January 13, 2025

Affordability is obviously one of the focal points for Governor Hochul as she prepares to deliver her State of the State address tomorrow at 1 p.m. from the Hart Theater at The Egg Empire Plaza. The policy proposals Hochul has unveiled so far as part of her “Affordability Agenda” include an “inflation refund” for over 8.5 million New Yorkers and an expansion of the Child Tax Credit up to $1,000 per child. Hochul also announced a plan to provide universal free breakfast and lunch to students in New York, regardless of income.  There is a new Press Release below that discusses several additional initiatives that will be mentioned in the speech or discussed in the accompanying State of the State compendium that will come out tomorrow.

You can tune into Governor Hochul’s State of the State address on Tuesday at 1 p.m. here.

Here are some examples of high priority NYS Council ‘asks’ that we hope are included in tomorrow’s State of the State address that are clearly related to the issue of affordability:

• Governor’s concrete commitment ($$) to address deeply inadequate salaries up and down our organizational charts that result in the kinds of job vacancy numbers (between 20-30% as of August 2024) our providers are struggling with and that lead to long waiting lists which inevitably lead to higher healthcare costs due to delayed access to care
• Proposals that waive or lower cost share responsibilities for New Yorkers seeking either/both MH and SUD community-based services through the state’s public mental hygiene system
• A proposal that would ensure New Yorkers with commercial insurance that is offered by a commercial health plan that is state licensed and fully funded will be required to offer the same array of services for NY’s children, youth and their families as is currently available for Medicaid members.

Press Release that came out minutes ago:

STATE OF THE STATE FOR FUTURE LEADERS: GOVERNOR HOCHUL PROPOSES INVESTMENTS IN EDUCATION AND YOUTH MENTAL HEALTH IN FIRESIDE CHAT WITH HUNDREDS OF HIGH SCHOOL AND COMMUNITY COLLEGE STUDENTS

Governor Will Expand Access to Youth Mental Health Services, Building on Nation-Leading Legislation To Crack Down on Addictive Social Media Feeds

Launch a College-in-High-School Opportunity Fund To Improve College Readiness and Make Higher Education More Affordable

Provides Funding for New Registered Apprenticeship Programs in High-Demand Occupations, Creating Alternative Workforce Paths for the Jobs of Tomorrow

Announces Legislation Will Be Introduced as Part of the FY26 Executive Budget Later This Month To Restrict Cell Phone Use in K-12 Education

Governor Kathy Hochul today proposed new investments in education and youth mental health at a fireside chat with hundreds of high school and community college students. The proposals build on the Governor’s commitment to making the State a place where residents of all ages have access to the resources they need to thrive. They include expanded access to youth mental health services, launching a college-in-high-school opportunity fund and providing funding for new apprenticeship programs in high demand occupations. Governor Hochul also announced that she will introduce legislation in her FY26 Executive Budget to restrict cell phone use in K-12 education, following on her historic legislative action to protect kids on social media. These 2025 State of the State proposals follow previously announced initiatives to boost the Empire State Child Tax Credit, increase child care options and provide free universal school meals.

“New York’s next generation of leaders deserves the full range of resources it takes to get ahead — and with a creative, ambitious agenda to expand access to higher education and trades programs, improve mental health services and bolster recreational programs, we are opening up brighter opportunities for countless young New Yorkers,” Governor Hochul said. “My State of the State promises to deliver on our commitment to make New York a place where our young people have access to the resources they need to thrive.”

Investments in Mental Health Services

Providing High Schoolers With Teen Mental Health First Aid Training

This proposal builds on Governor Hochul’s commitment to investing in training adolescent New Yorkers in teen mental health first aid. This skill set equips high school-aged youth with evidence-based tools to identify, understand and respond to signs of mental health and substance use challenges among their friends and peers, including the impacts of bullying and school violence. This year, Governor Hochul will roll out a teen mental health first aid program in high schools to equip students with the basic skills to support themselves and their peers to drive a generational culture change and strengthen mental wellness.

Supporting Youth Mental Health in After-School Programs

To help promote the health and well-being of young people, Governor Hochul will connect mental health resources to after-school programs. By connecting licensed health care facilities to State-funded after-school programs, the Governor will ensure that youth have access to these critical resources after school hours. Additionally, the State will offer youth mental health first aid training to all State-funded after-school providers and will partner with SUNY to match social work graduate students with local State-funded after-school programs to complete their required fieldwork and support vulnerable youth.

