Education is a critical instrument in fighting mental health stigma and creating healthier communities. Education projects NAMI-NYC supports include:
Supporting Mental Health Education in Schools
Understanding mental health can make a big difference in the lives of students. We support bringing NAMI-NYC’s Ending the Silence presentations to all schools in NYC. Ending the Silence includes information on warning signs, facts and statistics, along with next steps for approaching support. Citywide support for these presentations within public schools will benefit a much larger pool of local teachers, students, and family members.
Promoting Mental Health Crisis Response in Schools
School Public Safety Officers must be removed as a first contact when dealing with student mental health crisis response in order to prevent further escalation and/or trauma. Schools must set and follow school protocols if a student has a crisis, especially if they aren’t otherwise identified as having a Behavioral Intervention Plan (BIP). Int 0543-2022 would establish protocols for responding to students experiencing mental health crises.