In November, Public Advocate Jumaane Williams continued with efforts to look into the city’s mental health services dating back to when he took office in 2019. His newest report includes a letter addressed directly to Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani and the incoming new administration about these findings.
“We have now been through two mayors since my first report, and seen far too little progress in the years since the original report was released,” Williams wrote. “With the coming of a new era in City Hall comes a new opportunity for the deeper systemic change New Yorkers desperately need. This third installment of our review of mental health infrastructure in our city finds a need for action on existing proposals, as well as new initiatives which would help transform our ability to provide safety and support for people in greatest need, and for the entire city.”
The original 2019 report was the first major policy study Williams put out when taking office after several high-profile police killings during mental health-related encounters at the time. A follow-up published in 2022 requested that Mayor Eric Adams implement reforms ignored by his predecessor, Bill de Blasio. Mamdani, who the Public Advocate endorsed this past election, plans on developing a Department of Community Safety to oversee an “unprecedented City investment in mental health services.” In total, $362.8 million is proposed toward such an investment.
Despite Williams’s frequent public opposition to the outgoing Adams administration’s reliance on enforcement in addressing mental health concerns, his report noted some marked improvements since 2019 and 2022, when he filed the last update. However, the findings argue that the need for a “continuum of care” — long-term solutions involving consistent treatment and permanent housing beyond taking people off the street short-term — remains.
For example, the first 2019 report called for an increase in the number and funding of city’s safe havens — temporary housing sites with more specialized services and lower barrier programs than traditional shelters. Williams reported just 667 beds back then. In 2022, he reported an increase of up to 4,000. This year, the Adams administration added another 900 beds as part of a $650 million plan to combat street homelessness.
“The Department of Social Services is committed to enhancing the services and supports available to the most vulnerable New Yorkers, including those experiencing mental health challenges,” said a Department of Social Services spokesperson in response. “It’s why we have invested heavily in specialized low-barrier shelter beds, opening more than 1,300 such beds under this administration and ensuring every borough contains at least one DHS Drop-in Center.
“As a result of these efforts, we have been able to connect more New Yorkers who were previously experiencing unsheltered homelessness to permanent housing year after year. In 2024, nearly 1,200 individuals were connected to homes from low-barrier sites, and we are on pace to surpass that mark in 2025.”
However, the update shows that most clients still leave the safe haven system without permanent housing. Not all return to the street — according to the Gothamist, some end up in substance use treatment and others with family. Still, barriers to housing broadly prevent this “continuum of care,” even with major safe haven gains.
The Public Advocate’s Office said the Adams administration’s approach varied across the board, with both progress like the increased safe havens and concerns like pushing for involuntary commitments and homeless sweeps. Generally, the public’s cultural awareness of mental health came a long way since 2019, which the office credits for shifting policies.
Adams successfully pushed for expanding involuntary commitments last year at the state level, lowering the bar for the city to remove someone for a mental health evaluation. The Public Advocate provided a new recommendation this year for “forceful oversight to prevent abuses, to determine whether people in the field can accurately, fairly, equitably assess individuals under the new criteria and provide help rather than perpetuate harm.”
Back in 2019, Williams recommended researching and implementing a non-police response for “non-criminal” mental health emergencies. He specifically pointed to the Crisis Assistance Helping Out on the Streets (CAHOOTS) program, then operating in Eugene, Ore., as a potential model.
In 2021, the city launched the B-HEARD pilot for “non-criminal” mental health responses, but the program does not guarantee a civilian response for a qualifying call, often due to outlying circumstances such as inadequate staffing. The most recent report highlights improvements in B-HEARD, but the pilot remains far from a comprehensive citywide program.
Mamdani drew inspiration from CAHOOTS for the Department of Community Safety and intends to overhaul B-HEARD under the proposed agency and expand the program to at least a team in every neighborhood, with several in those with the highest needs.
The most recent update also follows evolving recommendations for what role the NYPD, particularly neighborhood coordination officers (NCOs), will play in mental health responses. It points to Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch, who Mamdani will retain, establishing the Quality of Life Division earlier this year. The unit’s response to homeless encampments and public drug use draws concerns for “broken windows policing” tied to discriminatory policing.