Questions raised about Jordan Neely's mental health care
NOHO, Manhattan (WABC) -- The death of Jordan Neely - for a second time - is being discussed in a previously scheduled council committee meeting. This time, it was mentioned during a budget hearing. Elected officials pressed any and every department that may have interfaced him.
"What happened to Mr. Neely is a tragedy, my heart goes out to the family. I am not going to comment on the case or the situation on the record. I mean, not asking any specifics regarding his case - I'm using it as an example," said Department of Social Services Commissioner Moly Wasow.
Neely's case is perhaps one of the worst examples of a person who may have fallen through the cracks. The 30-year-old had been placed on the Department of Social Services Top 50 list of sheltered and homeless individuals which is 'interagency collaborative case management for very very high need individuals.'
"Trauma with very unique client circumstances - so for particularly this group of very very high need clients, there is no formulaic pathway to stability," added Wasow.
As for Neely, he experienced trauma at the age of 14 when his mother was murdered - suffering from mental health challenges since then.
"His health is clear evidence, we need support. We need alternatives for these individuals, so they are not relegated to that kind of life," said New York Governor Kathy Hochul.
On Monday, Governor Hochul announced a one-billion-dollar plan to address mental health. It is an issue raised by attorneys for Daniel Penny, who said in a statement Friday,
"We hope that out of this awful tragedy will come a new commitment by our elected officials to address the mental health crisis on our streets and subways." And said, "Daniel never intended to harm Mr. Neely and could not have foreseen his untimely death."
"Why is it necessary for him to try to excuse what he did and try to make it seem as if Jordan's life was worthless about a history that he had no knowledge of the moment that he was choking him," said Neely Family Attorney Lennon Edwards.
ALSO READ | Subway chokehold: Friend of Jordan Neely speaks out
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