New York City Council unveils plan to deal with mental health crisis
Plan includes 10 new centers to treat people having a mental health episode
LOWER MANHATTAN, Manhattan (WABC) -- The New York City Council unveiled its roadmap to expanding mental health care across the city on Monday.
The plan includes 10 new centers to treat people having a mental health crisis.
Just last Friday, a 39-year-old man was placed on a stretcher and taken into custody after allegedly using scissors and knife to lunge at police during a mental health episode.
"When half of those in our jail system who have a mental health diagnosis, quite frankly we have failed," City Council Speaker Adrienne Adams said.
The issue is just one component of the City Council's mental health roadmap unveiled Monday morning by Adams in City Hall.
The focus in four overarching areas include: prevention, increasing the mental health industry workforce, the intersection between crime and mental health and public awareness.
"We identify that there are serious gaps to be closed if we want to succeed at improving our mental health in the city," Adams said.
Part of closing that gap is proposed legislation, which includes adding two new crisis respite centers in all five boroughs.
"Most often times if they get placed at a treatment center that's away from their homes or their communities the success of them going back is very low," Mental Health Committee Chair Linda Lee said.
The initiative would be in addition to the plans introduced by Mayor Eric Adams and Governor Kathy Hochul.
"There are parts of the roadmap that align with the governor's plan and at the city level, the mayor's put forward some ideas that we agree are important and there are others that we may not necessarily support," Adrienne Adams said.
This is the first time the City Council has ever put forth a strategy to deal with the mental health crisis.
Speaker Adams says it can be amending accordingly.
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