Alliance Alert: Yesterday, New York’s Attorney General, Letitia James, published a strong article in the Daily News calling for New York to be a leader in mental health services and policies in 2025. The Alliance was pleased to see the Attorney General highlight the need for continued investments in our mental health system. Not only did James lay out the current challenges many New Yorkers face in accessing services, but she offered solutions that consider the needed community focus for increased investment and called for several effective program and policy solutions we have long supported at the state and national level.
These include the need to address the current workforce crisis through improved workforce development and higher salaries for the hardworking people who commit to this work every single day. We strongly support AG James’ calls investments in Clubhouses, with a particular focus on upstate regions to ensure these programs are available to New York residents outside of the City.
The Alliance also strongly agrees with James’ push to reimagine the way we respond to mental health crises. We join the Daniel’s Law coalition and other allies in pushing for the state to invest in Daniel’s Law styled, peer-led mental health first responder teams to ensure all New Yorkers get the appropriate care when experiencing a mental health emergency. We also stand with the Attorney General in calling for the diversion of people with mental health challenges from the criminal legal system through policies like Treatment not Jail, which would make mental health treatment courts available to all New Yorkers, regardless of which county you live in.
Lastly, the Alliance commends Attorney General James for not including a call for increased forced treatment in the strategies New York must take to improve our system. The Alliance and our allies are prepared to push against any proposal to increase coercion and forced treatment and will instead be advocating for effective program and policy solutions which will support every New Yorker without resorting to the ineffective use of coercion. We must take this difficult time to evaluate our system and make changes which truly offer increased support to our neighbors who need help, rather than scare more people away from the system.
We will be calling on our elected officials to heed Attorney General James’ calls for increased investments in the programs and strategies we know work as well as fight against ineffective coercive policies. See below to read AG James’ opinion piece and continue monitoring this E-news to learn more about ways you can join our advocacy efforts this year.
Opinion | N.Y. Must Lead the Way on Mental Health in 2025
By Letitia James | Daily News | January 1, 2025
During the holiday season, as we shop and dine with family and friends, we often turn our gaze away from individuals in the throes of mental illness on our streets and subways. But we can no longer ignore the obvious. It’s time we recognize that our mental health system is broken and take a hard look at our approach to care and mental hygiene laws in New York State.
The numbers are stark. Three million New Yorkers live with mental illness, yet one-third do not get the treatment they need. Anxiety, depression, and substance use disorders have skyrocketed since the pandemic, leaving individuals, families, and entire communities to grapple with an immense mental health burden. Too many people continue to suffer in silence, unable to access the care they need.
These challenges are particularly dire for the New Yorkers living on our streets, in subways, and in correctional facilities. Individuals in these situations need intervention, treatment, and support. Far too often, they face stigmatization and incarceration instead.
This systematic failure underscores the urgency of a reimagined approach to mental health care. Despite progress in breaking the stigma surrounding mental health, resources remain limited, and help is often out of reach.
This is a crisis we can no longer ignore.
The solution requires more than awareness — it requires bold action: more funding, stronger legislation, and a commitment to accessible, equitable mental health resources. Mental health care is as vital as physical health care, yet it has not received the same level of investment, policy attention, or societal priority. It’s time to change that.
First, we need to invest in mental health care. New York State has taken steps toward improving access to treatment, but we must go further. We must ensure that mental health services are not just available but easily accessible and affordable for every New Yorker, regardless of income or zip code.
We need to raise salaries for mental health professionals to address workforce shortages and expand funding for programs that serve vulnerable populations. Critically, we must further expand psychiatric hospital beds by increasing reimbursement rates, with a focus on pediatric and geriatric care.
Second, we need to strengthen our community-based system of care. Community-based care is essential to addressing the interconnected challenges of mental illness and homelessness. We must support holistic approaches to care like Venture and Fountain House — resident clubs that provide housing, medical, and supportive services to members under one roof. This can transform the lives of those struggling with mental illness and housing instability.
To support New Yorkers living on our streets and subways, Congress must also pass the Strengthening Medicaid for Serious Mental Illness Act, allowing states to use Medicaid dollars for intensive, community-based mental health services.
Third, we need to reimagine our response to mental health crises. Too many New Yorkers in crisis end up in jails, emergency rooms, or worse, rather than receiving the care they need.
Our criminal justice system is not designed to address the nuanced needs of individuals with mental illness, often compounding their struggles instead of offering meaningful care. Diverting people experiencing mental health crises into specialized courts offers a path forward, addressing root causes rather than punishing actions.
It is time to start treating mental health crises as a public health issue rather than a public safety threat. We must pass Daniel’s Law and the Treatment Not Jail Act to create the infrastructure necessary to separate mental health response from the carceral system.
Lastly, we need to keep pushing for true mental health parity and universality under the law. Psychiatric issues are physical issues, and mental health care must be treated the same as a broken bone or torn ligament. We need to do more to ensure parity in service, coverage, and compensation so that everyone can get the help they need. Additionally, insurance companies must be held accountable, ending ghost networks of non-existent providers.
It’s time for lawmakers to commit to expanding mental health funding, supporting comprehensive care, and addressing the systemic barriers that prevent people from receiving the care they need.
As New Yorkers, we pride ourselves on resilience and compassion. Now, we must act boldly to make mental health care a cornerstone of our commitment to equity and justice. Together, we can create a world where mental health care is not a privilege — it is a right. Let us act now to break the cycle of criminalization and build a more compassionate society for all.
James is attorney general of New York.