PUBLIC TESTIMONY
Testimony by Jonathan Chung, Director of Public Policy and Advocacy at National Alliance on Mental Illness of New York City (NAMI NYC), on B-HEARD Program and Mental Health Crisis Response
4:04:16
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162 sec
Jonathan Chung from NAMI NYC expresses concerns about the implementation of the B-HEARD program for mental health crisis response in New York City. He argues that while the program's goals are appreciated, its current composition and effectiveness fall short of expectations, particularly in reducing hospitalizations and increasing community-based care connections.
- Chung advocates for a citywide, 24/7 mental health crisis response program that includes peer responders and excludes police involvement.
- He supports Intro 1019, which aims to increase transparency around the B-HEARD program.
- Chung emphasizes the importance of including peer crisis workers in the response teams due to their capability in conducting psychoeducation and outreach.
Jonathan Chung
4:04:16
Thank you.
4:04:17
Good afternoon, Shirley, council member Keban and all the distinguished members of the committee.
4:04:21
Thank you for holding today's really important hearing.
4:04:24
My name is Jonathan Chung.
4:04:25
I'm the Director of Public Policy And Advocacy for the National Alliance on Mental Illness of New York City, Renami NYC, and a steering committee member of the correct crisis intervention today.
4:04:36
While Naomi NYC appreciates the goals of the be heard program and the city's attempt to shift crisis response to social workers and EMTs, we have great concern with how the program is being implemented and with the current composition of the crisis response teams.
4:04:51
We have made clear to the city council and the administration that is extremely important to fully fund a mental health crisis response program that is citywide, operates 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, includes peer responders, and has no police involvement.
4:05:08
What we advocate for is not currently embodied in the be heard crisis response program that's coordinated out of the mayor's office of community mental health.
4:05:16
These changes must be made as soon as possible to drastically improve the program.
4:05:22
2 key goals of the BEHARD program are to increase connection to community based care and decrease hospitalizations.
4:05:29
Yet just 6% of people who receive a BEHARD response to a mental health crisis are transported to a community based health care or social service location, and nearly 60% are still transported to the hospital.
4:05:42
The program is failing to meet its goals and, in turn, failing vulnerable New Yorkers in in need of help.
4:05:49
There must be more transparency around the BEHARD program to inform best practices and investments in crisis response.
4:05:57
We're thankful to council member Brannon, as well as council members, Schulman, our season lead for introducing 1019 that will help in this cause.
4:06:05
The city must commit to working more closely with community based service providers and to greater transparency.
4:06:12
As a result of the city's poor allocation of resources, twenty people who should be alive are dead and their family and loved ones are left grieving and searching for answers.
4:06:21
Having a mental illness is not a crime and should not be a potential death sentence, we can and must do better than this.
Linda Lee
4:06:30
If you could just
Jonathan Chung
4:06:31
I will.
4:06:31
Then once it up.
4:06:32
We strongly urge the administration to properly expand the be heard program citywide with the specific proposals outlined in our testimony.
4:06:41
And, again, it's very important that Pierre Christ workers are included because they're highly capable equipped to conduct the psychoeducation and outreach necessary to engage folks having a mental health crisis.
4:06:52
Thank you again for holding this important hearing, and please use this as a resource for anything you may need in the future.
