The new initiative offers support and training in identifying, screening, and referring pre-K–12 students at risk of suicide to life-saving services
NEW YORK–(BUSINESS WIRE)–School nurses play a critical role in suicide prevention and are often the first point of contact for students experiencing mental health issues or emotional distress. Today, Schools Chancellor David C. Banks, in partnership with the NYC Department of Health, and The Jed Foundation (JED), announced that the New York City Office of School Health (OSH) has partnered with JED, a leading national nonprofit that protects emotional health and prevents suicide in teens and young adults, to develop and scale a new standardized suicide prevention training course for New York City Public Schools (NYCPS) nurses working across more than 1,800 pre-K–12 public schools.
“Our administration continues to remain laser focused on addressing the crisis of youth mental health,” said New York City Mayor Eric Adams. “Today’s announcement, in partnership with The Jed Foundation, to train approximately 1,500 school nurses in suicide prevention brings us one step closer to meeting our students where they are and supporting their mental health needs at every turn. Whether it is filing a lawsuit to hold social media companies accountable, launching Teenspace — a free tele-mental health service that has already supported over 1,800 youth in seeking help from licensed professionals — or providing more services directly in schools, we will do everything we can to ensure our future leaders have the support they need to thrive emotionally, mentally, and physically.”
“Our schools aren’t just places where our children go to learn — they’re where they go to grow up, to find themselves, to make friends, and to have the support they need to get through whatever’s going on in their lives,” said Chief of Staff Camille Joseph Varlack. “With this new partnership, we’re making sure that our school nurses have the training they need to identify warning signs of suicide and get at-risk young people the help they need. It’s a part of our broader mission to promote youth mental health, inside and outside our schools.”
“School-based nurses play an important role in our school communities and in the everyday lives of our young people. They may see young people at times of need whether a stomach ache, a needed band-aid, or a sprained ankle. School nurses don’t just tend to physical health needs though, they are also the frontlines of witnessing and supporting our kids’ mental health. Seeing when they might be feeling anxious, stressed, or overwhelmed. That’s why this partnership offering additional training to our school nurses around suicide prevention is so critical. It responds to a need and it gives new tools of support to our nurses and our students,” said Deputy Mayor Anne Williams-Isom.
“Our schools are not only centers of learning, but safe havens where our young people can find trusted adults and support for whatever may be going on in their lives. Our school nurses are champions of students’ well-being, and they must be equipped to jump into action and help any student calling out for it,” said Schools Chancellor David C. Banks. “I’m so proud to be partnering with JED to bring this training to school nurses across the city as we continue the critical work of supporting the mental health of our students.”
“Our school nurses show up to promote the health of students and families every day,” said Health Commissioner Dr. Ashwin Vasan. “As a city, we are recognizing that mental health is health, and we need to give nurses as many tools as possible so that they can holistically work with the children in our schools. This training will help them develop their abilities to recognize distress and step in, as a trusted adult, if they see a student who is hurting.”
Approximately 1,500 New York City school nurses, supporting 1.1 million students in the nation’s largest school district, will complete JED’s 90-minute, eight-module online course, Suicide Prevention for School Nurses, by the end of October. Launched in June after pilot testing with 30 NYCPS nurses, the course uses scenario-based learning and the Ask Suicide-Screening Questions (ASQ) tool to enhance nurses’ abilities to identify, screen, and refer students at risk for suicide. To date, at least 375 nurses have completed the course, with ratings on ability to identify warning signs and risk factors of suicide increasing by 3 points on average (on a 10-point scale) post-training. Participants have also learned about common mental health challenges, signs of distress, when to mobilize a crisis team, tips for managing emotional carryover and burnout, and more.
The 2023 NYC Teen Mental Health Survey from the Health Department found that 48 percent of teens experience depressive symptoms ranging from mild to severe. Nearly one in four NYC teens (24 percent) said that sometime in the past 12 months they had needed or wanted mental health care but did not get it.
“School is where young people spend a great deal of their time, and nurses are frequently the first faces pre-K–12 students turn to for help when they’re hurting physically or emotionally. For this reason, JED is proud to partner with OSH and NYCPS to create a foundational training that will provide all school nurses in America’s largest public school district with the knowledge they need to safeguard at-risk students and help prevent suicide,” said Tony Walker, JED’s Senior Vice President of Academic Programs. “Through this comprehensive public health approach, we hope to empower school nurses to initiate potentially life-saving conversations and create healthier school communities — both in and out of the classroom.”
This initiative is one of the ways New York City Public Schools continues to provide mental health supports to our students. Young people can also find support via:
Our pool of approximately 5,000 social workers and school counselors (which saw an increase of 1,000 since 2014);
School-based mental health clinics serving over 340 of our schools, including 17 new clinics this year and 20 more planned for next year;
Partnerships with over 130 external community-based mental health providers offering services in over 590 schools;
Our new Teenspace program, which allows young people across NYC access to tele-mental health support; and
Our push around mindfulness and mindful breathing.
About New York City Public Schools: New York City Public Schools is a testament to the history and impact of urban education in the United States. With over 1,600 schools spread across five boroughs, the system is made up of approximately 1 million students and staff, making it the largest public school system in the nation. These schools employ more than 75,000 teachers, who deliver a rich tapestry of educational experiences to a student body that reflects the city’s vibrant and diverse cultural heritage. This network of educational institutions represents not just the scale of New York City’s commitment to public education, but also its dedication to fostering a learning environment that is as dynamic and diverse as the city itself.
About The Jed Foundation (JED): JED is a nonprofit that protects emotional health and prevents suicide for our nation’s teens and young adults. We’re partnering with high schools and colleges to strengthen their mental health, substance misuse, and suicide prevention programs and systems. We’re equipping teens and young adults with the skills and knowledge to help themselves and each other. We’re encouraging community awareness, understanding, and action for young adult mental health.
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Contacts
JED Media
Justin Barbo
Director, Public Relations
The Jed Foundation
Justin@jedfoundation.org
914-844-4611
NYCPS Chancellor’s Press Office
press@schools.nyc.gov
