NYSED Guidelines

Letter to Address Providing Educational Resources for Substance Use (OASAS, NYSED 6/13/19)
This memo announces the release of the Guidance for Providing Educational Resources to Address Substance Use created by the NYS Education Department (NYSED) and the NYS Office of Alcoholism and Substance Abuse Services (OASAS). This document was created to assist students, teachers, parents, or community members looking for help and support and answers to questions related to substance use. The guidance provides information on the role of the designee, information for administrators and boards of education regarding substance use policies in schools, partnering with BOCES and community-based organizations, along with a wealth of reliable resources on substance use issues.

Guidance for Providing Educational Resources to Address Substance Use: A Collaboration of the NYS Education Department and NYS Office of Alcoholism and Substance Abuse (OASAS, NYSED 6/13/19)
This resource provides school districts with evidence-based, valid and reliable materials related to addressing substance use. The goal of this guide is to assist school districts in meeting the requirements of New York State (NYS) Education Law section 3038, effective March 5, 2019.

NYSED Memos

Educational Materials and Resources Addressing Substance Use: Implementation of Education Law § 3038 (NYSED 3/5/19)
Chapter 323 of the Laws of 2018 which amends both Education and Mental Hygiene Law. Education Law §3038 requires the superintendent of each school district, in consultation with the local Board of Cooperative Educational Services (BOCES) District Superintendent (DS) where applicable, to designate an employee of the school district or BOCES to provide materials and/or resources upon request to any student, parent or staff regarding where and how to find available substance use related services. Chapter 323 also amended Mental Hygiene Law §19.07 (Attachment B) to require the New York State Office of Alcoholism and Substance Abuse Services (OASAS), as the subject matter experts, to consult with the NYSED to provide substance-use educational materials. 

• Substance Use Disorder (SUD) Resources (by date of release)
  • Memo Re: Clarification/Modernization of Health Ed Law (NYSED 2015)
  • Supplemental Guidance: Resource Packet for Heroin and Opioids (NYSED 2016)
  • Guidance for Providing Educational Resources to Address Substance Abuse (NYSED 6/2019)
  • Evidence-Based Program Guidance for Substance Use Prevention Education in Schools, (NYSED 12/2020)
    • ​Letter from Commissioner Rosa and Commissioner González-Sánchez

See Also:

• OASAS School Designee Posters
  These posters were created for schools to fulfill the requirement in §3038. They can be customized with the name and contact of your school district's substance use disorder designee. 

Page Updated 11/28/22