Joseph Spector is reporting for the Poughkeepsie Journal a state law adopted in 2016 goes into effect July 1 that requires school districts to provide mental-health education as part of its health curriculum. Mental-health groups and lawmakers advocated for years to make the measure law, saying students in elementary through high school should get a better understanding of the aspects of mental health. “This groundbreaking law lays the path to better health for all New Yorkers,” said Glenn Liebman, CEO of the Mental Health Association in New York State. “While first starting in schools, we believe that ultimately this law will have a far-reaching effect for communities across New York state.” The law will help students better understand mental health, how to recognize problems they or others are facing and how to get treatment. It is the first of its kind nationwide. “The public is finally coming around to the notion that to properly address mental health issues, we must first acknowledge and openly discuss them,” MaryElla Elia, the state education commissioner, said in a statement. One in five American adults are believed to be afflicted with mental illness, and about half of the cases started during a person's teenage years, according to the National Institute of Mental Health. Read the full story in the Poughkeepsie Journal.