ALBANY — Gov. Kathy Hochul on Friday expanded a decades-old law in response to subway violence, giving law enforcement the power to order people into mental health facilities if they pose a danger. proposed to the court.
“The recent surge in violent crime on our nation’s public transportation systems cannot continue any longer and we need to address this crisis head-on,” Hochul said in a written statement Friday. “Many of these horrific incidents involve untreated people with serious mental illnesses, which means people living on the streets and disconnected from the mental health system are not receiving treatment. This is because I couldn’t do it.
“We have a duty to protect our citizens from acts of random violence, and the only fair and compassionate thing to do is to ask our fellow New Yorkers for the help they need,” Hochul said.
Hochul cited “involuntary commitment” laws dating back to the 1960s and a 1999 law that allowed judges to require people detained for being a danger to themselves or others to undergo psychiatric treatment. It is proposed to amend the Kendra Act. Mental health advocates have supported the measure as an effective and humane way to treat the mentally ill.
The governor did not provide details of any proposals or bills that will be submitted to the state Legislature. He will provide more information about this bill and other bills for the 2025 session in his budget proposal to Congress later this month, a spokesperson said.
Hochul’s actions are in response to several high-profile incidents of violence on New York City’s subways. These include a woman set on fire on December 22nd, a fatal stabbing, a man thrown in front of a train, and a non-fatal stabbing this month.
Glenn Liebman, executive director of the New York State Mental Health Association, expressed concern about Hochul’s proposal in an interview Friday.
“Adjusting existing laws alone is not the solution,” he says. “We sensationalize mental health issues as the only reason why they’re happening, but that’s simply not true…To know what we’re talking about, we need more specifics. We’ll have to wait for more information, but overall I think we should focus more on community services and support. ”
Mr. Liebman has done a good job of increasing funding for community programs that serve people with mental health issues after Mr. Hochul leaves hospital and law enforcement custody. That includes an additional $400 million in the current budget, he said. But the program isn’t fully operational, in part because of what he calls a lack of staff in low-wage jobs.
These programs ensure that people with mental health problems do not pose a danger to themselves or others as they re-enter society, but they also delay outpatient medication and housing. and “bad discharges,” Liebman said.
“For 30 years, our community has been severely underfunded for working hours,” he said. “Until there is a comprehensive response, bad emissions will continue to occur. Therefore, we need a thorough investigation to see where the system is flawed.”
He said there were also concerns that people with mental illness could be deemed unnecessarily dangerous and forced into secure care facilities.
“We’ll have to see the specifics, but there’s always fear when you change existing laws like Kendra’s Law around forced treatment,” Liebman said. “So we have to look at that.”
Last month, Hochul sent the National Guard to the subways to address rider concerns about increased violence. Hochul is trying to get New Yorkers, including Long Islanders, back on the subway after ridership has plummeted due to the coronavirus pandemic.
The state’s congestion pricing plan, set to begin this month, aims to get more people to use mass transit, including subways. In an effort to reduce emissions that contribute to global warming, motorists will be charged a base fee of $9 to enter Manhattan’s most congested areas. The fee will be used for major renovations and repairs at the Metropolitan Transportation Authority, which operates subways, buses and commuter rail.
