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PUBLIC TESTIMONY
Testimony by Melissa Vergara, Member of Freedom Agenda and Mental Health Clinician, on NYC Budget Priorities for Public Safety
9:41:52
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Melissa Vergara, a member of Freedom Agenda and mental health clinician, urges the city to reconsider its budget priorities for public safety. She advocates for investing in alternative incarceration and reentry programs instead of increasing the NYPD and Department of Corrections budgets, arguing that incarceration exacerbates mental health issues and doesn't promote true public safety.
- Vergara criticizes the proposed $12 million in budget cuts to alternative incarceration and reentry programs, calling it a step in the wrong direction.
- She shares a personal story about her son's experience in Rikers Island and the challenges he faces in reentry, highlighting the system's failure to provide adequate mental health care and support.
- Vergara emphasizes that true public safety involves investing in community-based alternatives, mental health treatment, stable housing, and job training rather than punitive measures.
Melissa Vergara
9:41:52
Hello.
9:41:53
Good afternoon.
9:41:54
My name is Melissa Vergara.
9:41:55
I am a member of Freedom Agenda and a mental health clinician.
9:41:58
I'm here today to urge you to reconsider the city's budget priorities in the name of true public safety, specifically invest in alternative incarceration, reentry programs rather than increasing the NYPD and distributaries budget.
9:42:10
The proposed $12,000,000 in budget cuts to these crucial programs is a step in the wrong direction and will only perpetuate cycles of harm and instability in our communities.
9:42:18
The reality is jail and prisons do not provide effective mental health treatment.
9:42:22
Incarceration only exasperates existing conditions, deepens trauma, and making integration into society even more difficult.
9:42:28
Research has consistently showed that individuals struggling with mental health and substance use disorders are disproportionately incarcerated rather than treated.
9:42:36
New York City must stop prioritizing punitive measures and instead fund community based alternatives that offer mental health and substance use treatment, stable housing, and job training, solution that re solutions that reduce recidivism, successful transition to communities, and promote real public safety.
9:42:51
It costs over 500,000 per year to keep one person on Rikers Island.
9:42:55
The mayor has budgeted a hundred and 50,000,000 to hire over a thousand more correction officers in the coming year.
9:43:00
The money could be used to fund treatment and support and support services that prevent incarceration in the first place.
9:43:06
My son is a 23 year old with intellectual and developmental disabilities along with a mental health diagnosis and spent two and a half years on Rikers Island without mental health care.
9:43:15
His symptoms and crisis were always met with solitary confinement, repeated use of force for correctional officers who lacked training and to deescalate situations often escalating them.
9:43:24
While in upstate correctional facility, he endured the same trauma, the same abuse.
9:43:28
Now as he prepares for reentry, his parole officer rejected his return to family and instead pushing for him to be placed in a shelter, further destabilizing his transition and denying him the support he desperately needs.
9:43:39
His story is not new unique.
9:43:41
It is a reality for thousands of New Yorkers caught in a system that punishes rather than heals.
9:43:45
This is not justice.
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This is not public safety.
9:43:48
Public safety is a city where individuals experiencing mental health crisis are met with trained professionals instead of police who lack the necessary expertise
Darren Mack
9:43:55
Your time has expired.
Melissa Vergara
9:43:57
Is ensuring having access to housing, job training, mental health, and substance use treatment so they do not end up incarcerated in the first place.
9:44:04
Public safety is investing in people and not punishment.
Yusef Salaam
9:44:08
Thank you.
Melissa Vergara
9:44:09
Thank you.