Senate Bill S9101

2025-2026 Legislative Session

Establishes a grant program to promote the mental health and wellness of teachers and staff in public schools

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Current Bill Status - In Senate Committee Education Committee

Introduced
- In Committee Assembly
- In Committee Senate
- On Floor Calendar Assembly
- On Floor Calendar Senate
- Passed Assembly
- Passed Senate
Delivered to Governor
Signed By Governor

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Date of Action	Assembly Actions - Lowercase Senate Actions - UPPERCASE
Feb 03, 2026	referred to education

2025-S9101 (ACTIVE) - Details

Current Committee:: Senate Education
Law Section:: Education Law
Laws Affected:: Add §3615, Ed L

2025-S9101 (ACTIVE) - Summary

Establishes a program to promote the mental health and wellness of teachers and staff in public schools through grants.

2025-S9101 (ACTIVE) - Sponsor Memo

                                 
BILL NUMBER: S9101

SPONSOR: SEPULVEDA
 
TITLE OF BILL:

An act to amend the education law, in relation to establishing a grant
program to promote the mental health and wellness of teachers and staff
in public schools

 
PURPOSE OR GENERAL IDEA OF BILL:

This bill establishes a grant program to help New York public schools
implement programs that promote the mental health and wellness of educa-
tors and support staff.

 
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:

Section 1 of this bill adds § 3615 to the education law, establishing a
teacher and staff mental health support grant program under the joint
custody of the State Comptroller and the Commissioner of Taxation and
Finance.

§ 3615(2) provides that the grant fund shall consist of all revenues
received from any public or private source for the purpose of teacher
and staff wellness grants; however, no monies from the state general
fund shall be made available or transferred to this fund.

§ 3615(3) provides that funds appropriated by the Legislature may be
expended for operational and planning grants to promote mental health
and wellness of teachers and support staff and that money shall be paid
out of the fund on commissioner approval or certification.

§ 3615(4) outlines the professionals who are eligible for this grant and
provides a non-exhaustive list of programs that may be considered.

§ 3615(5) and (6) establish both planning and operational grants.
Public school districts are eligible to apply for a one-year planning
grant for the purpose of planning for the implementation of these
support programs. Applications must include the planning budget and the
program description and will be evaluated on a competitive basis.
Districts that receive a planning grant and successfully implement their
planning program become eligible to apply for a two-year operational
grant to fund the program as planned. Reports may be required as neces-
sary for program evaluation.

§ 3615(7) limits eligibility to public schools and tasks the Commission-
er with developing a a standardized application, which shall include the
previously mentioned requirements, as well as information on the
school's financial needs, employee satisfaction and turnover rates, and
student success rates.

§ 3615(8) provides for the establishment of a ten-person advisory
committee, including representatives from non-profit mental health
awareness or support organizations, educators, and mental health profes-
sionals, to consult, review, and make recommendations.

§ 3615(9) authorizes the Commissioner to adopt rules and regulations as
necessary to carry out these provisions

§ 3615(10) requires the Commissioner to issue an annual report to the
legislature concerning these programs.

Section 2 sets the act to take effect immediately after it is signed
into law.

 
JUSTIFICATION:

Teachers and support staff do far more than provide instruction on
curriculum. They wear many hats, and each one plays a critical role in
childhood development. Our teachers, aides, paraprofessionals, adminis-
trative staff, and many other individuals who contribute to student
success offer care, emotional guidance, and serve as essential role
models for students.

This bill establishes a grant program that is designed to help schools
implement programs to promote the mental health and wellness of educa-
tors and support staff. The goal is to provide an additional avenue of
support, promote longevity, and prevent burnout. By establishing both
planning and operational grants, this bill encourages districts to
develop substantive, comprehensive plans that align with the specific
needs of educators and staff within their district.

This support is especially important as the profession faces significant
challenges. Schools are navigating high turnover, increasing demands,
and changing classroom environments, while teachers are responsible for
addressing growing safety concerns both online and in the classroom.
These pressures take a toll on educators and support staff. This bill
hopes to ease those pressures by creating a new tool to promote long-
teiiii well-being. By supporting the health and balance of educators, we
create better learning environments for our students and strengthen our
public schools.

 
PRIOR LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:

New Bill.

 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:

To be determined.

 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect immediately.

