Mental Health Professionals And Educators Respond To Over-prescription Of Behavior-modifying Drugs For Students

BY JOINING NYS SENATOR ERIC ADAMS TO URGE THAT DEPT. OF EDUCATION MANDATE TEACHING OF “SOCIAL EMOTIONAL LEARNING” IN ALL NYC PUBLIC SCHOOLS

NYS Senator Eric Adams will join psychiatrist Michael Pratt and other mental health professionals, a group of educators, and the not for profit community-based organization “Fully Persuaded for Children and Families Inc.” to respond to recent reports of over-prescription of behavior-modifying drugs for school-age youth.  Researchers have found that many school-age children are being administered these drugs in an effort to curb undesirable behavior.  At the press conference, the group will call upon the Department of Education to mandate “Social Emotional Learning” as a part of the city’s educational standards from grades Pre-K through 12 as an alternative to the overuse of behavior-modifying medication.   

 Social-emotional learning skills include the ability to:

    • Recognize and manage emotions 
    • Demonstrate caring and concern for others 
    • Handle challenging situations constructively 
    • Make responsible decisions (especially in the heat of the moment)
    • Develop positive relationships 

Senator Adams states: “Social-emotional learning imparts the skills essential for achievement in school and success in life.  A basic requirement in any academic setting is harmony between teacher and student and between students and their classmates.  The skills incorporated in a social-emotional learning curriculum instill abilities that promote a rapport between students and encourage them to learn efficiently, work well with others, and contribute productively in their schools, workplaces, homes, and communities.

When social-emotional learning is paired with academic learning, there are both intellectual and emotional benefits. Better-run classrooms inspire students to remember and utilize the information they are taught and incorporate into their education a sense of responsibility and a concern for the welfare of their peers and themselves. Academic learning and social-emotional learning should be taught in tandem in every NYC public school.”