Development of Youth Safe Spaces

In response to ideas put forward by the Youth Mental Health Advisory Board and young New Yorkers, Governor Hochul will develop new safe spaces for youth. These spaces outside of school or home will provide a place where youth can access mental wellness resources, foster positive relationships with their peers and receive support in a comfortable setting, alongside friends and community members.

Expanding the Latina Mentoring Initiative and Creating the Black Girls Mentoring Initiative

Young Latinas have the highest rate of suicide attempts among teen populations in the U.S. In New York State, suicide is the second leading cause of death for Latina teens, and in New York City, 18.5 percent of Latina teens seriously considered suicide in 2019, a percentage higher than their peers. In 2021, the State launched the Latina Mentoring Initiative (LMI) to empower future Latina leaders ages 8 to 24 by building soft skills, confidence and nurturing aspirations via personal and professional development. 

In the last three years, LMI has created a safe space that builds community where youth are inspired by Latina representation, encouraged to expand their possibilities and are affirmed and celebrated. This year, the Governor has proposed to increase investment in the LMI to increase the number of youths served by this impactful program. Additionally, leveraging learnings from the success of the Latina Mentoring Initiative, the Governor has proposed launching the Black Girls Mentoring Initiative to support young Black women.

Investments in Higher Education and Apprenticeships

Launching a College-in-High-School Opportunity Fund 

While New York has been leading the way to make higher education more affordable, Governor Kathy Hochul is working to create more ways for families to save by putting new funding and State support behind the dual high school and college enrollment model. College-in-high school programs allow students to access college courses and mentorship opportunities while completing their high school education, giving them a head start on their college careers and setting students and families up to trim time and money off their college education. 

New York State is currently home to three college-in-high-school programs which have proven successful in furthering student achievement and bolstering rates of college matriculation and persistence. The Budget will include funding and support to help streamline the multiple existing college-in-high-school programs and provide ongoing, per-credit funding for early college in high school programs while increasing reporting requirements to give the State additional data to track student performance. Initially implemented in a limited number of districts, this program will focus on providing opportunities for economically disadvantaged students to achieve college credits and will be free to participating high school students, saving students who participate up to $20,000 if they complete two years worth of credits.

Create New Registered Apprenticeships and Pre-Apprenticeships in High-Demand Occupations

Nationwide, 93 percent of workers who complete Registered Apprenticeships gain employment, and annual average starting wage post-apprenticeship is $77,000. While there are nearly 18,000 apprentices across New York, opportunities exist to expand this gold-standard apprenticeship model beyond the skilled construction trades.

Governor Hochul recognizes the need to develop programs to meet the workforce demands of high-growth occupations by incentivizing businesses and supporting participants, while focusing on diversification and expansion of programs. To that end, the Governor will provide funding for providers of registered apprenticeships and pre-apprenticeships in the high-demand occupations, to cover partial apprentice wages, training costs, and for underrepresented groups, wraparound services. 

Recruit Students for a Summer Work Experience Program
The State Department of Labor will collaborate with school districts and businesses to recruit high school students for a summer work experience program in high-demand fields. Businesses participating in the program will receive reimbursement for 50 percent of the students’ stipends during the summer.

SUNY Chancellor John B. King Jr. said, “There is a place at SUNY for every New Yorker, and we applaud Governor Hochul for her vision and leadership addressing the needs of our youth so they succeed in getting an excellent education. Today’s fireside chat reinforces the importance of starting early and breaking down barriers between high school and college so every student has the opportunity to explore and experience higher education.”

CUNY Chancellor Félix V. Matos Rodríguez said, “Young New Yorkers are grappling with a rapidly changing world that can be challenging to manage. I’m grateful to Governor Hochul for listening to and addressing their concerns, giving them more tools to cope with mental health issues and better preparing them for college. Our city and state will reap the rewards.”

New York State Council on Children and Families Executive Director Vanessa Threatte said, “Governor Hochul’s ongoing and unprecedented commitment and investments in youth mental health services and educational and career opportunities are critical to helping not just individuals but to ensuring strong and resilient communities. As the executive director of the Council on Children and Families, the state agency responsible for promoting cross-agency collaboration, I am looking forward to advancing these innovative efforts.”