New York (WRGB) – Gov Hochul has received a national award recognizing his administration’s efforts to expand access to mental health throughout New York State, including what his office described as roughly $2 billion in investment to strengthen the state’s continuum of care.
Mental Health America presented Hochul with the 2026 Governor’s Leadership Award for outstanding leadership in mental health policy, citing “significant and sustained investments” that have strengthened mental health systems across the country.
Governor Hochul said,
Our continued investment in expanding access to care provides new hope for New Yorkers experiencing mental health issues. With approximately $2 billion prioritized for this purpose, we have built a system that is responsive to the needs in our country and set an example for others to follow nationally.
The award was announced virtually during the American Mental Health Regional Policy Council meeting earlier this month. Glenn Liebman, chief executive of the Mental Health Association of New York State, presented Hochul with the award.
The Hochul administration pointed to a $1 billion initiative launched in 2023 to strengthen New York’s mental health care system, followed by additional investments in the next budget. The state has expanded inpatient capacity, expanded outpatient programs and created thousands of new specialized housing units, among other steps to improve access to services, including for individuals and families from previously underserved populations.
Hochul has also focused on youth mental health, including legislative initiatives addressing social media and smartphone use in schools. Signed into law last year, the Safe for Kids Act requires social media companies to limit addictive feeds on their platforms for users under 18. Hochul has also advanced efforts to eliminate the use of smartphones by students in K-12 public schools.
In September, Mental Health America ranked New York first nationally in its report, “The State of Mental Health in America,” based on 17 indicators that measure the prevalence of mental illness and access to treatment. The measure cited as having the greatest impact on New York’s overall ranking was the percentage of youth in the state with serious thoughts of suicide, youth with a major depressive episode in the past year, and uninsured adults living with mental illness. New York also ranked first in the report’s adult ranking, which includes eight measures focused on adults 18 and older.
New York State Mental Health Commissioner Dr. Ann Sullivan’s office said the state is beginning to see the impact of the investment. “Since taking office, Governor Hochul has made unprecedented investments into the continuum of our state of care. We now see many programs funded and initiatives coming to fruition, and the positive impact these investments have on individuals and families throughout our country,” said Sullivan. “This national recognition reflects the Governor’s leadership and his unwavering commitment to strengthening our mental health care system.”
Hochul’s FY 2027 Executive Budget includes several mental health proposals, including $17.5 million to ensure that all 10th graders have access to Adolescent Mental Health First Aid training, with the goal of reaching 180,000 high school students each year.
The budget also includes $500,000 to establish two additional Youth Safe Spaces, described as non-clinical peer-led programs that serve young people in community-based settings and connect them with resources. The executive budget also proposes the creation of a “Schools with a Difference in Strong Mental Health Support” to reward schools for mental health support and substance abuse reduction.
Other proposals include a $71 million increase in supportive housing rates to help maintain capacity statewide, including higher stipends for scattered-site units and increased rates for single-room occupancy units.
The executive budget also includes $1.8 million to train 988 crisis counselors to better understand the challenges faced by young people in the LGBTQIA + community, which is intended to help the special “press 3” option that was eliminated by the federal government last summer. The proposal would also establish a legal hotline and website for the LGBTQIA+ community with information on legal resources, housing and health care.
The budget further proposes expanding the Office of Mental Health’s Indigenous Mental Wellbeing pilot program by adding transitional support workers and peer advocates to all tribes and indigenous school districts with government-to-government relationships. It also calls for the Indigenous School Mental Health Workforce Center to support SUNY students pursuing careers in school-based mental health.
Hochul’s budget also proposed creating a joint license for providers offering mental health and addiction services, aligning programs licensed by the Office of Mental Health and the Office of Substance Abuse and Supportive Services.
MANYS CEO Glenn Liebman said,
MHANYS is proud to stand with Mental Health America to honor Governor Hochul for his outstanding leadership and commitment to mental health leading the way not only for New York State but as a model for other states. Governor Hochul has overseen tremendous investments in community-based mental health services including school-based mental health clinics, youth safe spaces, mental health literacy including youth and teen Mental Health First Aid, and precedent-setting legislation requiring insurance and health plans to provide timely appointments, restricting your cell phone from online social security measures, and limiting your cell phone from online social security measures. platform and AI chatbots.
Mental Health America Interim President and CEO Dr. Pierluigi Mancini said,
Mental Health America is honored to present this award to Governor Hochul, for his outstanding leadership in expanding access to lifesaving mental health services and supports in New York. Through significant and sustained investment, Governor Hochul has strengthened the mental health system across the continuum of care, meeting people where they are and addressing the needs of communities across the country.
Related
#Gov #Hochul #won #national #award #leadership #mental #health #policy