New York schools are required by law to provide mental health education to employees and their students however; every school in the state is allowed to choose how they will go about meeting this minimum requirement. According to one local School superintendent, their staff watches a video provided by the insurance company once a year for the education of their staff which includes basic teaching on the following subjects; Defining and Understanding Mental Health, ADHD, Behavioral Disorders, Depression and Anxiety, Mental Health Disorders of Note in School-Aged Youth, Warning Signs and Referral Guideline. Far too many students are being allowed to fall through the cracks because the school staff is not trained adequately in order to adjust to those students who are struggling and in turn having negative behaviors, poor grades, increased bullying and defiance due to mental health misunderstandings and frustrations. School staff are struggling to keep students focused, tested and learning to the expectations of the law and numerous parents, who ask the teachers how to help their child and find that the educators are equally as frustrated because they do not have anywhere near enough trainings or resources, forcing those teachers to spend even more of their own time to learn how to meet those students needs.  When young people are educated about mental health, the likelihood increases they will be able to effectively recognize signs and symptoms in themselves and others and will know where to turn for help. Schools that respect the importance of mental health, as well as the challenges of mental illness, will help young people and their families and communities feel more comfortable seeking help, improve academic performance and, most importantly, even save lives. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), “focusing on establishing healthy behaviors during childhood is more effective than trying to change unhealthy behaviors during adulthood.” Schools that promote student mental health and well-being can improve classroom behavior, school engagement, and peer relationships. These factors are connected to academic success. Let’s encourage our local schools to provide more in-depth and continuous trainings on the many aspects of mental health to their staff in order to give the students the best start possible.