School counselors and guidance counselors in New York schools have started to see a recent shift to preventative curriculum in some classrooms.

Carla Young, of Bethlehem Middle School, honored as the New York State School Counselor of the Year, says the approach helps students learn coping skills, understand resources available to them and who to reach out to for support.

“We still have a crisis come up and we have to be reactive and responsive, but we are really trying to put energy into preventing things from happening,” Young said.

Maura Aseltine, a school-based mental health director for East Syracuse-based Liberty Resources, an educational resource company, says school-age years are key for building social relationships, peer skills, coping skills and academic habits. She says these opportunities diminished during COVID-related school shutdowns.