Res 0827-2019

By Council Member Holden Whereas, With over 1.1 million students taught in more than 1,800 separate schools, New York City (NYC) is home to the largest public school district in the United States (U.S.); and Whereas, According to the World Health Organization, half of all mental illnesses begin by the age of 14, and up to 20 percent of children and adolescents experience mental disorders; and Whereas, The NYC Department of Education (DOE) reports that of its student population, 19.7 percent are students with disabilities; and Whereas, Studies have shown that neuropsychiatric conditions are the leading cause of disability in young people and, if untreated, they can negatively impact children's development, their educational attainments and their potential to live fulfilling and productive lives; and Whereas, Children with mental disorders face major challenges with stigma and discrimination, which increase social isolation and unmet needs for health care; and Whereas, An analysis of New York State Department of Health (DOH) data by the New York State School Boards Association shows that opioid-related health facility visits by school age children have increased by more than 100 percent in the state since 2010; and Whereas, DOH data show that an average of 79 children and adolescents, aged 10 to 19, died by suicide in the state from 2012 to 2014; and Whereas, Childhood mental disorders, especially when diagnosed early on, can be treated and managed when everyone involved in the child's treatment, including parents, teachers, coaches, therapists and other family members, work closely together to guide the child toward success, as advised by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; and Whereas, A study published in February 2019 by the Research Alliance for New York City Schools at New York University found that over 12 percent of students-or, one in eight-who began kindergarten in fall 2012 experienced homelessness before fifth grade; and Whereas, The study also found that homelessness can severely impact a student's educational experience; homeless students change schools more frequently than permanently housed students and struggle with attendance, and homelessness often takes an emotional toll on children, affecting their classroom behavior and academic performance; and Whereas, School psychologists, per the National Association of School Psychologists (NASP), apply expertise in mental health, learning and behavior, and partner with families, teachers, school administrators and other professionals to create safe, healthy and supportive learning environments to help children and youth succeed academically, socially, behaviorally and emotionally; and Whereas, School psychologists are typically responsible for conducting student evaluations for Individualized Education Programs (IEPs), which documents a student's eligibility for special education services and formalizes the plan to provide special education programs and services that are appropriate for the student's unique needs; and Whereas, For Fiscal Year 2019, the DOE reported that there were 531 school psychologists, 26 bilingual school psychologists and three school psychologists on sabbatical, for a total of 560 school psychologist, some of whom serve multiple schools; and Whereas, According to DOE data for the 2017-18 school year, 40,000 special education students-or 22 percent of all students classified as having disabilities-receive only part of the interventions they were entitled to or did not receive any extra support; and Whereas, DOE school support staff generally feel overburdened and lament the fact that they do not have enough one-on-one time with students, and there is even a growing backlog of students who are overdue for an evaluation in whether their special education plans are meeting their needs; and Whereas, The NASP Model for Comprehensive and Integrated School Psychological Services recommends a ratio students to school psychologists of 500-700:1; and Whereas, School psychologists are vital members of school teams that help students navigate everything from class schedules to family crises; now, therefore be it Resolved, That the Council of the City of New York calls upon the New York State Department of Education to provide one full-time school psychologist for every 500-700 students. LS #8861 03/08/2019 CGR 1