Governor Kathy Hochul calls for new legislation to address untreated mental illness among homeless individuals, citing a recent surge in subway violence.
NEW YORK - Gov. Kathy Hochul says the recent surge in violence in the subway 'cannot continue.'This week alone, a man survived being shoved onto the tracks and fracturing his skull. The new year also started with three subway stabbings in two days. Late last month, Debrina Kawam was set on fire and killed on a train in Coney Island.
'Many of these horrific incidents have involved people with serious untreated mental illness, the result of a failure to get treatment to people who are living on the streets and are disconnected from our mental health care system. We have a duty to protect the public from random acts of violence, and the only fair and compassionate thing to do is to get our fellow New Yorkers the help they need,' Hochul said in a statement. She says people on the streets with untreated mental illness 'is an issue that has plagued New York for decades.' She says she will include new legislation in the executive budget to change New York's involuntary commitment standards. 'Currently hospitals are able to commit individuals whose mental illness puts themselves or others at risk of serious harm, and this legislation will expand that definition to ensure more people receive the care they need,' Hochul said in a statement. 'I will also introduce companion legislation to change Kendra's Law, improving the process through which a court can order certain individuals to participate in Assisted Outpatient Treatment while also making it easier for individuals to voluntarily sign up for this treatment. I've been pushing these changes for the past three years — the time for legislative action is now.' NYCLU respondsThe New York Civil Liberties Union said that while Hochul is correct that the status quo regarding mentally ill homeless people is 'untenable,' the solution she's seeking isn't the right one. 'The change we need is not simply to lock more people away, especially those who pose no immediate threat to themselves or other
Mental Health Homelessness Subway Violence Legislation New York
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