New York City construction workers and supervisors now have a new box to check before they can step onto many job sites: mental health training. As of May 3, 2026, the city has folded mental health and substance misuse education into its Site Safety Training program, adding two SST credits that cover mental health and wellness, suicide risk and prevention, and alcohol and substance misuse. The change also creates a one-year renewal window for lapsed Site Safety Training cards. The requirement applies to any jobsite that needs a Site Safety Plan and will be enforced during routine Department of Buildings inspections.
The measure, filed as Int. 1384-A and enacted as Local Law 10, was sponsored by Councilmember Linda Lee and amends the New York City building code to require those new credits for SST card issuance and renewal, according to Local Law 10 of 2026. The law also authorizes a one-year renewal window for cards that expire on or after the effective date, as long as the required refresher credits were completed within the eligible timeframe.
The City Council highlighted the change on its official social account on May 3, 2026, posting that Local Law 10 is "now in effect" and naming Linda Lee as the sponsor. The message closely tracked the law’s language about adding mental health and substance use topics to SST coursework, as shown on X.
What Changes For SST Cards
Starting May 3, 2026, the Department of Buildings instructed registered course providers to add a new 2-hour Mental Health Awareness module in place of the former 2-hour Drug and Alcohol Awareness course. Providers were given a 90-day transition period to update their curricula, and the department will accept either class through August 1, 2026, according to its guidance.
Holders of active SST cards are not required to retake the new Mental Health Awareness module. Cards that expire on or after the effective date can be renewed for up to one year after expiration, but they cannot be used on a jobsite until they are renewed. The Department of Buildings also clarified that a 40-hour Site Safety course will count as the equivalent of a 30-hour OSHA course for credit toward a new SST card issuance.
Why Lawmakers Backed It
Supporters argued that weaving mental health, suicide prevention and substance misuse basics into the existing SST framework is a practical way to reach workers where they already receive required safety training. National data show higher suicide rates in construction trades, a pattern highlighted in an analysis of 2021 deaths that helped drive public health advocates to press for the change, according to the CDC.
Enforcement And What Employers Should Do
The Department of Buildings will check SST credentials through its Training Connect system and can issue violations with civil penalties of up to $5,000 per untrained worker to the site owner, permit holder and employer, according to the agency’s SST guidance. Contractors and permit holders are expected to audit their crews in Training Connect, confirm that DOB-registered providers have updated their curricula, and schedule required refresher credits well ahead of renewal deadlines to avoid fines and jobsite disruptions.
For now, workers are being urged to check with their DOB-registered training providers about updated Mental Health Awareness offerings and to plan their renewals accordingly. City officials describe the shift as a modest addition to safety training that is meant to put basic prevention tools and resources in front of construction crews across New York.
