Plugged In To Education

April 21, 2022

Coverage of updates in lower education, higher education & human services.

What’s Inside

  • NYS Board of Regents Announces Appointments
  • SUNY Ends Emergency COVID-19 Vaccine Mandate
  • Indigenous School Mascots Banned in New York State
  • Assembly Passes Legislation to Ensure SUNY and CUNY Students Have Access to Medication Abortion
  • Governor Hochul Announces First Recipients of the $4 Million Mental Health Scholarship Program
  • Funding Announced to Secure Reproductive Health Center Programs
  • Statewide Cannabis Public Education Campaign Unveiled
  • New Initiative Doubles Buying Power for SNAP Recipients at Farmers’ Markets
  • Funding Announced to Expand Home-Based Crisis Intervention Services for Children and Youth
  • Funding Opportunities
  • State Register
  • Coming Up

NYS Board of Regents Announces Appointments

At the April meeting, the NYS Board of Regents approved a number of high level appointments including three new Assistant Commissioners and a new Chief Financial Officer. Appointments include:

SUNY Ends Emergency COVID-19 Vaccine Mandate

State University of New York Chancellor John B. King, Jr. announced that a COVID-19 vaccine will no longer be mandated for students to attend SUNY’s 64 campuses, effective for summer courses, which coincides with the official end of the national public health emergency by the federal government. Moving forward, COVID-19 vaccinations will be strongly encouraged for students, which is consistent with other viruses including influenza and mpox. Faculty and staff will also be encouraged to stay up to date on vaccinations.

Indigenous School Mascots Banned in New York State

The State Education Department approved final regulations prohibiting the use of Indigenous names, mascots, or logos by public schools which will become effective as a permanent rule on May 3, 2023. Specifically the final regulations:

  • defines Indigenous name, mascot, or logo and provides that such definition does not include a public school building, public school, or school district named after an Indigenous tribe;
  • provides timelines by which such names, mascots, and/or logos must be eliminated;
  • creates exceptions for federally or State-recognized tribes to (1) utilize such names, mascots, and/or logos for sports teams comprised of their tribal members; and (2) allows a public school to utilize an Indigenous name, mascot, or logo if an agreement exists in writing between the tribal nation and public school prior to the effective date of the proposed rule; and
  • provides that public schools shall prohibit school officers, employees, and all individuals when located on school property or at a school function from utilizing or promoting any Indigenous name, logo, or mascot. This provision does not apply to individuals who are members of tribal nations.

Assembly Passes Legislation to Ensure SUNY and CUNY Students Have Access to Medication Abortion

Speaker Carl Heastie and Assemblymember Harvey Epstein announced that the Assembly has passed legislation to ensure access to medication abortion to students attending public colleges and universities in New York State (A.1395-B, Epstein). This legislation would ensure that all students enrolled in the State University of New York (SUNY) and City University of New York (CUNY) have access to medication abortion on campus by requiring every campus to either employ or contract with authorized prescribers or provide students with information and referrals to local authorized prescribers. Medication abortion provides a safe, noninvasive, effective way to end pregnancy with a less than 1 percent rate of complication and near 100 percent rate of effectiveness.

This bill also passed the Senate and will be sent to the Governor for her approval.

Governor Hochul Announces First Recipients of the $4 Million Mental Health Scholarship Program

Governor Kathy Hochul announced the first recipients of the $4 million scholarship program to support underrepresented students entering or enrolled in mental health degree programs at the State University of New York and the City University of New York. The program aims to expand and diversify New York’s mental health workforce, which lacks sufficient representation of ethnic and racial minorities, especially in roles requiring advanced degrees or education-based certifications. The program is made possible by a federal grant awarded to the New York State Office of Mental Health.

Funding Announced to Secure Reproductive Health Center Programs

Governor Kathy Hochul announced more than $1.68 million in grants through New York State’s Securing Reproductive Health Centers Program, which will allow 20 healthcare networks and nonprofit organizations to improve security for patients and staff at 51 locations they operate statewide. Each facility will receive up to $50,000 to help ensure safe access to reproductive health and abortion services. New York State established the grant program following the U.S. Supreme Court’s 2022 decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization.

Statewide Cannabis Public Education Campaign Unveiled

Governor Kathy Hochul announced the launch of “Why Buy Legal New York”, a public education campaign promoting safer, informed, legal purchases of cannabis from licensed dispensaries in New York State. The campaign focuses on three key pillars: protecting public health and promoting social equity and community reinvestment. The announcements explain and emphasize the potential health risks associated with purchasing cannabis products from unlicensed businesses and why regulated cannabis products are safer. It also outlines how buying legal supports the advancement of New York’s social and economic equity goals for communities across the State.

