At 37, William sleeps in the park in front of the city hall. He tells that during his adolescence he was an outstanding athlete, however, between the ages of 20 and 30 his mental health deteriorated and he now lives on the streets.
Today William says that he would like help to change his situation.
“Mental health help is necessary because many of us self-medicate and have addictions, which are part of the problem,” said William.
Like him, many homeless New Yorkers don’t get much of the help available, several council members said.
All this, precisely as a result of the death on the subway of Jordan Neely, who apparently suffered from mental problems. What happened has set off alarm bells among the authorities and for this reason they want to strengthen services and help people who suffer from mental health problems.
“And one feels compassion for these people, but at the same time one feels insecure, hopefully they can make amendments and laws, and programs that can help these people,” said attorney Orelmy Díaz.
Councilman Kevin Riley said he is frustrated and very angry about what happened to Neely, who was known to earn a few pennies in Times Square by impersonating Michael Jackson.. The councilor pointed out that literally people whose mental health is a problem are being hanged.
“They must support them, both physically and mentally as well,” said neighbor Pedro Sánchez. “In the centers they should have them and examine them, if they are trained to be on the streets, or if not to be in a safer place.”
The bill package is aimed at closing gaps in the mental health service resources that already exist in the city.
Likewise, these laws will require the Department of Health and Hygiene to establish a broad educational campaign regarding mental health and to keep an annual report of people who have had crisis episodes in public spaces.
This legislative package will also call for expanding social clubs, where New Yorkers with mental health issues can work and socialize with others.
2023-05-05 17:03:00
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