REMARKS
Council Member Diana I. Ayala cites further concerns about DHS
1:11:57
·
80 sec
Council Member Ayala raises concerns about lack of accessible mental health clinics and psychiatrists for homeless individuals.
- She questions the Department of Homeless Services Administrator about centralized data on mental health needs.
- Ayala says purposeful action is needed to identify and provide adequate services.
- She describes confusion when constituents accidentally come to her office looking for assistance.
Diana I. Ayala
1:11:57
Because I mean, because this is kinda, like, the one to half debate that we have.
1:12:00
Right?
1:12:00
People are like, well, you know, we need to have we need we need to send people to, you know, their community based clinic, and there are no clinics.
1:12:08
There are clinics.
1:12:09
We have no no psychiatrists.
1:12:11
Right?
1:12:11
So it's it, you know, there has to be more this has to be very intentional, very, very purposeful.
1:12:17
We have to, you know, be able to identify.
1:12:19
And again, because you're the driving force behind all of the data, then and they centralized within you, your, you know, your agency, then it makes sense to me that that that information metric went through the budget cycle and conversations around policy and expanding.
1:12:35
You know, it's very difficult when you're, like, you know, I I get folks that come into my office because, apparently, there's an office at 105.
1:12:43
It's 105 East 16th Street.
1:12:46
I'm at 105 East 116th Street.
1:12:48
That's I think it's a snap office.
Joslyn Carter
1:12:50
I know, 90 16.
Diana I. Ayala
1:12:51
And 109.
1:12:52
Yeah.
1:12:52
And so people for years, since I've worked at this office, have come to our office, accidentally.
1:12:58
I don't I at first, I thought maybe that the information was wrong on the paper, but I've I've since concluded that people just read really quickly and they, you know, they don't they don't realize that it's 16th and not one 16th.
1:13:09
But when they get to my office, oftentimes, I hear and I don't have any more money.
1:13:14
I had enough to get there and back home.
