Categories: New York City
03.22.2024
The Network joined Correct Crisis Intervention Today (CCIT) – NYC on Tuesday, March 19th for, Peers, Policy and Pancakes, a legislative briefing for City elected officials and staff and on Thursday, March 21st for Mental Health Care Not Criminalization Rally in advance of the Mental Health Preliminary Budget Hearing.
Held at NAMI-NYC offices, Peers, Policy, and Pancakes educated Council Members on the benefits of a peer-led, non-police system for responding to mental health crisis and asked their support for embedding peers into the B-HEARD teams. They further asked the Council to restore funds to the program resulting from PEGS.
CCIT-NYC steering committee members spoke to the importance of this priority:
“We are missing a vital piece of the puzzle: trained peers who are the best people to respond and can make that connection with someone in crisis,” Jim Mutton, Concern Housing.
“Crisis response teams should be peer-led, well trained individuals with lived experience who have a human connection, compassion, dignity and provide for the ability to keep breathing and living beyond crisis,” Sheina Banatte, Justice for Eudes Pierre Coalition.
“With the current pilot program, you can’t request a B-HEARD team even if you know it’s a mental health crisis. We are trying to offer a solution to amend the program to get closer to a true-non-police crisis response system,” Jordyn Rosenthal, Community Access.
The Mental Health Care Not Criminalization rally was held jointly with Women’s Community Justice Association (WCJA) and called on the City to invest in systems of care -- including non-police crisis response, crisis respite centers, and a peer-led workforce -- instead of expanding jail footprints including the proposed increase in beds for the Rose M. Singer Center jail replacement. Currently 80% of women on Rikers and 20% of New Yorkers have a mental health concern.
Advocates and elected officials spoke to why we must invest further in systems of care that keep people from being further criminalized:
“We need to set up a continuum of care of what’s needed and a system you can call to provide resources needed when having a mental health challenge, not a police response,” said Public Advocate Jumaane Williams.
“We know 80% of women incarcerated are mothers and we know Rikers is not a place of healing. We need care and deep investments for mental health initiatives and not carceral reactions to what people are struggling with,” Council Member Crystal Hudson.
“We need peers in court and trauma informed facilities for women. I’m here to say peers not police, treatment not jails,” Helen Skipper, Executive Director, NYC Justice Peer Initiative at Mental Health Care Not Criminalization Rally
“Diversion and re-entry programs are lifelines for marginalized, victimized and forgotten women” Zenja Bostic, Providence House.