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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For example:
ll Six Districts (30 percent) did not offer training that included any of the 12
recommended mental health components.
ll Twelve Districts (60 percent) offered trainings that included at least one but
not all of the recommended mental health components.
ll Two Districts (10 percent) offered training to staff that included all
recommended components.
The most common component included within the training materials reviewed at
each of the Districts was “Whom to Turn to” (Figure 3). Thirteen of the 20 Districts
included information in training materials regarding resources and personnel
whom staff could contact with mental health concerns they may identify in
students. Only seven of the Districts provided guidance on how to contact crisis
support resources. Trauma and stress-related disorders was the most addressed
warning sign in trainings offered with 11 of the Districts including it in their training
materials. The remaining nine disorders were addressed by 10 or fewer Districts.
FIGURE 3
Figure 3: Mental Health Health Training Components
Mental Health Health Training Components
Included Included in District Trainings
in District Trainings
Included Not Included
Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder
Psychotic Disorders
Recommended Components
Eating Disorders
Substance Use Disorders
How to access crisis support
Mood Disorders
Personality Disorders
Anxiety Disorders
Behavioral Disorders
Suicidal Behavior
Trauma and Stress Related Disorders
Whom to turn to
0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18 20
Number of Districts
4 Of f ic e of t he New York State Comptroller