HUDSON — Officials are standing behind Gov. Kathy Hochul’s new mental health initiative, saying Monday that it will make important strides in the fight against depression and youth suicide.
David Rossetti, executive director at the Mental Health Association of Columbia County gave his thoughts on the new initiative.
“I think that it’s critical people are educating themselves in regards to her different proposals and thought processes, and especially our young people. They should be aware of what’s going on with mental health issues,” Rossetti said.
Rossetti also addressed what people should do if spoke about they’re having thoughts of ending their life.
“We are encouraging to people to continue to talk about suicide, to have conversations with young people and to ask those questions if we’re sensing a young person or an adult is showing different behaviors, such as withdrawing,” Rossetti said. “Our mobile crisis services in Columbia and Greene, anyone can call for those services.”
Hudson Mayor Kamal Johnson said Hochul’s program help people in the state immensely.
“I would love to see Columbia County access some of the supportive housing money for people with serious mental illness,” Johnson said. “A lot of what the governor lays out is exactly what we need for our proposed wellness center. This could be a huge help to us.”
Hochul announced a statewide series of listening sessions and a summit aimed at exploring the issues impacting the mental health of youth throughout New York State.
These initiatives will continue to elaborate on Hochul’s $1 billion plan to revamp New York State’s mental health continuum of care and provide an extra opportunity for mental health experts to advise state leaders on future policy recommendations to improve the youth mental wellness.
In conjunction with the state Office of Mental Health and the Office of Children and Family Services, the listening sessions are expected to be scheduled throughout the state this spring. Each session will be hosted by representatives from these organizations will involve a cross-section of school-age youth from each host community.
Hochul will also have a Summit on Youth Mental Health and Wellness in May, in conjunction with Mental Health Awareness Month. The summit will bring together youth and parents with an assortment of subject experts from the mental health, education, technology, and law enforcement fields to discuss the challenges and opportunities impacting the well-being of our youth, including the role social media plays in their lives.
“As New York State’s first female governor and the only mother to hold this office, I’m deeply disturbed by recent reports on instances of teen depression, especially following the isolation and uncertainty of the COVID-19 pandemic,” Hochul said. “It’s time we put the mental well-being of our youth at the forefront and listen what they’re going through to gain a deeper understanding of this issue and meaningfully address the problems young New Yorkers face.”
The Centers for Disease Control recently did a Youth Risk Behavior Survey. The survey concluded that mental health trends among school-aged youth between 2011 and 2021 - especially among teen girls. Nearly a third of teen girls seriously considered attempting suicide in 2021, an increase from 19 percent the prior decade; about three in five felt persistently sad or hopeless in 2021, which was twice the rate of teen boys and represents a nearly 60% increase over the rate recorded in 2011. The report also found that youth from marginalized populations are more likely to suffer mental health issues: More than half of LGBTQ+ students expressed having poor mental health, with one in five reporting having attempted suicide in the past year. Suicide attempts were also elevated among Black youths when compared to White youths, according to the report.