2025-S9101 (ACTIVE) - Bill Text download pdf

                             
                     S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   9101
 
                             I N  S E N A T E
 
                             February 3, 2026
                                ___________
 
 Introduced by Sen. SEPULVEDA -- read twice and ordered printed, and when
   printed to be committed to the Committee on Education
 
 AN  ACT  to amend the education law, in relation to establishing a grant
   program to promote the mental health  and  wellness  of  teachers  and
   staff in public schools
 
   THE  PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
 
   Section 1. The education law is amended by adding a new  section  3615
 to read as follows:
   §  3615.  TEACHER  MENTAL  HEALTH SUPPORT GRANT PROGRAM.   1. THERE IS
 HEREBY ESTABLISHED IN THE JOINT CUSTODY OF THE STATE COMPTROLLER AND THE
 COMMISSIONER OF TAXATION AND FINANCE A FUND TO BE KNOWN AS  THE  TEACHER
 MENTAL HEALTH SUPPORT FUND.
   2.  THE TEACHER MENTAL HEALTH SUPPORT FUND SHALL CONSIST OF ALL REVEN-
 UES RECEIVED FROM ANY  SOURCE,  PUBLIC  OR  PRIVATE,  FOR  THE  PURPOSES
 PROVIDED  IN  THIS  SECTION AND ALL OTHER MONEYS CREDITED OR TRANSFERRED
 THERETO FROM ANY OTHER FUND OR SOURCE PURSUANT TO LAW.  NO  MONIES  FROM
 THE STATE GENERAL FUND SHALL BE TRANSFERRED TO, OR OTHERWISE MADE AVAIL-
 ABLE FOR DEPOSIT INTO THIS FUND.
   3. MONEYS OF THE FUND, FOLLOWING APPROPRIATION BY THE LEGISLATURE, MAY
 BE  EXPENDED  FOR  OPERATIONAL  AND  PLANNING  GRANTS  TO  LOCAL  SCHOOL
 DISTRICTS TO PROMOTE THE MENTAL HEALTH  AND  WELLNESS  OF  TEACHERS  AND
 SUPPORT  STAFF.    MONEYS SHALL BE PAID OUT OF THE FUND ON THE AUDIT AND
 WARRANT OF THE STATE COMPTROLLER ON VOUCHERS CERTIFIED  OR  APPROVED  BY
 THE COMMISSIONER.
   4. A. A PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT, OR TWO OR MORE PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICTS
 ACTING  JOINTLY,  SHALL  BE  ELIGIBLE TO RECEIVE A GRANT PURSUANT TO THE
 PROVISIONS OF THIS SECTION FOR THE PURPOSES OF PROVIDING  RESOURCES  FOR
 TEACHERS,  TEACHERS'  AIDES,  PARAPROFESSIONALS,  PRINCIPALS,  ASSISTANT
 PRINCIPALS, SECRETARIES, AND OTHER ADMINISTRATIVE STAFF OF  SUCH  SCHOOL
 DISTRICT. SUCH RESOURCES SHALL INCLUDE, BUT NOT BE LIMITED TO:
   (I)  COUNSELING BY LICENSED MENTAL HEALTH PROFESSIONALS IN ONE-ON-ONE,
 GROUP, IN-PERSON, OR VIRTUAL SETTINGS;
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                            LBD13440-01-5

