Capitol demonstrations call for better mental health care and response

ALBANY, N.Y. (NEXSTAR) — On Monday and Tuesday at the state capitol, different groups held demonstrations pushing a similar goal: better mental health care in New York. They called for a $195 million boost for children’s care and a switch from police-led to peer-led crisis response on mental health calls.

On Monday, advocates and lawmakers rallied for investments in children’s mental health, and on Tuesday, a coalition called for better emergency mental health crisis response. Democratic State Sen. Samra Brouk—who represents Rochester and chairs the Senate Committee on Mental Health—backed both rallies, which aimed to influence budget negotiations.

Healthy minds, healthy kids

Parents, kids, and mental health providers want this year's state budget to include $195 million to address long waitlists and workforce shortages in children's mental health services. A report from the Campaign for Healthy Minds said that three out of four children in New York lack behavioral health care.

“If we help our children now, do the preventative care that we always talk about, we won't see—hopefully we won't see—their challenges in the future,” said Democratic State Sen. Nathalia Fernandez, who represents Westchester and the Bronx. You can watch her remarks below:

Advocates did not have bill numbers attached to their budget ask. Even so, against a backdrop of chanting about healthy kids and healthy minds, they called for Medicaid rate reforms and commercial insurance coverage on par with Medicaid for mental health and substance use treatment. According to their tally, that funding would hire over 1,300 new clinicians and treat 26,000 more children.

“The biggest barrier is we don't have enough workforce because we're not getting high enough Medicaid reimbursement rates,” said Democratic Assemblymember Jo Anne Simon, whose district is in Brooklyn. She chairs the Assembly Committee on Mental Health. You can watch what she had to say below:

Daniel's Law

Tuesday’s rally, led by the Daniel’s Law Coalition, called for a peer-led crisis response system instead of police intervention. They argued that the current system criminalizes mental illness, especially in Black and Brown communities.

“It is a clearly solvable problem with really clear solutions,” said Assemblymember Harvey Epstein, who represents Manhattan and Brooklyn. Here's what he had to say on the issue:

S3670/A4617—named for Daniel Prude, a 44-year-old Black New Yorker who died after police restrained him during a mental health crisis in Rochester in 2020—would create a new statewide system to respond to mental health and substance use crises in New York. The bill makes community-based teams of trained mental health first responders, instead of relying on law enforcement to take the lead on mental health calls.

Under the law, each region has to form crisis teams, with mental health peers partnering with independent EMTs to handle emergencies at all hours. A new statewide council would approve plans and oversee those teams.

Those teams would respond to 911 calls about psychiatric and substance emergencies, unless there's a threat of violence. The state would fund those non-police crisis services and report on response times, demographics, and whether the response resulted in an arrest.

“In the memory of Daniel Prude, pass this law this session, have the governor sign it, and pass other mental health measures like supportive housing so we can actually solve the problem,” said Democratic Assemblymember Tony Simone, whose district is in Manhattan. Take a look at his remarks below:

Brouk agreed. “Passing Daniel’s Law will keep our communities safer and ensure more individuals receive the help they need when they need it,” she said.