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PUBLIC TESTIMONY
Testimony by Jonathan Chung, Representative from National Alliance on Mental Illness of New York City
6:25:52
ยท
152 sec
Jonathan Chung, representing the National Alliance on Mental Illness of New York City (NAMI NYC), testified about the need for increased funding and support for mental health services in New York City. He emphasized the importance of family support, youth mental health services, and non-police mental health crisis response.
- Requested restoration of $250,000 for youth peer support and $150,000 for speaker initiative funding for NAMI NYC
- Expressed concern about cuts to youth mental health services and lack of funding for family support services
- Called for a citywide 24/7 mental health crisis response program led by peers and mental health professionals, not law enforcement
- Urged the city to commit to closing Rikers by 2027 and invest in community-based mental health services
Jonathan Chung
6:25:52
Good afternoon chairs Lee, showman and members of the committee.
6:25:56
My name is Jonathan Chung and I'm testifying on behalf of the National Alliance on Mental Illness of New York City, the only non profit providing direct and extensive support to families caring for loved ones with serious mental illness.
6:26:07
We are grateful that the city council has prioritized mental health and sees the power of peers in the lives of individuals living with mental health challenges and the power of NAMI NYC to be part of real change.
6:26:19
We still ask for your continued and dedicated support, The restoration of $250,000 in youth peer support initiative funding and a hundred and $50,000 in speaker initiative funding for NAMI NYC will not only provide life changing family support and peer services, promote recovery and save lives, but it will also help remove the burden from city agencies to implement new programs with the same end goal as the programs NAMI NYC has already provided for over forty decade or for four decades.
6:26:48
We also ask that you continue to hold the administration accountable for its mental health policy, funding commitments, and the matters raised in our extended version of our testimony.
6:26:57
Despite the growing mental health crisis, the mayor's preliminary budget falls short of what is needed to thoroughly address this issue.
6:27:04
We are particularly concerned about the lack of funding for family support services, cuts to youth mental health services, and the administration's failure to expand non police mental health crisis response.
6:27:16
Families are the first line of care yet they often navigate the system alone.
6:27:20
Academic research shows that when families are supported hospitalizations decrease and recovery outcomes improve.
6:27:27
With suicide being the second leading cause of death for individuals aged 10 to 24, it is unacceptable that critical based school services such as the mental health continuum were left out of the budget.
6:27:39
This program as everyone knows provide crucial services for students and must be funded in the executive budget not at adoption.
6:27:46
Over 70% of mental health crisis calls in New York City are still handled by the police.
6:27:51
We need a twenty four seven city wide mental health crisis response program led by peers and mental health professionals, not law enforcement.
6:28:00
Four point five million is needed to staff BeHer teams with these peer specialists.
6:28:05
And additionally, Rikers remains New York City's largest mental health facility.
6:28:10
This is a moral and policy failure.
6:28:12
The city must commit to closing Rikers by 2027 and significantly invest in community based mental health services.
6:28:20
Thank you for the opportunity to testify and please continue using resource.