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PUBLIC TESTIMONY
Testimony by Sharon Brown on Mental Health and Rikers Island
1:31:37
ยท
125 sec
Sharon Brown testified about the urgent need to close Rikers Island and the failures of the mental health system. She emphasized the importance of faith-based approaches and providing homes for the homeless instead of relying on medication and institutionalization.
- Advocated for the immediate closure of Rikers Island, citing its transformation into a mental health facility as problematic
- Criticized the current mental health system for over-reliance on medication and failing to help people recover
- Proposed putting the Bible back in schools, classrooms, and courthouses as a solution to mental health issues
- Called for providing homes to homeless people instead of medication or institutionalization
Sharon Brown
1:31:37
Hello.
1:31:37
My name is Sharon Brown from Rose of Sharon Enterprises.
1:31:43
Before I get started, remember the hostages, release the hostages, let Yahweh's people go, defend Israel.
1:31:51
So someone was speaking about Rikers Island Mental Illness and jails and different things like that.
1:31:59
They didn't necessarily get into the the elections and things but Rikers Island must close immediately.
1:32:09
The mental health system is failing, it's failing miserably.
1:32:15
They have had many years to do what they've been doing and it culminated in Rikers.
1:32:22
And I was instrumental in getting Rikers closed down in 2027.
1:32:28
It was actually supposed to close earlier, now they're trying to delay it.
1:32:32
So what is occurring is they've made Rikers Island a big mental health facility.
1:32:38
They're telling people that they can't get better, they can't get well, so Rikers Island is declining on that premise that your mental health system is telling people they can't get well.
1:32:52
Well, in the church when we teach people, we teach them you can get well.
1:32:58
The bible says you God gave you a sound mind.
1:33:02
He gave you peace, love, and a sound mind.
1:33:05
So pumping people with medications is not the solution.
1:33:09
It's not helping them.
1:33:11
Can you show me where it's helping?
1:33:13
It's not.
1:33:14
Rikers Island is a show that the mental health system is a colossal failure.
1:33:20
We need something else.
1:33:22
What we're doing is putting the bible back into schools.
1:33:26
We're putting the bible back everywhere.
1:33:28
We want the bible in classrooms and courthouses.
1:33:32
We want people to be in homes, not in mental institution.
1:33:37
Homes for homeless people.
1:33:39
If you say they're homeless, they don't need medication, they need Thank