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PUBLIC TESTIMONY
Testimony by Jordyn Rosenthal, Director of Advocacy at Community Access
0:23:15
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Jordyn Rosenthal, Director of Advocacy at Community Access and lead organizer of CCIT-NYC, provided testimony on improving mental health crisis response in New York City. She emphasized the need for peer support, non-police responses, and a more integrated crisis response system.
- Shared personal experience with mental health crisis and advocated for improvements to the B-HEARD program
- Stressed the importance of including peers in crisis response teams for better understanding and de-escalation
- Called for a citywide 24/7 crisis response system with interoperability between 988, 911, and 311
Jordyn Rosenthal
0:23:15
Thank you to all of the chairs and everyone.
0:23:18
I submitted formal testimony, but anyone who knows me tends to know, I'm better off script, so we're gonna go off script.
0:23:25
My name is Jordan Rosenthal, and I am a social worker.
0:23:29
I am the director of advocacy at community access, which is a nonprofit that helps people with mental health concerns.
0:23:35
And most importantly, I'm up here.
0:23:37
I'm a person with lived mental health experience.
0:23:40
In 2018 oh, and, also, I'm the lead organizer of correct crisis intervention today, CCIT, which is one of the main reason or one of the main advocates that was pushing for this hearing.
0:23:53
So in 2018, I had kind of like my first big advocacy job, and I literally felt like I was driving a Mack truck with a learner's permit and ended up having a mental health crisis in my apartment.
0:24:04
My mom almost called 911 because was so scared that I was gonna hurt myself when we were on the phone and ultimately respected my choice.
0:24:12
Now, I'm here to talk about what would have happened if she called 911, and also what type of response do I want to be met with?
0:24:20
I'm not here to shit on be heard.
0:24:22
I'm here to say, what are the ways that we can make it better?
0:24:25
So it can serve more community members and connect people with in crisis so we don't have situations like Winners Oreo, Kowalski, Traewig, or Peggy Sun.
0:24:37
So what does that look like?
0:24:38
That really means the inclusion of peers.
0:24:40
So in the times that I've called a 911 or not 911, but a mental health crisis line.
0:24:45
And I've said, you know, like, if this is the rat race, like, oh my god.
0:24:49
Like, exhausting.
0:24:50
And they're like, do you have a plan to hurt yourself?
0:24:52
I'm like, you're not listening to me.
0:24:54
And that's the type of situation that we see a lot.
0:24:57
We need peers because the peer actually is able to connect with the person and hear what they're saying and understand what it's like to consider maybe not actively having a suicidal plan, but if this is like the anguish that I deal with every day, how to connect with that person and deescalate.
0:25:13
So even in situations where we're talking about violence, I'm sorry.
0:25:18
I realized my time.
0:25:19
I what I really want you to think about is how can we deescalate?
0:25:23
And having things like sirens, uniforms, and guns does not do that.
0:25:29
What we do need are Pierce, not police.
0:25:31
We need 988 to be a dispatch system that has interoperability with 911311.
0:25:39
We need a city wide system that is 247.
0:25:42
And, also, I you currently can't request to be heard team, which I understand the logistics behind that.
0:25:49
But there should also be some type of acknowledgment that if someone is saying, I want a non police response or I want to be met with this, that that is at least considered.
0:25:59
So I really encourage you to look at the testimony I submitted.
0:26:02
I'm sorry.
0:26:03
It's not double sided.
0:26:04
It was early.
0:26:06
The formal testimony of community access, my other colleagues of CCIT NYC, and I'm here for any questions you have.
0:26:13
Thank you so much.