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To the editor:
Immanuel Kant famously wrote, “Dare to know.” When it comes to major policy initiatives, Mayor Eric Adams often doesn’t know what he doesn’t know, and couldn’t care less.
A striking example was his recent unveiling of an 11-point program to help the homeless who have severe mental illness. This is ironic, since the city is unable to adequately help the homeless in shelters, or for that matter, adequately help the mentally ill on Rikers Island and in other city jails.
Under Adams’ blueprint, police and EMS will involuntarily hospitalize homeless individuals who have “apparent” mental illness and cannot meet their “basic needs,” even if they do not pose a threat to others. Previously, the city could only hospitalize individuals who pose an immediate danger to themselves or to the public.
His plan was announced before Albany had passed relevant mental illness bills. Furthermore, psychiatric units and ERs are already overwhelmed with patients, and there is limited outpatient care and affordable, supportive housing.
The Legal Aid Society said, “Forcibly removing and involuntarily condemning anyone to a hospital is not only illegal but immoral, and another form of incarceration…. The Mayor’s plan criminalizes mental health.”
Alvin Bragg, the Manhattan district attorney, and spokespersons from the Mental Health Association of New York, the New York Association of Psychiatric Rehabilitation Services and other mental health advocates all criticized the mayor’s plan. They pointed out the need to engage voluntarily severely mentally ill people, and that there are viable alternatives to the approach by Adams that don’t involve forced treatment, more police and hospitals.
When Adams was asked to comment on a protest rally at City Hall by Jumaane Williams, the city’s public advocate, and City Council members, he made his usual gratuitous attack on critics. “This is the same group that stated we could not take care of COVID … shouldn’t allow schools to stay open … who come forward to say let’s throw a rock.”
Howard Elterman
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