NEW YORK (1010 WINS) -- Mayor Bill de Blasio on Monday announced a new education and mental health program to help kids in New York City close the "education gap" caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.
"Our kids are going through so much in every sense and it's harder for them to make sense of," de Blasio said. "They need our help."
The new program is part of the city's 2021 Student Achievement Plan and will provide kids with social, emotional, academic behavioral screenings for students beginning in September.
"Getting students the support they need and make sure every child who needs it gets access to care," First lady Chirlane McCray said.
There would be thousands of social workers to be hired for students and schools in order to make sure every child has social and academic support, she added.
The program would help create individual plans to move forward and help every child find needed support.