our previous article: What is Social Emotional Learning and How Does it Benefit Youth in NYC.