 S. 9101                             2
 
   (II) IN-HOUSE OR EXTERNAL PROGRAMMING FOCUSED ON PERSONAL AND  PROFES-
 SIONAL  RESILIENCE,  STRESS  MANAGEMENT, BURNOUT PREVENTION, AND OVERALL
 WELLNESS; AND
   (III)  PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT AND TRAINING TO PROMOTE MENTAL HEALTH,
 SELF-CARE PRACTICES, AND HEALTHY WORK ENVIRONMENT PRACTICES  FOR  EDUCA-
 TORS.
   B.  A PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT WHICH APPLIES FOR A PLANNING GRANT PURSU-
 ANT TO SUBDIVISION FIVE OF THIS SECTION FOR SUCH NEW PROGRAMS SHALL  NOT
 BE ELIGIBLE FOR AN OPERATIONAL GRANT PURSUANT TO SUBDIVISION SIX OF THIS
 SECTION  UNTIL  THE SCHOOL YEAR FOLLOWING THE YEAR IN WHICH THE PLANNING
 GRANT WAS RECEIVED. FOR PURPOSES OF THIS SECTION AS APPLIED  WITHIN  THE
 CITY OF NEW YORK, SUCH CITY PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT SHALL BE ELIGIBLE FOR
 MULTIPLE  AWARDS  ON  BEHALF  OF  EACH COMMUNITY SCHOOL DISTRICT OR HIGH
 SCHOOL DISTRICT AS THOUGH EACH WAS A SEPARATE SCHOOL DISTRICT.
   5. A PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT SHALL BE ELIGIBLE TO APPLY FOR A  PLANNING
 GRANT  ON  A  ONE-YEAR COMPETITIVE BASIS FOR THE PURPOSE OF PLANNING FOR
 THE IMPLEMENTATION OF PROGRAMS FOR PROMOTING THE MENTAL HEALTH AND WELL-
 NESS OF TEACHERS AND SUPPORT STAFF. APPLICATIONS SHALL BE EVALUATED ON A
 COMPETITIVE BASIS AND SUCH GRANTS SHALL BE AWARDED ACCORDINGLY.   APPLI-
 CATIONS  SHALL  INCLUDE  THE PLANNING BUDGET AND PROGRAM DESCRIPTION FOR
 PROMOTING THE MENTAL HEALTH AND WELLNESS OF TEACHERS AND SUPPORT  STAFF.
 A SCHOOL DISTRICT WHICH RECEIVES A COMPETITIVE PLANNING GRANT AND IMPLE-
 MENTS  A  SUCCESSFUL  PLANNING  PROGRAM SHALL BE ELIGIBLE TO APPLY FOR A
 TWO-YEAR OPERATIONAL GRANT. REPORTS MAY BE REQUIRED FOR THE PURPOSES  OF
 PROGRAM EVALUATION.
   6.  A  PUBLIC  SCHOOL  DISTRICT SHALL BE ELIGIBLE TO RECEIVE AN OPERA-
 TIONAL GRANT OVER A TWO-YEAR PERIOD AS  PROVIDED  IN  THIS  SECTION  FOR
 PROGRAMS  FOR  PROMOTING  THE MENTAL HEALTH AND WELLNESS OF TEACHERS AND
 SUPPORT STAFF. FIRST-YEAR APPLICATIONS SHALL BE EVALUATED ON  A  COMPET-
 ITIVE  BASIS  AND  GRANTS  SHALL BE AWARDED ACCORDINGLY. BOTH FIRST-YEAR
 APPLICATIONS AND CONTINUING APPLICATIONS  SHALL  INCLUDE  THE  OPERATING
 BUDGET AND PROGRAM DESCRIPTION FOR PROMOTING THE MENTAL HEALTH AND WELL-
 NESS  OF TEACHERS AND SUPPORT STAFF FOR APPROVAL OF THE PROPOSED PROGRAM
 AND THE ESTIMATED EXPENDITURES FOR THE  CURRENT  YEAR.  REPORTS  MAY  BE
 REQUIRED AS NECESSARY FOR THE PURPOSES OF PROGRAM EVALUATION.
   7.  APPLICATIONS  FOR  FUNDING  PURSUANT TO THIS SECTION SHALL ONLY BE
 SUBMITTED BY PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICTS BY SUCH PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT OR A
 REPRESENTATIVE THEREOF FOR THE PURPOSE OF SERVING SUCH  SCHOOL  DISTRICT
 AT  LARGE.  THE  COMMISSIONER  SHALL  DEVELOP A STANDARDIZED APPLICATION
 WHICH, IN ADDITION TO THE REQUIREMENTS OF SUBDIVISIONS FIVE AND  SIX  OF
 THIS SECTION, SHALL INCLUDE:
   A. THE SCHOOL DISTRICT'S FINANCIAL NEEDS;
   B. THE SCHOOL DISTRICT'S EMPLOYEE SATISFACTION AND TURNOVER RATES; AND
   C. THE SCHOOL DISTRICT'S STUDENT SUCCESS RATES, INCLUDING ABSENTEEISM,
 TRUANCY, GRADUATION RATES, TEST SCORES, AND OTHER RELEVANT FACTORS TO BE
 DETERMINED BY THE COMMISSIONER.
   8.  AN  ADVISORY  COMMITTEE  SHALL  BE ESTABLISHED AND ASSIGNED TO THE
 DEPARTMENT TO CONSULT, REVIEW AND MAKE RECOMMENDATIONS CONCERNING  POLI-
 CY,  PROCEDURE,  PROGRAM  CONTENT  AND  COMMUNITY  NEEDS.  SUCH ADVISORY
 COMMITTEE SHALL CONSIST OF TEN MEMBERS APPOINTED  BY  THE  COMMISSIONER.
 SUCH  APPOINTEES  SHALL  INCLUDE  REPRESENTATIVES FROM NON-PROFIT MENTAL
 HEALTH AWARENESS OR SUPPORT ORGANIZATIONS, EDUCATORS, AND MENTAL  HEALTH
 PROFESSIONALS.
   9.  THE  COMMISSIONER MAY ADOPT RULES AND REGULATIONS AS ARE NECESSARY
 AND APPROPRIATE TO CARRY OUT THE PROVISIONS OF THIS SECTION.
 S. 9101                             3
 
   10. THE COMMISSIONER SHALL ISSUE AN ANNUAL REPORT TO  THE  LEGISLATURE
 CONCERNING  THE OVERALL AND INDIVIDUAL PROGRAMS, DETAILING THEIR IMPACT;
 AND SHALL INCLUDE ANY REPORT  OR  MATERIALS  PRODUCED  BY  THE  ADVISORY
 COMMITTEE.
   § 2. This act shall take effect immediately.

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Senate Bill S9101

Sponsored By

Current Bill Status - In Senate Committee Education Committee

Actions

2025-S9101 (ACTIVE) - Details

2025-S9101 (ACTIVE) - Summary

2025-S9101 (ACTIVE) - Sponsor Memo

2025-S9101 (ACTIVE) - Bill Text download pdf

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Sponsored By

Luis R. Sepúlveda

Current Bill Status - In Senate Committee Education Committee

Actions

2025-S9101 (ACTIVE) - Details

2025-S9101 (ACTIVE) - Summary

2025-S9101 (ACTIVE) - Sponsor Memo

2025-S9101 (ACTIVE) - Bill Text download pdf

Comments