NEW YORK STATE ASSEMBLY MEMORANDUM IN SUPPORT OF LEGISLATION submitted in accordance with Assembly Rule III, Sec 1(f)
BILL NUMBER: A9692
SPONSOR: Eachus TITLE OF BILL:
An act to amend the mental hygiene law and the education law, in
relation to mandatory continuing education for teachers relating to
mental health issues and trauma informed care
PURPOSE OR GENERAL IDEA OF BILL:
To include mental health and trauma informed care training in the manda-
tory continuing education for teachers.
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:
Section 1 amends the mental hygiene law by adding a new subdivision (d)
that requires the Commissioner of Mental Health, in consultation with
the commissioners of the Department of Health and the State Education
Department, to develop educational and program materials related to
mental health and trauma informed care, that will be offered as part of
the required continuing teacher and leader education requirements.
Section 2 amends paragraph a of subdivision 2 of section 3006-a of the
education law to require that 10 of the 100 hours of continuing teacher
and leader education that is needed in a 5-year period be related to
mental health and trauma informed care.
JUSTIFICATION:
Nearly 35 million children have experienced at least one event that
could lead to childhood trauma. In addition, 72% of children in the US
will experience at least one traumatic event (e.g., witnessing or being
a victim of violence; experiencing sexual, physical, or emotional abuse;
suffering a serious injury or medical condition; death of a parent or
sibling) before the age of 18 (1).
In addition, the Covid-19 pandemic has impacted children across the
country in ways that are yet to be discovered.
Evidence suggests that youth exposed to trauma will have few social
skills and be more likely to face rejection from their peers. Students
who have experienced a traumatic event have an increased risk for
academic, social, and emotional problems as a result of these experi-
ences (2).
Schools are uniquely positioned to be an ideal setting to help students
who have experienced trauma by ensuring as long as educators have the
skills to address trauma-related psychological problems. This bill will
help teachers receive training in mental health and specifically crisis
and emotional trauma.
Professionals from the Offices of Mental Health, NYS Department of
Health and State Education department will develop course
Materials/curriculum specific to mental health and emotional trauma as
part of the required continuing teacher and leader education require-
ments.
This training will be a step to helping educators address the needs of
students who may be acting out or struggling due to traumatic events
beyond their control. In our modern world, these skills seem more impor-
tant than ever for teachers to acquire.
1: https://www.nasponline.oreresources-and-publications/ resources-
andpodcasts/school-climatesafety-and-crisis/mental- health-
resources/trauma
2: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.govipmciarticles/PMC3287974/
PRIOR LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:
2020: S.8304
2021/2022: S.3681
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS FOR STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS:
To be determined.
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect immediately.
STATE OF NEW YORK
________________________________________________________________________
9692
IN ASSEMBLY
April 3, 2024
___________
Introduced by M. of A. EACHUS -- read once and referred to the Committee
on Education
AN ACT to amend the mental hygiene law and the education law, in
relation to mandatory continuing education for teachers relating to
mental health issues and trauma informed care
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem-bly, do enact as follows:
1 Section 1. Section 7.23 of the mental hygiene law is amended by adding
2 a new subdivision (d) to read as follows:
3 (d) The commissioner, in consultation with the department of health
4 and the commissioner of the department of education, shall develop
5 course materials to be offered as part of the required continuing teach-
6 er and leader education requirements pursuant to paragraph a of subdivi-
7 sion two of section three thousand six-a of the education law. Such
8 training shall include, but not be limited to:
9 1. continuing education courses;
10 2. programs and activities related to mental health;
11 3. trauma informed care, intervention and practices;
12 4. adverse childhood experiences and social emotional learning;
13 5. behavioral health disorders;
14 6. best practices for improving the overall learning environment;
15 7. safe de-escalation of crisis situations;
16 8. identifying signs and symptoms, including early stages of mental
17 illness and behavioral health issues; and
18 9. the use of evidence based training programs including, but not
19 limited to, mental health first aid or core elements of such programs to
20 the extent practicable.
21 § 2. Paragraph a of subdivision 2 of section 3006-a of the education
22 law, as added by section 2 of subpart C of part EE of chapter 56 of the
23 laws of 2015, is amended to read as follows:
24 a. During each five-year registration period beginning on or after
25 July first, two thousand sixteen, an applicant for registration shall
26 successfully complete a minimum of one hundred hours of continuing
27 teacher and leader education, as defined by the commissioner. Such
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[] is old law to be omitted.
LBD03360-01-3
A. 9692 2
1 continuing teacher and leader education shall include, at least ten
2 hours during the five-year registration period, but not be limited to
3 continuing education courses, programs and activities related to mental
4 illness and trauma informed care pursuant to subdivision (d) of section
5 7.23 of the mental hygiene law. The department shall issue rigorous
6 standards for courses, programs, and activities[,] that shall qualify as
7 continuing teacher and leader education pursuant to this section. For
8 purposes of this section, a peer review teacher, or a principal acting
9 as an independent trained evaluator, conducting a classroom observation
10 as part of the teacher evaluation system pursuant to section three thou-
11 sand twelve-d of this article may credit such time towards his or her
12 continuing teacher and leader effectiveness requirements.
13 § 3. The commissioner of education is authorized to promulgate any
14 rules and regulations necessary to carry out the provisions of this act.
15 § 4. This act shall take effect on the first of January next succeed-
16 ing the date on which it shall have become a law. Effective immediately
17 the addition, amendment and/or repeal of any rule or regulation neces-
18 sary for the implementation of this act on its effective date are
19 authorized to be made and completed on or before such date.
