The Mayor of New York is deep in controversy after launching his new policy of removing the mentally ill from his city’s streets.
New policy causing uproar
It has been just two short weeks following the launch of a controversial new plan to remove homeless people suffering from mental health issues from New York’s streets.
The city’s major, Eric Adams, has caused an uproar with opponents to the plans calling for the restoration of social programs rather than removing those most at risk from the streets.
There have already been widespread protests concerning the plans, with many taking to the steps of New York’s City Hall in the past fortnight to voice their concerns and demonstrate their disapproval of the mayor’s plans.
What is the proposed plan?
The mayor’s plan calls for first responders and outreach workers to transport people experiencing a mental health crisis on the streets or subways of New York City to a hospital if they are a danger to themselves or unable to meet their basic needs. Adams also introduced an 11-point legislative agenda to fill in the gaps in mental health laws.
Advocates against the mayor’s plan have stated that instead of forcefully committing people, Adams needs to reinvest in social programs. Additionally, those against the plan have said that this is not a public safety issue, as is being prescribed by the mayor.
James Inniss, a spokesperson for the protest group New York Communities for Change, said,
“Public safety is having experts to care for fellow New Yorkers with mental illness, not just out of sight, out of mind. Out of sight, out of mind is a public stunt and is not public safety,”
Riding over opposing viewpoints
Ignoring all those who are speaking out against his new plan, the mayor has directed all first responders and outreach workers to proceed with the removal of those with severe mental health issues from the streets, whether or not they agreed with the policy.
He said the state gives him the legal authority to provide care to those who are a danger to themselves or unable to meet their basic needs.
Speaking out against the policy, public advocate Jumaane Williams said,
“Even if you took it at face value, we actually don’t have the beds, literally, in the hospitals to do that and, lastly, what is missing, woefully, is the information on the continuum of care that’s needed.”
What are the opponents staying?
What is the mayor saying?
“People are actually trying to say, ‘Let’s wait until they harm someone. Let’s wait until they harm themselves,’ and we are not going to have that policy in this city while I’m the mayor of this city,”
