The Office of Mental Health announced the availability of more than $18.4 million to expand HealthySteps, a successful early childhood mental health initiative that provides tens of thousands of critical depression screenings for new mothers annually. The agency also announced $350,000 in awards through the Collaborative Care program to help OBGYN and family medicine practices provide behavioral health support to their patients.
New York State honored Ulster County's Child System of Care Committee with the 2026 'What's Great in our State' System of Care Award, which recognizes the coordinated network that is family-driven, youth-guided, community-based, and both culturally and linguistically responsive.
New York State is honoring Rabbi Simcha Weinstein, an author and podcaster from Brooklyn, with the 2026 'What's Great in our State' Family/Caregiver Award, which recognizes family members or caregivers who use their lived experience to make a difference in their community through their professional or volunteer work.
New York State is honoring Jason Lee with the 2026 'What's Great in Our State' Youth/Young Adult Award, which recognizes those young New Yorkers with lived experience who have taken their personal mental health knowledge and experiences to make a difference in their community.
New York State honored the Tompkins-Seneca-Tioga BOCES with the 2026 What's Great in our State' School/School District Award, which recognizes education systems that have increasingly recognized the importance of supporting wellness and addressing the mental health needs of students.
New York State is honoring Karen Boliver, a Lewis County advocate, with the 2026 'What's Great in our State' Family/Caregiver Award, which recognizes family members or caregivers who use their lived experience to make a difference in their community through their professional or volunteer work.
New York State is honoring Response Crisis Center of Suffolk County, a nonprofit organization in the Long Island Region, with the 2026 'What's Great in our State' Community/Organization Award.
Governor Hochul recognized May as Mental Health Awareness Month by highlighting the state’s robust efforts to connect individuals with expanded community-based mental health support to aid their recovery once they are discharged from psychiatric care at hospitals, emergency departments and comprehensive psychiatric emergency programs.
Governor Hochul announced the award of $13.7 million in capital funding to help community-based and psychiatric hospitals add inpatient capacity or upgrade existing units to better serve their patients. Administered by OMH, the funding will help nine healthcare providers undertaking various projects, including three to increase bed capacity and 10 others to improve the patient experience.
Governor Hochul announced the completion of The Frederick Shack Residence, a 79-unit affordable and supportive housing development in the Bronx's Crotona Park East neighborhood. Under Governor Hochul's leadership, New York State Homes and Community Renewal (HCR) has created or preserved more than 10,000 affordable homes in the Bronx.
The Office of Mental Health announced the opening of a new facility in Utica to provide urgent treatment to New Yorkers experiencing a behavioral health crisis, helping them to avoid unnecessary emergency room visits.
Governor Hochul announced the groundbreaking for Mohawk Heights, a 34-unit housing development in Schenectady for adults living with mental illness who are homeless or at risk of becoming homeless — marking a milestone in her administration’s $2 billion in investments in strengthening the state’s mental health system.
New York State announced the availability of $140,000 in grants for projects that promote mental health stigma reduction, and reminded residents about the voluntary Mental Illness Anti-Stigma Fund Tax Check-off program that funds these projects as the April 15 tax filing deadline nears.
The Office of Mental Health announced the opening of a new facility to provide urgent treatment to New Yorkers experiencing a behavioral health crisis in the East New York area of Brooklyn, helping them to avoid unnecessary emergency room visits.
The Office of Mental Health celebrated the first class of psychiatric nurse practitioners to complete the agency’s intensive yearlong fellowship program, developing additional leadership skills, clinical experiences, and expanded competence.
The Office of Mental Health announced the availability of individual $5,000 grants to help service providers reduce food insecurity and bolster healthy eating among individuals living with mental illness.
This infographic educates service recipients on new federal work requirements in place for anyone receiving SNAP food benefits between ages 18 and 64 who can work and do not have a child under age 14 in their household.
Governor Hochul was presented with a national award for her outstanding leadership in mental health policy, recognizing her efforts to expand access to life-saving care throughout New York State. Mental Health America presented her with the 2026 Governor’s Leadership Award, recognizing the ‘significant and sustained investments’ that have strengthened mental health systems across the state’s continuum of care.
Governor Hochul announced the release of a new online training for mental health professionals who currently work with or are considering working with first responders such as 911 dispatchers, law enforcement, emergency medical technicians and firefighters. The First Responder Mental Health and Cultural Awareness Training features content on first responder culture, mental health challenges and barriers that may prevent first responders from seeking mental health treatment.
Governor Hochul announced that $42 million has been awarded to help seven community-based organizations establish 200 units of supportive housing to provide stable homes and mental health services to individuals experiencing chronic homelessness. Administered by the Office of Mental Health (OMH), the awards will fund scattered-site supportive housing units in Brooklyn, the Bronx, Manhattan and Queens for those enrolled in Housing First initiatives, including the state’s successful Safe Options Support program.
Governor Hochul announced the completion of Baez Place, an $86 million affordable and supportive housing development in the Claremont neighborhood of the Bronx. Developed by Community Access in partnership with Blue Sky Bronx LLC, Baez Place delivers 154 high-quality apartments and features a community greenhouse designed to help improve the health and well-being of residents.
Governor Hochul announced the launch of a public awareness campaign to educate New Yorkers on regulations that improve access to mental health and substance use disorder care. The ‘Real Care, Real Access to Behavioral Health Services’ campaign highlights regulations that give New Yorkers with qualifying health plans access to initial outpatient appointments for behavioral health care within ten business days of the request and require insurers to help insured individuals access the care they are entitled to receive.
The New York State Office of Mental Health announced the conditional award of $6 million to fund pilot programs in three communities across the state to ensure that crisis response systems prioritize a health-led response to behavioral health crisis.
State University of New York Chancellor John B. King, Jr. announced the expansion of SUNY's Mental Health Internship Program, a workforce development initiative that provides paid, hands-on learning opportunities for community college students pursuing careers in mental and behavioral health.
The New York State Council on the Arts has announced the three inaugural fellows for the State of the Arts Fellowship Program. A new initiative from Governor Kathy Hochul, the State of the Arts Fellowship Program embeds NYS artists into state agencies to collaborate and develop creative solutions to specific agency challenges.
OMH Commissioner Sullivan testifies on Governor Hochul’s budget proposal and initiatives to strengthen New York’s mental health system.
The Office of Mental Health announced the launch of a survey to inform a new online resource dedicated to building the mental health workforce of tomorrow. Released this week, this brief survey will gather information from service providers and professionals to help design a website highlighting professions, programs, and settings in New York’s public mental health system, along with a job search feature to connect with prospective employers.
Governor Hochul announced the availability of funding to expand comprehensive psychiatric emergency programs and to increase inpatient capacity statewide. The state Office of Mental Health has made available $23 million to develop new or expand existing comprehensive psychiatric emergency programs – also known as CPEPs – in addition to $20 million to help community-based and psychiatric hospitals increase bed capacity.
The Office of Mental Health announced the opening of a new facility to provide urgent treatment to New Yorkers experiencing a mental health or substance use crisis and avoid unnecessary emergency room visits.
Governor Hochul unveiled her first State of the State proposals, which will continue to build on her progress to keep New York’s kids safe online and combat the youth mental health crisis statewide… The Governor is proposing a first-of-its-kind, statewide expansion of Teen Mental Health First Aid training, designed to give young people the tools to identify, understand, and effectively respond to signs of mental health and substance abuse challenges among their friends and peers.