New York proposes expansion of Teen Mental Health First Aid

New York Gov. Kathy Hochul last week announced plans for every 10th grader in the state to be trained in Teen Mental Health First Aid training as part of her 2026 State of the State agenda. The proposal marks a first‐of‐its‐kind, statewide expansion of Teen Mental Health First Aid training, designed to give young people the tools to identify, understand and effectively respond to signs of mental health and substance abuse challenges among their friends and peers. The initiative aims to equip students with practical skills to recognize and respond to emerging mental health concerns among peers — an area providers and advocates have long flagged as increasingly urgent.