By Tangerine Clarke
“Growing up in public housing
in Brooklyn and attending
public school, I understand
firsthand the trauma that our
children encounter on a daily
basis as they work to navigate
through their academic
and personal life,” said Senator
Kevin Parker, as he teams up
with mental health advocate
Stephanie Carnegie to take on
the rising crisis in youth trauma,
mental health and suicide.
Drawing from his own life
experiences, the lawmaker
added that he was fortunate to
have had various outlets such
as “my parents, mentors and
coaches to help me properly
maintain a balance.”
Sen. Parker who partnered
with Carnegie, a former celebrated
publicist to introduce
Senate Bill S. 5161 – The new
York City Training and Comprehensive
of Trauma in Children
(TACTIC) Act, said, ‘I am
ensuring students get the professional
support they need to
excel. New York needs to finally
implement trauma sensitive
education so that educators
and parents can work together
Caribbean L 8 ife, MAY 21-27, 2021
to support students’ mental
health and provide relief before
it’s too late.”
“Our children are coming
into the classroom carrying
much more than book bags
and school supplies. We must
change our perspective on
what educating students looks
like. Bill S5161 takes the whole
child approach. The T.A.C.T.I.C.
Act will allow all New York
City schools to have the greatest
potential to have a positive
impact on students regardless
of their trauma history.
It will help bring all schools
to an equal standard of excellence”,
stated Stephanie Carnegie,
Mental Health Advocate/
Founder of Totality Wellness.
Ms. Carnegie, a NYC ambassador
for the National Alliance
for Mental Illness and founder
of Totality Wellness, Inc.
a mental health & wellness
organization, provided Senator
Parker with key guidelines and
critical data necessary for the
creation of this bill.
She noted that prior to the
COVID-19 pandemic, rates for
African-American children
attempting suicide swiftly
ascended — surpassing the
numbers of their white counterparts.
The already deleterious
stressors of police violence,
racism, poverty, domestic dysfunction,
food insecurity and
neglect are now joined by the
trauma of dealing with the
pandemic‘s disproportionate
death toll in Black and Brown
communities.
According to the statement,
with schools possibly gearing
up to resume full, in-person
learning this fall, the fear of
being bullied will be added to
the equation. Expecting these
children to be mentally capable
of focusing on their education
after dealing with the dual
traumas of COVID-19 combined
with urban life experiences
is inordinate.
“In previous years educators
have labeled students experiencing
mental health trauma
as special-needs. This bill would
eliminate improper diagnoses,
State Senator, Kevin Parker. Offi ce of Senator Parker /New York State
Senate, fi le
and would make sure that we
are treating the ‘whole child’
as opposed to just putting a
band aid on these issues, as we
would have done in the past,”
said Carnegie.”
Sen. Parker, Stephanie Carnegie
to tackle youth health crisis
Let’s end this
pandemic for good
#VaxUpCUNY
so I can inspire others, especially
communities of color
!"
cuny.edu/vaxupcuny
/vaxupcuny
