Who we are
The New York State Mental Health Alliance (NYSMHA) is building the workforce that helps kids and families.
We connect schools, colleges, and communities to grow and sustain New York’s Collective Care Team (mental health) professionals from high school classrooms to graduate programs to early-career support.
Through innovative programs like Grow Your Own pathways, internship partnerships, and professional coaching, NYSMHA helps districts and agencies create lasting systems of care.
We don’t fill positions, we help recruit, retain, and sustain the people who make school-based mental health possible.
At NYSMHA, we design and deliver innovative workforce development models that strengthen New York’s Collective Care Team (school-based mental health) system creating pathways, partnerships, and professional supports that last.
Our work is grounded in our core mission to Shift the Lift, moving the burden of complex systems work from those on the ground to us, so that Collective Care Team professionals can focus on what matters most: helping kids and families.
We take away the noise, the administrative, structural, and systemic barriers, so educators, counselors, social workers, and school psychologists can do their best work with students every day.
Our initiatives include:
Grow Your Own (GYO) Dual-Credit Pathways that inspire high school students to explore careers in mental health and wellness.
Graduate Internship and Fieldwork Partnerships that expand access to quality placements in schools and community agencies.
Coaching and Professional Development Systems that support mental health providers through our Career Confidence and Capacity Model.
Pediatric Integration Initiatives that bridge schools, primary care, and community health systems to provide coordinated, family-centered mental health support for children and adolescents.
Sustainability Consulting that helps districts and BOCES build long-term capacity through sjared service models and data-driven planning.
We don’t just grow programs, we help recruit, retain, and sustain the professionals who make student wellness possible. Together, we’re building the workforce that helps kids and families and ensuring it thrives for generations to come.
What we do
At NYSMHA, collaboration is at the heart of everything we do. We know that building a strong Collective Care Team workforce takes partnership across schools, higher education, and community systems.
That’s why we work side by side with:
School Districts and BOCES to strengthen in-school mental-health capacity and develop sustainable shared service models.
Colleges and Universities to create seamless internship pipelines and co-designed coursework that prepare future professionals for school-based roles.
Community Agencies that bring local expertise, student supports, and real-world learning opportunities.
State and Foundation Funders who share our vision of sustainable, data-driven mental-health systems.
Our approach is grounded in partnership, innovation, and measurable impact helping New York State recruit, retain, and sustain the professionals who care for our students and families.
How we work
Across New York State, the need for qualified school-based mental health professionals has never been greater. Students and families are facing complex challenges and the workforce that supports them needs care, connection, and a clear path forward.
That’s where NYSMHA comes in.
We help districts, colleges, and communities build systems that recruit, retain, and sustain the professionals who make student wellness possible.
Our approach is to Shift the Lift: moving the weight of systemic barriers, red tape, and administrative strain off those on the ground and onto us, so Collective Care Team professionals can focus on what truly matters: helping kids and families.
When we invest in people, we strengthen entire school communities.
When we strengthen systems, we create lasting change.
Together, we’re building the workforce that helps kids and families thrive and ensuring that every professional has the support, structure, and community to keep doing this critical work.
Why it matters
Contact us
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