OUR CHILDREN'S MENTAL HEALTH MATTERS

 

A vital piece remains missing and unaddressed and that is the well-being of our children.

 

Over 2.5 million school children in New York State have been left to adjust to the abrupt change of remote learning, amid COVID-19. While children are out of school learning remotely, they now face other issues such as social isolation, anxiety, distress, stress, trauma and other social-emotional challenges.
 

While it is necessary for schools to remain closed during this, it is also vital that our children well-being is supported. Virtual mental health and social/emotional support is needed to help our children get through this uncertain time.
 

The Coronavirus has serious impact on our children mental health and well-being; this impact is greater than we are acknowledging today. Children are now forced to adjust during a world pandemic and crisis without the physical company of those they traditionally interact with including peers, teachers, counselors, community and religious leaders. With social distancing and social isolation, the impact on mental health is greater.
 

According to Center for Disease Control, “Fear and anxiety about a disease can be overwhelming and cause strong emotions in children and adults”. Parents, and schools alike are grappling with the new adjustment of remote learning. The reality is many children are not adjusting to the rapid changes of remote learning, social distancing and social isolation. Remote learning can only be effective with the right social and emotional supports in place for our children. Schools traditionally depend on community-based organizations to provide social and emotional supportive services for children such as counseling, art, mentoring, and during this crisis, this dependency is magnified. Investing funds into community-based organizations who have been supporting our children and families for many years before pandemic this is crucial to ensuring our children are holistically safe.

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Why is this important?

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We are urging Governor Cuomo and our state leaders to ensure funds are set aside for over 2.5 million children in New York State to have access to virtual social and emotional support and mental health services. Without such state investment, we fear vulnerable New York children mental health, social and emotional needs will not be supported during a time needed the most.
Virtual support will bridge the gap between abrupt remote learning and social distancing and provide a healthy and much needed outlet for our children to interact and engage in programming while practicing social distancing.
 

Our children are our priority.

We are asking you to sign our petition to make sure all New York State children well-being is supported.

 

We are in this together.