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Q&A
Potential changes in mental health care and commitment laws
0:38:59
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Council Member Keith Powers inquires about necessary changes in the mental health care system and commitment laws. Dr. Patricia Marthone shares her thoughts on improving care for individuals in mental health crises.
- Acknowledgment of the city's pivot to ensure care for uncooperative individuals in crisis
- Emphasis on increasing training for all individuals involved in crisis interventions
- Suggestion for better public health announcements around mental health
- Importance of educating families and friends on how to activate help before crises escalate
Keith Powers
0:38:59
Thanks thanks for that.
0:39:00
And obviously that issue is top of mind for a lot of folks right now and I know our state legislature and others discussing exactly whether there should be a change or recalibration around some of those policies and laws.
0:39:12
Do you so what changes do you see within the care system and also within the commitment laws that would be necessary or helpful to make sure individuals get the need the care they deserve?
Dr. Patricia Marthone
0:39:26
I mean I will be very frank with you, I do understand why the city pivoted the way we did to try to to try to make sure that individuals that were going through crises that would not cooperate in their own care would directly be broadened for a path to care.
0:39:43
And I don't believe that's the best of all ways to do business with with individuals in mental health crises but having had a father that suffered from paranoid schizophrenia, I fully and completely understand why that happens and why it must be done.
0:39:58
I believe that again and I'm going go back to my previous statement, trying to increase the training and I know we've done different things in New York with training police officers and everybody trying to really increase the training of all individuals involved in that that would be very helpful.
0:40:12
The other thing is some of the panic that happens in these emergency situations come from the families and the friends that find the person in crises.
0:40:20
And I believe us doing better in terms of public health announcements around mental health and how people can activate help before it's too late or before it gets too far is very important and something we should truly consider embarking on.
Keith Powers
0:40:33
Thanks.