Q&A
Council member questions mental health funding and budget allocations
6:43:51
·
176 sec
Council Member Linda Lee questions OMB Director Jacques Jiha about mental health funding in the city budget. She highlights the importance of mental health services and their potential to save money in the long run. Lee requests a commitment to restore funding cuts and allocate additional money for mental health initiatives.
- Lee points out a $15 million decrease in the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH) budget for mental health services
- She requests consideration of $43 million in additional funding for various mental health programs
- Jiha acknowledges the importance of mental health issues and agrees to work with the council on addressing needs
Linda Lee
6:43:51
So questions around mental health.
6:43:54
So I just wanna start the line of questioning with the with the knowledge that, you know, we all know that there's a ton of research out there that basically says that if you keep people healthy, you the city and state will save dollars.
6:44:08
Hands down.
6:44:09
Right?
6:44:09
So then my question is, especially because we know that mental health is such an issue and it is a lot of time spent, dollars spent, including NYPD over time in the subways, my question is for under DOHMH, it's only about a $757,000,000 budget towards mental health services, which has decreased by about 15,000,000.
6:44:28
So my question is, are there plans to restore that funding?
6:44:33
And also, the council in our executive budget response requested 7 line items including supportive housing, mental health continuum funding, all of these things that total up to about 43,000,000.
6:44:46
So I guess my question is is Okay.
Sarah Parker
6:44:49
I I
Linda Lee
6:44:49
think we could all agree that 43,000,000 not only is 43,000,000 but $757,000,000, you know, when we're talking about all the mental health services that are needed in this stage of where we are as a city is a drop in the bucket, and it's like a smidgen of, like, the overall budget.
6:45:06
Right?
6:45:07
So can we get a commitment from OMB for the 43,000,000 to please look at that funding for the 7 items that we're requesting on the city council side?
Jacques Jiha
6:45:16
Again, as I said, I will work with the, council as we get, toward adoption.
6:45:22
And, I understand is again, this is not something that we're taking lightly in light of all the incidents that we see taking place in the street.
6:45:31
So Wait.
Linda Lee
6:45:31
It's not likely or likely?
Jacques Jiha
6:45:33
Like no.
6:45:33
We're not taking this lightly.
6:45:34
Oh.
6:45:34
You know, mental health issues.
6:45:37
This is something that we, the administration, are trying to address on many occasions in different, programs that we outlay.
6:45:46
So again, we will work with the, DOHMH and, to make sure they, you know, they they they have a need.
6:45:52
If they have if there is a need, and they could pinpoint to us exactly what the need is, and we'll work with them and working with the council to see if, going for this
Linda Lee
6:46:03
Okay.
6:46:03
And would you agree though, but from a budgetary perspective, we know for a fact that keeping people healthy saves dollars.
6:46:09
Yes?
6:46:11
So I would really, really urge us to keep people healthy off the streets, off of We
Jacques Jiha
6:46:15
all agree.
Rita Joseph
6:46:16
We all agree.
Jacques Jiha
6:46:16
This is critical.
Linda Lee
6:46:18
And, also, in terms of the other city agencies, how much funding can you extract the total amount of mental health funding that's with EMS, H and H, OCMH?
6:46:27
I know OCMH started off with a budget of about 325,000,000 if I'm not mistaken.
6:46:32
So can we get those numbers?
Jacques Jiha
6:46:34
I would definitely, follow-up with you with, giving you a breakdown and, total of all the agencies by agency and also the total Okay.
6:46:44
Amount of city spending on mental health.
Linda Lee
6:46:47
And which city agency or entity would you say oversees all of this?
