Publisher's summary
We audited the following 20 school districts (Districts) to determine whether the Districts used resources to provide the mental health component of the New York Safe Schools Against Violence in Education Act (SAVE Act) training requirement to staff: Bellville-Henderson CSD, Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake CSD, Canandaigua City SD, Coxsackie Athens CSD, Crown Point CSD, Dover UFSD, Eden CSD, Goshen CSD, Greenport UFSD, Harborfields CSD, Livonia CSD, Malone CSD, Port Washington UFSD, Rye Neck UFSD, Schalmont CSD, Seaford UFSD, Unadilla Valley CSD, Waverly CSD, Wellsville CSD and West Genesee CSD. The 20 Districts we examined did not provide mental health training to all staff for the 2020-21 school year by September 15, 2020, as required by New York State Education Department (SED) regulations.
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Based on SED guidance, as a best practice, at a minimum staff should be trained
on the DHHS recommended mental health components of “what educators should
know.”
District Training Did Not Include All Recommended Mental Health
Components
The Superintendent certified to SED that all staff received training on the
emergency response plan on September 2, 2020, which must also include
training on a component of mental health.
However, our review of the training records and materials presented by officials
found the District did not provide training to any staff on a component of mental
health as a requirement of the annual emergency response plan training.
The Superintendent told us
two trainings that included Figure 2: District’s “Dignity for All Students
mental health content were Act” and “Discrimination and Harassment
provided by the District through for Employees and Supervisors” Trainings
a third-party service provider: Mental Health Components Included
“Dignity for All Students Act” Whom to Turn to x
and “Discrimination and
Harassment for Employees
How to Access Support and Services x
and Supervisors.” We Warning Signs
reviewed the materials Anxiety Disorders x
presented for these trainings
and found that none of the
Behavioral Disorders x
12 recommended mental Eating Disorders x
health components were
included (Figure 2). The
Mood Disorders x
training included content Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder x
on harassment, bullying Personality Disorders x
and discrimination, not the
recommended mental health
Psychotic Disorders x
warning signs, “whom to turn Substance Use Disorders x
to” and “how to access crisis
support and other mental
Suicidal Behavior x
health services.” Trauma and Stress Related Disorders x
The Superintendent told us
he began employment with the District in July 2020 and the impact of COVID-19
shifted priorities with a greater emphasis and focus on reopening schools with
five-day, in-person school weeks. The Superintendent also indicated that the
District was not fully aware of the requirements and deadline for the mental health
training. Furthermore, the Superintendent told us that the training provider did
Of f ic e of t he New York State Comptroller 3