Alliance Alert: A powerful new report from the Bazelon Center for Mental Health law through the Safety & Justice Challenge lays bare the urgent need to shift our country’s response to people with mental health challenges—from criminalization to support. Too often, individuals experiencing crises are funneled into the criminal justice system for low-level, non-violent offenses, largely because community-based mental health services are underfunded or inaccessible.
The consequences are devastating. Jails are not places to receive adequate mental health or substance use supports. Incarceration worsens mental health, increases the risk of trauma, and makes long-term recovery even harder to achieve.
Key recommendations from the report include:
- Investing in community-based diversion programs that keep people out of jail in the first place;
- Expanding mental health and problem-solving courts;
- Implementing non-police crisis response teams;
- Addressing racial and disability-based disparities head-on;
- And improving care coordination between health, housing, and justice systems.
New York is beginning to take action. This year’s state budget included a much-needed $6 million investment in non-police crisis response teams, along with $2 million to establish a Behavioral Health Crisis Technical Assistance Center to help communities implement these models effectively.
These investments are critical first steps—but more must be done.
To truly meet the moment, New York must:
- Ensure every county has access to peer-led, community-based crisis alternatives;
- Expand funding for pre-booking diversion and mental health courts;
- Phase out the use of jails for those experiencing a mental health or substance use crisis;
- And center people with lived experience in every step of the design and implementation process.
Each state must support bold investments in behavioral health and crisis response services. We must break the cycle of incarceration and invest in recovery, connection, and community.
Let’s make sure New York continues leading the way toward a future where support—not punishment—is the default response to mental health needs.
See below for more information from the report.
New Report
Safety and Justice Challenge
Read the Full Report
Criminal Justice
Mental Health Systems
Donate