Governor Hochul Highlights Accomplishments from Teen Mental Health First Aid Expansion

Governor Kathy Hochul today announced that more than 2,500 teens have received Mental Health First Aid training, a 71 percent increase since this initiative was incorporated into high schools last summer. Doubling down on this accomplishment, Governor Hochul exponentially increased the investment in this initiative in the newly Enacted FY27 State Budget, so that all 10th graders statewide will be able to access this critical training at school.

"As New York's first mom governor, the mental health of our young people is deeply personal to me, and I am fully committed to providing them the tools they need to help themselves and their peers," Governor Hochul said. "With the first students trained at area high schools, we are now looking toward growing this important initiative and helping to usher in a generational change among young people across the state."

Governor Hochul secured $17.5 million in the FY27 State Budget to ensure Teen Mental Health First Aid training is available to all 10th graders across New York State. This phased-in commitment will make training available to more than 180,000 students annually, ensuring that over time most high school students will have the basic skills to support mental wellbeing in themselves and each other.

The training was incorporated into high schools using $3.5 million in state funding, laying the groundwork to significantly ramp up the initiative with additional investment. With the new budget, funding for the program is expected to double this year, helping to train roughly 25,000 students during the 2026-2027 school year and then in subsequent years, as total funding increases to $21 million annually.

Youth Mental Health First Aid teaches adults how to identify and address behavioral health issues in young people, while the teen training educates youth on how to assist peers who are experiencing these struggles. There were 21 districts across the state that incorporated the training for teens during the academic year, including high schools in Rensselaer and Lansingburgh in the Capital Region.

The inroads this program has made at these schools was highlighted in a new promotional video developed by the state Office of Mental Health (OMH), featuring staff and students from both. So far, Lansingburgh has trained 337 students, while Rensselaer has trained 135 students. An additional 410 adults have been trained in Youth Mental Health First Aid.

The expansion last summer resulted in an additional 2,500 teens being trained - a 71 percent increase in the total number of youths with this training statewide. Altogether, 3,150 adults and 6,100 teens have received this training.

The expansion has also helped train 49 new Youth Mental Health First Aid instructors and 37 new instructors for Teen Mental Health First Aid. They join the 73 Youth Mental Health First Aid instructors and 36 Teen Mental Health First Aid instructors trained by the program between June 2022 and June 2025.

OMH Commissioner Dr. Ann Sullivan said, "One of the top recommendations we receive from young people is the need for help to address behavioral health concerns in themselves and their peers. Teen Mental Health First Aid is helping these teens to speak with classmates and friends and get help when they are in distress. The expansion of this program reflects Governor Hochul's commitment to improving the mental health of all New Yorkers, particularly young people, who often face unique pressures as they approach adulthood."

State Senator Samra Brouk said, "As Chair of the Senate Mental Health Committee, I recognize that youth mental health is still a crisis in New York State. I applaud Governor Hochul for helping our young people with a $17.5 million investment to expand access to Teen Mental Health First Aid training. We know that peers can offer powerful support to those experiencing mental health or substance use challenges-with this investment, tens of thousands of young people will receive this life-changing training to uplift themselves and their peers."

Teens often reach out to their peers first when experiencing mental health and substance use challenges, and their friends are often best positioned to identify and empathize with stressors that may be affecting their fellow students. This nationally recognized curriculum introduces common mental health challenges for youth, reviews typical adolescent development, and teaches a five-step action plan for how to help young people in both crisis and non-crisis situations.

Designed for young people between the ages of 14 and 18, Teen Mental Health First Aid equips them with skills to recognize common signs and symptoms of mental health and substance use challenges. The training also teaches them the impact of bullying and school violence on mental health, how to have impactful conversations with classmates about mental health concerns or when to seek help from an adult, and the importance of self-care.

Research shows that young people with this training have the capacity to both identify and effectively respond to mental health challenges in ways that can improve and even save lives. During Governor Hochul's statewide youth listening tour and the subsequent Summit on Youth Mental Health in 2023, young people consistently indicated that they most often turn to their peers for support during emotional distress - an assertion that prompted the state to bolster funding for Teen Mental Health First Aid.

Lansingburgh Central School District School Community Partnership Director Joseph Otter said, "Both the Teen Mental Health First Aid and Youth Mental Health First Aid training have been most welcome and helpful for our school district. It is a great feeling to be providing our staff and students with knowledge and skills so they can be a source of support to our students. Both students and staff have been very receptive, and we are lowering the stigma around mental health."

Rensselaer City School District Superintendent Joseph Kardash said, "Our Youth and Teen Mental Health First Aid programs help normalize conversations around mental health while giving students and educators the tools to recognize concerns early and respond with compassion and confidence. This work is strengthening relationships, increasing awareness, and helping create safer, more supportive learning environments when we need these supports more than ever."