New York City will make social, emotional and academic health surveys available to elementary school students in communities most affected by Covid-19, city officials announced Monday.
The initiative will begin in 27 communities identified as having the highest number of cases and death rates since the start of the pandemic. The city will also hire 150 additional social workers and add a community school in each of the 27 neighborhoods. This first phase will serve approximately 380,000 students in approximately 830 schools, according to a press release from the office of Mayor Bill de Blasio.
Chirlane McCray, de Blasio’s wife, led the initiative, calling the additional screenings a “comprehensive health check for college students.”
“Each New York City student will convey the experience of the past year in a different way,” McCray said, adding that no grades or labels will be used in the screenings. The goal is to help adults provide the best mental health support to students who need it, ”said McCray.
Chancellor Richard Carranza of New York City Schools said the initiative will allow officials to assess the general well-being of students and create personalized care for them, with the consent of their guardians.
The effort also includes expanding the school system’s collaboration with the city’s health care providers to provide direct mental health resources to students, Carranza said.