City Council committees address city's mental health crisis response, discuss B-HEARD
The committees spent over six hours discussing the B-HEARD program, which dispatches mental health professionals alongside law enforcement during crises.
More Stories
Several City Council committees convened yesterday to discuss how New York City handles mental health crises. It comes just days after a police shooting at a Brownsville subway station involving a knife-wielding man.
The committees spent over six hours discussing the B-HEARD program, which dispatches mental health professionals alongside law enforcement during crises. While the program aims to reduce police involvement, some local leaders argue it still falls short in effectively addressing mental health emergencies.
Among the proposals discussed was a bill that would require detailed reporting on every 911 call related to mental health emergencies. These reports would be generated quarterly and shared with the mayor's office, as well as posted online for public access.
Public Advocate Jumaane Williams highlighted the shooting at the Sutter Avenue station last Sunday during the meeting, emphasizing that a more mental health-focused response could have potentially de-escalated the situation. Instead, officers fired their weapons when the suspect approached them with a knife, resulting in injuries to four people including the suspect, one officer, and two bystanders.
Officials say budget cuts are currently hindering the expansion of the B-HEARD program, and they are hoping that changes.
New Yorkers have until 72 hours after the meeting to submit public testimony regarding the discussion.
