Gov. Kathy Hochul’s 2026 State of the State address included a sweeping set of proposals that could reshape New York’s youth behavioral health landscape, from workforce training and crisis response to community-based substance use recovery.
Here are six things to know:
- The proposal would make teen mental health first aid training available to all 10th graders across New York. The state would also offer aligned training for adults who regularly interact with youths in schools and community programs, according to a Jan. 13 news release from the governor’s office.
- Ms. Hochul would direct the Office of Mental Health to publish a 10-year training road map to ensure all child-serving clinicians in agency settings are trained in evidence-based practices.
- New York plans to designate two additional community organizations under the Office of Mental Health’s Youth Safe Spaces program, expanding nonclinical environments where youths ages 12-24 can access mental wellness resources and peer connection.
- The Office of Addiction Services and Support would open 15 new youth clubhouses, colocated with exciting recovery community and outreach centers, to provide community-based, nonclinical recovery support. OASAS would also establish the state’s first Young Adult Recovery Residence, to provide housing and services for up to 35 young adults recovering from substance use disorder and opioid addiction.
- As part of the package, the governor said New York would pursue restrictions on children’s use of integrated AI chatbot features on digital platforms, building on prior state actions aimed at creating safeguards against harmful AI companions.
- The proposal calls for expanding transitional support workers and peer advocates to all Tribal Nations and Indigenous-serving school districts with a government-to-government relationship with the state, and establishing an Indigenous School Mental Health Workforce Center to support SUNY students pursuing school-based mental health careers.
