PUBLIC TESTIMONY
Testimony by Sabina Saleh, Vice President of Behavioral Health at Project Renewal
5:50:52
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171 sec
Sabina Saleh, VP of Behavioral Health at Project Renewal, testified about their Support and Connection Center (SCC) and its role in mental health crisis response in NYC. She emphasized the need for expanding such programs and improving the B-HEARD program.
- The SCC offers stabilization and treatment for adults in mental health or substance use crises, serving as an alternative to arrest or ER visits.
- Project Renewal supports expanding B-HEARD to all boroughs and precincts, with proper training for personnel and 911 dispatchers.
- Saleh expressed support for Intro 1019, which would require additional reporting on mental health calls to improve transparency and call categorization.
Sabina Saleh
5:50:52
Trying to unmute here.
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Good afternoon.
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My name is Sabina Salle.
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I'm the vice president of Behavioral Health at project renewal.
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We are a nonprofit providing homeless services in New York City for over 55 years.
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We appreciate the council's commitment to mental health and this hearing on the B heard program.
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I would also like to highlight our support and connection center that was brought up several times today or what we call the SCC, which opened in late 2020.
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The SEC partnering with DOHMH offers stabilization and treatment for adults in mental health or substance use crises.
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It's the only program of its kind in the city often receiving referrals from be heard and NYPD as an alternative to arrest or ER visits.
5:51:42
Project renewal can also now self refer clients from our programs to the SCC which has been helpful for connecting more people to the care they need.
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The SCC serves up to 18 guests per stays up to 5 to 10 days.
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It provides 247 intake and service.
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Offers access to diverse support from peer counselors, psychiatrists, and occupational therapists, and provides necessities like meals, showers, and laundry.
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What sets the SCC apart is its low threshold peer led approach.
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In fiscal year 24, we served over 800 New Yorkers with nearly 50% choosing to engage in aftercare services for longer term support.
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Our partnership with BEHARD helps increase community based care connections and decrease hospitalizations.
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However, as the only SCC in the city, we need more such programs, so BEHARD teams have additional nonhospital resources at their disposal for people experiencing mental health crises.
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In addition to expanding models like the SCC, crisis residences, mobile crisis
Yusef Salaam
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times expired.
Linda Lee
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Sorry.
5:52:58
You can finish wrap up in 1 or 2 sentences.
5:53:01
Sorry.
Sabina Saleh
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Thank you.
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So in addition to expanding all of the services on the continuum of crisis mental health in the city, we also support expanding be heard.
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To all boroughs and precincts, emphasizing proper training for personnel, and 911 dispatchers to appropriately categorize incoming mental health calls.
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Intro 1019 requiring additional reporting on mental health calls could improve call categorization and overall transparency into the utilization of be heard.
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And we're ready to collaborate as an agency to continue strengthening our programs and improving care for all New Yorkers, especially those with the greatest needs.
5:53:43
Thank you.
