§ 17-199.28 Peer-based mental health literacy trainings.
AC § 17-199.28
a. Definitions. For purposes of this section, the following terms have the following meanings: Age-appropriate. The term “age-appropriate” means topics, messages and teaching methods suitable to particular ages or age groups of students, based on developing cognitive, emotional and behavioral capacity typical for the age or age group. Middle and high school. The term “middle and high school” means any school of the city school district that contains any combination of grades from grade 6 through grade 12. Student. The term “student” means any pupil under the age of 21 as of September 1 of the relevant academic year who does not have a high school diploma and who is enrolled in grade 6 or higher. b. No later than 1 year after the effective date of the local law that added this section, the commissioner shall facilitate the offering of an evidence-based and age-appropriate peer-based mental health literacy training for students in middle and high schools. Such training shall involve: 1. The instruction of middle and high school students on how to identify common signs and symptoms of mental health and substance use challenges; 2. The instruction of middle and high school students on how to interact with a peer experiencing mental health distress; and 3. Information on available mental health resources and instruction on accessing such resources. c.
1.No later than 2 years after the effective date of the local law that added this section the commissioner, in coordination with the chancellor of the city school district, shall submit to the mayor and the speaker of the council, and post on the department’s website, a report on the peer-based mental health literacy training required under subdivision b of this section. Such report shall include, but need not be limited to, the following information: (a) An overview of such training, including the scope of topics covered; (b) The total number of middle and high school students who participated in such training in the previous year; (c) The total number of schools that offered such training; (d) The total number of schools that participated in such training; (e) A narrative description of any feedback received from student participants after completing such training; and (f) A description of any challenges encountered during the facilitation of such training.
2.No information that is required to be reported pursuant to this subdivision shall be reported in a manner that would violate any applicable provision of federal, state, or local law relating to the privacy of student information or that would interfere with law enforcement investigations or otherwise conflict with the interests of law enforcement. If a category contains between 1 and 5 students, or contains an amount that would allow another category that contains between 1 and 5 students to be deduced, the number shall be replaced with a symbol. A category that contains zero shall be reported as zero, unless such reporting would violate any applicable provision of federal, state, or local law relating to the privacy of student information. (L.L. 2025/017, 2/22/2025, eff. 2/22/2025)
