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Council Member Justin Brannan's opening remarks for DOHMH budget hearing
0:00:41
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3 min
Council Member Justin Brannan opens the FY 2026 executive budget hearing for the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH). He provides context for the hearing, including budget figures, key areas of concern, and the focus of his upcoming questions.
- Brannan outlines DOHMH's proposed budget of $2.3 billion, with $774.9 million allocated for mental hygiene services.
- He highlights the council's call for additional funding in areas such as supervised release, mobile treatment centers, and mental health clubhouses.
- Brannan mentions that his questions will focus on the syringe redemption program, justice-involved supportive housing, and the utilization of city funds.
Justin Brannan
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Thank you, sergeant.
0:00:44
Okay.
0:00:45
Good morning.
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What some might call the Friday before Memorial Day, we call day 10 of FY twenty six executive budget hearings.
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I'm council member Justin Brannan.
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I chair the committee on finance and I live here now.
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Today's hearings will begin with the Department of Health and Mental Health, Mental Hygiene, followed by the Department of Health, Mental Health, Public Health.
0:01:08
We split them up.
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I'm pleased to be joined by my good friend, Council Member Linda Lee, who chairs the Committee on Mental Health, Disabilities, and Addiction for today's hearing.
0:01:18
We have been joined so far by Council Members Brewer, Stevens, Moya, Mamorato, and Narcisse.
0:01:25
Welcome to Acting Commissioner Caban.
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And Caban.
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Welcome to Acting Commissioner Doctor.
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Michelle Morris.
0:01:32
It's good to see you and your team.
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Thank you for joining us today to answer our questions.
0:01:37
I always like to set the table for folks playing at home.
0:01:40
On 05/01/2025, the administration released the executive financial plan for FY twenty six to twenty nine with a proposed FY '26 budget of $115,100,000,000 DOHMH represents 2,300,000,000 or 2% of the total city budget.
0:01:59
DOHMH mental hygiene's proposed FY twenty six budget of 774,900,000.0 represents 33.5% of DOHMH's budget in the FY twenty six executive plan.
0:02:14
Their total budget increased by 61,200,000 or 8.6% from the 713,700,000.0 which was originally budgeted in the preliminary plan back in January.
0:02:27
As of March 2025, DOHMH Mental Hygiene has 192 vacancies which is relative to their budgeted headcount in FY '25.
0:02:38
We've also been joined by council members Menon and Paladino.
0:02:42
In the council's preliminary budget response, identified several areas of concern relating to mental hygiene calling on the administration to add an additional $183,000,000 in expense funding for programs such as supervised release intensive care management, mobile treatment centers, and mental health clubhouses.
0:03:01
We also called on the mayor to add 3,800,000.0 to support school based mental health centers to provide support to school crisis teams.
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We heard from New York City Students just days ago during our education hearing that there remains a need for such resources to be made available to them.
0:03:17
Prioritizing these investments and resources doesn't just provide economic relief for everyday New Yorkers, generating a stronger and healthier city.
0:03:24
But in this particular case, it actually can save lives.
0:03:28
My questions today will largely focus on the syringe redemption program, the justice involved supportive housing, and the utilization of city funds.
0:03:38
I now want to turn to my co chair for this hearing, Council Member Lee, so she can give her opening statement.
0:03:44
Thank you.