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Statistics and challenges in addressing homelessness and mental health
1:25:42
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Commissioner Molly Wasow Park provides statistics and insights on the challenges of addressing homelessness and mental health issues in New York City. She highlights the dynamic nature of the problem and the systemic issues that need to be addressed.
- 1,100 people experiencing unsheltered homelessness were placed into permanent housing in fiscal year 2024
- The same number of people (1,100) were discharged from inpatient state psychiatric care directly to DHS
- The commissioner emphasizes the need for a more systemic approach to effectively tackle the issue
Molly Wasow Park
1:25:42
The support and connection center centers are DOHMH's contract, so I will have to defer to them on the specifics.
1:25:51
With respect to the number of people, with all due respect to Doctor.
1:25:56
Katz who is an amazing, amazing person and we are very thrilled to have him in his role, but I do think the number is a bit more dynamic than to say that it's a thousand people and that's it.
1:26:09
This is a statistic that I keep coming back to again and again because it's so stark.
1:26:15
I think it was calendar year '24.
1:26:21
Were able to place or sorry fiscal year '24 we were able to place eleven hundred people who had been experiencing unsheltered homelessness.
1:26:29
So that does not necessarily equate to a mental health diagnosis, but many of them, into permanent housing.
1:26:37
There were that same year eleven hundred people who were discharged from inpatient state psychiatric care directly to DHS.
1:26:44
So discharge planning meant send to DHS.
1:26:49
That's a wash.
1:26:50
Yeah, exactly.
1:26:51
So until we are able the number of people at any given point in time who are experiencing unsheltered homelessness and certainly the number of people experiencing acute mental health issues and unsheltered homelessness is a relatively finite number of people.
1:27:08
But until we are thinking more systemically about how we are serving that population as a whole, DHS, DSS can continue to ratchet up its efforts and we are.
1:27:21
We are doing more outreach.
1:27:23
We have more safe haven and stabilization beds.
1:27:25
We are placing more people into permanent housing.
1:27:27
But to the extent that we continue to be the safety net of the safety net, it's gonna be hard to actually make a dent in that.
Gale A. Brewer
1:27:34
I'm just saying that it doesn't feel, if you listen, of course, if you read the tabs or whatever, that it is increasingly placing people.
1:27:42
It doesn't feel that way.
1:27:44
I guess not right now, but I'd love to hear more of a systemic, as you suggest, response to this.
1:27:49
I mean, these people are on the ground and they're really clear that support and connection centers work.
Molly Wasow Park
1:27:55
And and the support and connection centers are terrific.
1:27:57
I mean, the the the space in again Only one.
1:28:00
DOHMH facility, so I will defer to them on the specifics.
1:28:04
I think it's something like a dozen beds and people are allowed
Gale A. Brewer
1:28:07
11 for men and three for women.
Molly Wasow Park
1:28:09
Right.
1:28:09
And allowed to stay in.
1:28:10
They're very time limited as well.
1:28:12
Six days.
1:28:13
Right.
1:28:13
So very useful piece of the puzzle, but it is very much a piece of the puzzle.
Gale A. Brewer
1:28:21
Okay.
1:28:21
All right.
1:28:21
Not now, but I do want to hear more about everybody working together to solve this problem.
1:28:26
It is number one in New York City now.
Molly Wasow Park
1:28:28
Happy to talk more about it.