Cross-Sector Collaboration Resources & Tools

Navigating the NYS Distraction-Free Schools Law: Guidance and Resources for Providers, Schools, and Families

This summer, school professionals, medical and behavioral health providers, and families engaged in C4K Collaborative Dialogues in an effort to work collaboratively to navigate the new NYS Distraction-Free Schools Policy. Informed by these dialogues and content experts, an interdisciplinary C4K workgroup created key informational handouts and training resources to establish a clear, coordinated approach to supporting families.

Key Points

• The NYS Distraction-Free Schools Law is designed to support students’ social emotional and behavioral health and academic wellbeing.
• Medical exemptions should be very rare, and schools will have ways to support kids and families without access to personal cell phones in school.
• The primary goals of these resources are to:
  • Help clarify questions that providers, staff, and families may have regarding the new law
  • Support collaboration between schools, healthcare providers, and parents/caregivers

Informational Handouts

• NYS Distraction-Free Schools - C4K Provider Information Handout: This handout is for medical and behavioral health professionals and offers information about the law, guidance on exemptions, and best practice strategies for collaboration with schools and families.
• NYS Distraction-Free Schools - C4K Family Information Handout: This handout can be shared with families to help caregivers understand more about the law.
• NYS Distraction-Free Schools - C4K Caregiver Practical Tips Sheet: This handout can be shared with caregivers to help them respond to the law and set their kids up for success this year by building healthier digital technology habits.

Informational PowerPoint Slides

• NYS Distraction-Free Schools Law: Medical and BH Provider Guidance PowerPoint Slide Deck
  • Purpose: These slides are for medical and behavioral health providers to better understand the law and offer guidance around exemptions and strategies for collaboration with schools and families (schools are welcome to use these too if helpful!)
  • Providers: Please feel free to review these slides and share/present them to your teams.
• Parenting in the Digital Screen Age PowerPoint Slide Deck
  • Purpose: These slides are designed for schools to use to help caregivers understand the rationale behind the new law, strategies for helping their kids build healthy boundaries with digital technology, and resources for getting more support (practices are welcome to use too, if helpful!)
  • Please feel free to use these slides to present to parents in your school community—you may alter the slides to meet your needs!

Understanding MTSS & Special Education Services: Resources for Providers & Families

The following are educational materials to help pediatric providers and their patients to understand the Multi-Tiered System of Support (MTSS) and special education services in schools:

• A Family Guide to Understanding & Accessing Schools Supports
• A Family Guide to Understanding & Accessing Schools Supports – Spanish Version
• A Healthcare Provider’s Guide to Understanding School Supports & Collaborating to Help Patients Struggling in School