New Initiative Doubles Buying Power for SNAP Recipients at Farmers’ Markets

The FreshConnect Fresh2You program will now provide eligible New Yorkers with a dollar-for-dollar match, which will allow families in need to purchase more healthy food, including produce, dairy and meats. This new initiative will help to offset the recent reduction in SNAP benefits that were a part of pandemic relief efforts as well as record inflation costs, provide increased revenue for New York’s farmers, and boost local food sourcing while eliminating food scarcity.

Funding Announced to Expand Home-Based Crisis Intervention Services for Children and Youth

Governor Kathy Hochul announced the availability of more than $13 million in state funding to expand access to Home-Based Crisis Intervention teams throughout New York State. The Office of Mental Health will provide $6.2 million to create 11 new teams to serve children and youth between the ages of 5 and 21, who are at imminent risk of psychiatric hospitalization. The agency also partnered with the Office for People with Developmental Disabilities and the Developmental Disabilities Planning Council in an effort to establish two teams that will exclusively serve children or youth dually diagnosed with both a developmental disability and mental illness. OMH is also providing $7.3 million to expand existing teams serving children in crisis. There are 26 teams statewide, which assist roughly 2,600 children.

Funding Opportunities

The New York State Education Department (NYSED) Office of Bilingual Education and World Languages (OBEWL) is seeking proposals for the creation of a Clinically Rich Intensive Teacher Institute (CR-ITI) in Bilingual Education (BE) and/or English to Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) program, addressing the shortage of certified bilingual and ESOL teachers throughout New York State (NYS). Due May 3, 2023

The New York State Department of Health (DOH) with support by the Office of Children and Family Services (OCFs) is soliciting information for Consultant Services to Inform Strategies to address the Institutions for Mental Diseases (IMDs) Medicaid exclusion as it relates to Congregate Residential Programs and the Development of Community Based Services for youth in Child Welfare. Due May 12, 2023

The Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance issued a Request for Proposals (RFP) for the Emergency Needs for the Homeless Program to improve the system of emergency service provision to at-risk and homeless individuals and families by ensuring services are targeted and enhanced by eligible applicants so those assisted may secure an independent future. Due May 17, 2023

The New York State Department of Labor (NYSDOL) issued a Request for Applications (RFA) for the Teacher Residency Program (TRP) to partially or fully fund master’s degrees for teacher residents who are enrolled in a residency program registered with the New York State Education Department (NYSED). These residents must be graduate-level PK-12 teacher candidates who will complete a residency within a public New York State (NYS) school district or Board of Cooperative Educational Services (BOCES) program. Due June 30, 2023

The Office of Mental Health announced the availability of funds for the procurement of pilot Home Based Crisis Intervention (HBCI) teams serving youth with co-occurring Intellectual Disorders and/or Developmental Disorders throughout New York State. The HBCI teams will serve children/youth ages 5 to 20 years, 11 months who are returning home from inpatient settings or residential services and are at risk for a rapid readmission, or are at imminent risk of entering such settings. Due June 13, 2023.

State Register

State Education Department

  • N/A

Office of Children and Family Services

  • Changes to Eligibility Criteria for the Child Care Assistance Program (Emergency and Proposed)
  • Updates to Foster Care Rates (Proposed)

Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance

N/A

Coming Up

The Senate Standing Committee Education and the Senate Standing Committee on New York City Education will hold a public hearing on May 3, 2023 in Albany to examine school policies related to discipline and suspension, and to hear from stakeholders about proposed legislation, S.1040 “Solutions Not Suspensions Act”. A similar hearing scheduled for April 20, 2023 in New York City was postponed.

The Board of Regents will meet:

  • May 15 – 16 (Monday and Tuesday)
  • June 12 – 13 (Monday and Tuesday)
  • July 17 – 18 (Monday and Tuesday)

Plugged In to Education is prepared by Hinman Straub P.C. and is intended to keep our clients informed about news and Legislative and regulatory developments that may affect or otherwise be of interest to them. The comments contained herein do not constitute legal opinion and should not be regarded as a substitute for legal advice. If you prefer not to receive these updates, please alert us so we may remove you from our distribution list. © Hinman Straub P.C. 2020. All rights reserved.