Categories: New York City
03.23.2023
On March 21st the Network joined the Correct Crisis Intervention Today - New York City (CCIT-NYC) coalition for a Peers Not Police rally urging New York City Council to fully fund the CCIT-NYC crisis response model and not the City’s current B-HEARD pilot program, in which well over 80% of calls are being responded to by police.
“This Thursday is the third anniversary of the death of Daniel Prude. Daniel Prude lost his life in crisis instead of being supported by those who were supposed to serve him. This is a failure of our system and we need peers, not police.” Luke Sikinyi, Public Policy Director, New York Association of Psychiatric Rehabilitation Services (NYAPRS).
“B-HEARD doesn’t center peers. We need to remove police and leave peers to be the focal point. Who is better to respond than someone who’s gone through it themselves? A peer-led response is the common-sense approach.” Felix Guzman, Community Organizer, VOCAL- NY.
“When we say we want non-police response, we mean being able to dial 988 to get an appropriate response without fear of police coming for us. We also need it to be 24/7 and citywide,” Kimberly Blair, Director of Public Policy and Advocacy, National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) New York City Metro.
“We need trained culturally competent counselors who care about people with mental health issues. We need peers who live and breathe it. If you live it, you understand it and can teach it.” Dr. Sharon McLennon-Wier, Executive Director, Center for Independence of the Disabled, NY (CIDNY).
“Stop criminalizing mental health and start using peer support. People are showing up dead. Those with lived experience are closest to the problem and closest to the solution. “Helen Skipper, Executive Director, The NYC Justice Peer Initiative.
“Mental illness is not a crime. Last year our office released a report regarding mental health crisis response and the core recommendation was to remove officers and we know with B-HEARD, 82% of calls were answered by police.” Solomon Acevedo, Deputy Public Advocate for Justice, Health Equity and Safety.
“It’s simple. Peers help people and we need them embedded across all support. Our communities are over policed and that’s not what we need. Peers are what we need.” Nadia Chait, Senior Director of Policy and Advocacy, Center for Alternative Sentencing and Employment Services (CASES).
The rally preceded the New York City Council Health and Mental Health joint hearing, where the Network and many members of the CCIT-NYC coalition testified at the Health and Mental Health, Disabilities and Addiction joint committee hearing.