New York Health Act
The New York Health Act would create a single-payer healthcare system for New York, eliminating the power of insurance companies to dictate treatment, and providing healthcare access for the uninsured as well. NAMI-NYC supports the New York Health Act, as it will provide cheaper, easier to access, mental healthcare for all New Yorkers.
Keep psychiatric hospitals open and accessible
There is currently a significant shortage of inpatient psychiatric hospital beds in the United States. The number of such beds continues to drop even as rates of mental illness are on the rise. NAMI-NYC firmly believes that inpatient psychiatric hospital beds must always be readily accessible to those with serious mental illness or who are in crisis. No one should have to forgo or delay critical mental health services because of insufficient bed availability. We urge legislators to increase funding directed towards keeping psychiatric hospitals open and accessible to all people who are in need of their services.
Ending Solitary Confinement
As of fall 2017, at least 61,000 incarcerated individuals were held in solitary confinement throughout the U.S. People living with mental illness are often disproportionately subject to solitary confinement and are thus more likely to experience the adverse consequences which stem from forced isolation. NAMI-NYC stands in agreement with numerous studies and experts in staunchly denouncing the use of solitary confinement for incarcerated individuals, especially people who are living with mental illness. The devastating psychological and physical toll of prolonged enforced isolation makes solitary confinement not only a blatant violation of human rights but also a strikingly inhumane practice. For this reason, NAMI-NYC supports Bill A.2500/S.1623, also known as the HALT Bill, which limits the amount of time incarcerated individuals can spend in solitary confinement and ensures that people living with mental illness are not placed in solitary confinement.
Diversion Centers
Diversion Centers would create an alternative to arrest for people suffering from substance abuse or a mental health episode by creating “health diversion centers” where individuals can get short-term treatment until they are stable. We believe the creation of health diversion centers can be a key step in helping shift people living with a mental illness away from the criminal justice system and towards recovery. NAMI-NYC supports increased funding for these centers so they can finally open and begin their important work. We also are committed to ensuring these diversion centers emphasize treatment and recovery.
Mental Health Courts
Mental health courts were established to improve the response of the criminal justice system to individuals with serious mental illness who committed low-level non-violent offenses. Their goal is to reduce the incarceration and recidivism of these individuals by linking offenders to local behavioral health science providers to develop individualized treatment plans, under intensive supervision by the courts. We believe the use of mental health courts is vital to properly treat the mental illnesses underlying some criminal offenses, rather than further deteriorating one’s mental health by placing them in jail or prison. NAMI-NYC supports the expanded use of these courts, especially those that accept defendants with substance use disorders. We are committed to promoting awareness about these courts as an alternative to typical criminal proceedings to better the lives of those suffering from mental illness in the criminal justice system.
Enhanced discharge planning (for people living with a mental illness exiting jails and prisons and connecting them to Medicaid and appropriate services. This will help ensure they engage in recovery and prevent recidivism)
Incarcerated individuals are seldom provided with resources or critical social services upon their release. The absence of these provisions can be especially detrimental for people living with mental illness. NAMI-NYC supports the enactment of legislation which requires jails and prisons to provide incarcerated individuals affected by mental illness with comprehensive discharge plans connecting them with Medicaid, housing resources, and other appropriate services. Engaging in this type of enhanced discharge planning can help steer people towards meaningful recovery, facilitate societal reintegration, and reduce recidivism rates.
We understand the historic budget challenges facing the city and state, but we cannot balance budgets on the backs of the most vulnerable New Yorkers. Now more than ever we must invest in community organizations like NAMI-NYC that are providing critical mental health services and supports. We are working harder than ever to provide services to more people than ever, but we cannot do it alone. We need financial support from the City Council and Legislature to make sure we can provide education and support to the ever increasing amount of New Yorkers impacted by mental health challenges.
Working with schools to incorporate Ending the Silence presentations