Unplug and Play: Governor Hochul Announces New Initiatives to Promote Kids’ Mental and Physical Health as Part of 2025 State of the State

Governor Kathy Hochul today announced 'Unplug and Play,' a new effort to promote kids' mental and physical health as a part of her 2025 State of the State. The Governor will continue to rebuild the state's social infrastructure for children by launching a holistic strategy to help support parents in steering their children away from the harms of social media and toward positive activities like youth sports, arts programs, civic engagement, and community building. Governor Hochul will also pursue digital protections that would safeguard children from predatory and harmful online influences.

"It's time to let our kids just be kids again," Governor Hochul said. "Studies show that access to recreational opportunities improves outcomes for kids. That's why we're investing in the social infrastructure to help our kids get offline and connect in person."

Governor Hochul is committed to protecting New York kids. In 2024, she launched the "Get Offline, Get Outside" campaign, aiming to reduce screen time and encourage outdoor activities for better physical and mental health. Additionally, Governor Hochul signed the SAFE for Kids Act and the Child Data Protection Act to restrict addictive social media feeds for users under 18 and prohibit online platforms from collecting or using personal data from minors without consent. Governor Hochul has prioritized getting input from young people, including by convening the Statewide Youth Mental Health Advisory Board.

Investing in Social Infrastructure

Building Recreational Infrastructure for Communities, Kids and Seniors (NY BRICKS)
Governor Hochul will launch the NY BRICKS grant program to support municipalities and nonprofit organizations in building or renovating community centers that promote physical health, mental well-being, and community connections for youth and older adults. The grants will fund design, construction, renovation, and land acquisition for these centers. Priority will be given to projects in low-income or disadvantaged areas, as well as those offering affordable services like childcare, eldercare, and mental health counseling. The program aims to make transformative, high-impact investments in local communities.

Invest in Places for Learning, Activity, and Youth Socialization (NY PLAYS)
Governor Hochul will significantly increase competitive grant funding for the construction of new playgrounds and renovation of existing ones. Playgrounds help children stay physically active, exercise, and build friendships, with research showing that outdoor play improves emotional health, particularly during the COVID pandemic. Studies found children with access to playgrounds had 20 percent lower rates of anxiety and depression compared to those with limited access. Many children in underserved New York communities, however, lack access to safe, well-maintained playgrounds, and existing ones often don't accommodate all abilities.

New York Statewide Investment In More Swimming (NY SWIMS)
Governor Hochul launched NY SWIMS, the largest investment in swimming infrastructure since the New Deal, with $150 million in capital grants funding 37 pool projects across New York. Building on its success, she will direct an additional $50 million towards pool projects, opening access to both municipalities and nonprofit organizations. To further improve water safety and prevent childhood drownings, a new program will provide tens of thousands of free swim lessons to children aged four and under. The Department of Health will work with community organizations to distribute vouchers for these lessons, helping more children feel safe in the water.

Get Offline, Get Outside 2.0
Youth programming yields significant benefits for children and their overall well-being. From playing on the weekend soccer team to taking a role in the community theater production, youth programming can transform lives and provide children the structured environments they need to socialize and thrive.

To get more kids involved in more activities at less cost to families, Governor Hochul will significantly expand the State's support for youth sports and programming. The increased support will allow the New York State Office of Children and Family Services to work with municipalities and nonprofits to support hundreds of thousands of new slots for children to engage across a variety of programs including sports teams, drama programs, music lessons, community garden programs, debate clubs, volunteer resources, and more.

Protecting Kids Online

Expand Media Literacy Effort to Combat Misinformation
The growing threat of mis/dis/mal-information is creating significant challenges, including radicalization, confusion during crises, and declining trust in factual information, with dangerous real-world consequences such as the Buffalo shooting and misinformation during the Maui wildfires of 2023. In response, Governor Hochul directed the New York State Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services (DHSES) to develop a Media Literacy Toolkit to help educators teach students how to critically evaluate information.

Building on this work, Governor Hochul will direct DHSES to expand its media literacy efforts by creating a Teacher's Guide with age-specific examples, resources for parents and the public, and a public education campaign. These initiatives aim to equip the next generation with critical media literacy skills to navigate the complex information landscape.

Outlaw Artificial Intelligence-Generated Child Sexual Abuse Material
Governor Hochul proposes updating the penal law to treat AI-generated child sexual abuse material as child pornography. This change would apply to real images manipulated to become explicit using AI. New York's penal law does not currently adequately address the use of AI to alter content to make child sexual abuse material. Existing laws address traditional child pornography, but the emergence of easily accessible "undressing" apps and the misuse of generative AI highlight the need to strengthen and modernize these laws.

Make Artificial Intelligence Companion Technology Safer
The AI Companion industry is a rapidly developing and largely unregulated market where chatbots are designed to simulate human connection, remember personal details, and adapt their personality to user preferences to establish long-term relationships. Governor Hochul will propose legislation to require AI companionship companies to implement safety features to protect against self-harm and to remind users they are interacting with machines rather than humans. These steps aim to reduce risks and ensure safer interactions with AI companions.

New York State Parks Commissioner Pro Tem Randy Simons said, "I applaud Governor Hochul for continually making New Yorkers' mental and physical wellness a top priority. The Governor's 'Unplug and Play' initiatives will offer New York families a range of options to make it easier to incorporate healthy activity into their daily lives. Our agency looks forward to helping New Yorkers unplug at our exceptional state park system, where they can enjoy the proven benefits that come with outdoor activity year-round."

State Health Commissioner Dr. James McDonald said, "There is a big, beautiful world out there for children to touch, smell and explore, and it is amazing what we can experience when we unplug and play. Playing and interacting with others is critical for a child's development because it can help boost their imagination and creativity, build social and communication skills, and improve their physical health and wellbeing. The Unplug and Play Initiative will help get children off their screens and to connect to their families and peers."

Office of Mental Health Commissioner Dr. Ann Sullivan said, "Healthy community activities and social interactions help our youth build confidence and develop connections that will support their mental wellbeing. By expanding exciting programs and welcoming physical spaces for our youth, they will have the opportunity to engage in positive activities that promote mental health and let them unplug from the digital world. These efforts reflect Governor Hochul's continued commitment to address the mental health challenges facing our young New Yorkers."

Office of Children and Family Services (OCFS) Commissioner Dr. DaMia Harris-Madden said, "Approximately one-third of U.S. youth report a lack of love, support and genuine relationships. The recognition of youth's lived experiences and relative needs are evidenced by the plethora of existing and new initiatives. We thank the Governor for leveraging the Governor's Youth Council and traveling the state to listen to and learn from our youth. Prioritizing positive youth development opportunities that promote physical, mental, social and emotional well-being is a wise decision that OCFS wholeheartedly supports.

Dormitory Authority of the State of New York (DASNY) President and CEO Robert J. Rodriguez said, "Governor Hochul's initiatives to support kids' physical and mental health reflects her deep commitment to enhancing the quality of life for all New Yorkers. DASNY is proud to support Governor Hochul's work to help ensure that families across New York have safe and accessible places to swim, exercise and find recreational activities. These initiatives and investments will create a lasting benefit for New Yorkers' health and well-being for decades to come."

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