New York is starting the new year with a push to help residents build healthier relationships with technology.
Gov. Kathy Hochul announced new digital wellness resources now available statewide, aimed at helping young people, parents, and educators safely navigate digital media while protecting mental health.
The free tools, developed by the state Office of Mental Health, are available through the state’s “Be Well” mental wellness campaign. They focus on building healthy habits with smartphones, tablets, computers, and social media.
“With digital devices being popular gifts during the holidays, these resources will help caregivers, teachers and young people themselves embrace healthier habits,” Hochul said, noting growing concerns about youth anxiety and depression linked to heavy digital media use.
The digital wellness section includes guidance tailored for specific audiences, including youth and young adults, parents and caregivers, educators, and the general public. Topics range from managing screen time and online privacy to recognizing cyberbullying and understanding how digital content can affect mental well-being.
State mental health officials said the goal is balance, not avoidance.
“Digital media is part of our everyday lives,” said state Office of Mental Health Commissioner Dr. Ann Sullivan. “These resources are designed to help New Yorkers develop healthy habits with technology and avoid behaviors that can leave them stressed, anxious, and depressed.”
The tools also connect users to videos and evidence-based content from trusted organizations and are part of a broader $1.9 million public awareness campaign focused on mental wellness.
The announcement builds on Hochul’s broader efforts to protect youth mental health in the digital age. Those include statewide, bell-to-bell smartphone restrictions in K-12 schools, warning labels on certain social media features used by minors, and laws limiting data collection and addictive feeds for users under 18.
State officials said the new resources give families practical tools at a time when screen use often increases during school breaks and the holiday season.
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