NYC: Mayor spends $1B on school health clinics; provides mental health services

Oct 19, 2018, [New York City] Education Dive: NYC ups spending for student support staff, but some say it still isn't enough https://www.educationdive.com/news/nyc-ups-spending-for-student-support-staff-but-some-say-it-still-isnt-eno/539932/ Since New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio took office in 2014, his administration has spent almost $1 billion to provide schools with extra resources: establishing health clinics in more than 200 schools, providing schools access to mental health services and investing another $17 million annually in Single Shepherd, an organization that provides more than 100 extra social workers and counselors to needy school districts. … There is evidence of the benefits schools reap from having more existing student support. A 2011 study found that hiring an additional school counselor can be more effective than reducing class sizes and can help improve student achievement. Another study indicated that student suspension rates decreased in proportion to the number of school counselors available. And other studies show an increase in mental health professionals can improve student safety and reduce violence….