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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Report Highlights
Mental Health Training Component of the New York SAVE Act
Audit Objective
Background
Determine whether the school districts (Districts)
used resources to provide the mental health The SAVE Act was introduced to
component of the New York Safe Schools Against help improve school safety and it
Violence in Education Act (SAVE Act) training requires school districts to develop a
requirement to staff. comprehensive district-wide school safety
plan (safety plan) that addresses crisis
Key Findings intervention, emergency responses and
management. The safety plan developed
The 20 Districts we examined did not provide by each district must include, among
mental health training to all staff for the 2020-21 other things, policies and procedures for
school year by September 15, 2020, as required annual school safety training for staff and
by New York State Education Department (SED) students.
regulations.
Generally, district officials are required
In addition, trainings offered by the Districts lacked to provide the school safety training,
sufficient content to ensure that staff were, at a including a component on mental health to
minimum, trained on recommended mental health all staff annually by September 15.
components such as the 10 mental health warning
signs, or “whom to turn to” and “how to access School districts must also certify to the
crisis support and services.” SED Commissioner that all staff have
undergone the school safety training,
ll Six of 20 Districts (30 percent) either did not which must include a component on
offer training or offered training that did not mental health1 and the date the training
include any of the 12 recommended mental was provided.
health components.
This global report details significant
ll Fourteen of 20 Districts (70 percent) included
mental health training issues we identified.
at least one of the 12 recommended mental
health components. Quick Facts
Districts Audited
Key Recommendation (Appendix A)
20
Provide mental health training to all staff and Student Enrollment 39,780
ensure it is completed by September 15, as
required by SED regulations. Such training should Staff Total 10,185
address recognition of the 10 warning signs,
whom to turn to for assistance, and how to access
appropriate services. Audit Period
July 1, 2020 – June 30, 2021. As
described in Appendix C, for certain
training material review we extended the
1 8 NYCRR Section 155.17[c][1][xiii]
audit period.
Of f ic e of t he New York State Comptroller 1