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QUESTION
What percentage of Rikers Island’s population has serious mental health issues, and is it a record high?
3:34:34
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The deputy commissioner for health affairs indicates 52-54% of Rikers Island's inmates have mental health issues, but he is uncertain if this is a record high.
- The percentage of people with serious mental health issues at Rikers Island is approximately 52-54%.
- The deputy commissioner is unsure whether this percentage constitutes a record high.
- Council Member Lincoln Restler suggests based on his analysis, this is indeed a record high percentage.
- There's a reported decrease in health visits by 30% year over year, raising concerns about the adequacy of health services.
- The Department of Corrections commits to ensuring access to quality mental health services, but specific actions or improvements are not detailed.
Lincoln Restler
3:34:34
Next, health so percentage of people who have a serious health designation a serious mental health issue at Rykers.
3:34:42
Could you give me the current percentage?
3:34:46
55?
3:34:47
Just a number, please.
James Saunders
3:34:50
Hi.
3:34:51
James Saunders, deputy commissioner.
3:34:53
So approximately anywhere from 52 to 54 per sent.
Lincoln Restler
3:34:57
We saw over
James Saunders
3:34:58
Of of the population are known to mental health.
Lincoln Restler
3:35:01
Yes.
3:35:01
Just to see.
3:35:02
I I'm gone the clock, so I appreciate it.
3:35:03
I'm just looking for direct
James Saunders
3:35:04
20% of those have been diagnosed with the series mental illness.
Lincoln Restler
3:35:08
I appreciate it, sir.
3:35:08
I'm gonna keep going.
3:35:09
So over 54% is the current number as far as I understand.
3:35:13
That is a record high.
3:35:14
And as far as DOC have tracked this number.
3:35:17
Is that correct?
3:35:17
Yes or no.
James Saunders
3:35:18
That's an approximate.
3:35:19
No.
Lincoln Restler
3:35:19
No.
3:35:20
Not a record high.
James Saunders
3:35:21
No.
3:35:21
It's in it fluctuates.
3:35:22
Based on
Lincoln Restler
3:35:23
So 54 point something percent is not a record high.
3:35:26
We've we've surpassed those numbers in the past.
James Saunders
3:35:27
That I don't know.
3:35:28
I have Oh, so
Lincoln Restler
3:35:29
you're not saying no.
3:35:29
You're saying I don't know.
3:35:30
I just wanna make sure that you don't
James Saunders
3:35:32
care.
3:35:32
I don't know if it's a record high.
Lincoln Restler
3:35:34
Does anyone else on the panel able to confirm that this is a record high in terms of the percent of people with a serious mental health designation?
Lynelle Maginley-Liddie
3:35:39
Have information for you, but we can get
Lincoln Restler
3:35:41
I can tell you based on the analysis we've done.
3:35:43
This is a record in terms of the percentage of people at records with a Brad H, mental health designation.
3:35:48
So I am deeply concerned that Rikers is an ever growing the ever growing largest psychiatric facility in the state of New York.
3:35:57
But notably in the PMMR, we found that health visits were down by 30% year over year.
3:36:03
Is that correct?
3:36:06
Yes or no, please.
3:36:07
In the PMMR, this is the data point.
3:36:09
I assume you have it at your fingertips.
James Saunders
3:36:14
I don't have that data.
Lincoln Restler
3:36:15
Okay.
3:36:16
So I can't It's accurate.
3:36:17
So what are you doing to fix it?
3:36:19
We've got ever growing number of people who have serious mental health designations at bikers, and we're seeing health visits plummet this current fiscal year.
3:36:30
What is being done to address this?
3:36:31
Succinctly, please.
James Saunders
3:36:33
So the department's committed to ensuring that everyone are now carrying custody has access to quality mentally.
3:36:37
Okay.
Lincoln Restler
3:36:38
I I hear you.
3:36:38
I don't need a lot of speech.
3:36:39
I just am looking for a correct answer.
James Saunders
3:36:41
And a quote, you know, So we reproduce reports in accordance with local law 132 of 2019.
3:36:47
I think you have you receive those reports.
3:36:50
I think it's on our public facing website.
3:36:52
We'd be happy to send them.
Lincoln Restler
3:36:53
Could I ask I I I just love one of my questions or answer directly?
James Saunders
3:36:56
Look at the data.
3:36:57
You'd realize that in calendar year 2023, there were over 611,000 scheduled appointments.
3:37:03
Looking at that, we have approximately We were able to produce people to a majority of their appointments.
3:37:11
And with respect to nonproduction, only 3% of nonproduction is due to no escorts.
3:37:17
And so and so production refusal reasons tracked by DOC can range from, I don't want the service.
3:37:26
I do not want to go to the service, or I'm not coming now and we'll come later.
3:37:30
So Okay.
3:37:30
That's some of the the the endpoints that we do track in that.
Lincoln Restler
3:37:33
I understand that.
3:37:33
But could
Alex Stein
3:37:34
you could
Lincoln Restler
3:37:34
you please stick I'm on the clock, and I'm asking once again to stick to answering my questions.
3:37:38
We've gone from 41% of people with a broad age that's in 2022 to 54, 55% today, yet 30 the health visits are down 30%.