Democratic New York City Mayor Eric Adams announced Tuesday the city would be removing mentally ill persons from the street against their will to crack down on homelessness.
Adams said that many homeless individuals suffering from mental illness have refused “intervention and support” but said Tuesday the city would no longer stand by idly.
Adams said the city would have to involuntarily hospitalize people who were a danger to themselves, claiming the city was obligated to do so.
“The common misunderstanding persists that we cannot provide involuntary assistance unless the person is violent,” Adams said. “Going forward, we will make every effort to assist those who are suffering from mental illness.”
Adams said there has been a “gray area where policy, law, and accountability have not been clear, and this has allowed people in need to slip through the cracks.”
NEW YORK, NEW YORK – OCTOBER 24: Mayor Eric Adams speaks onstage during Angel Ball 2022 hosted by Gabrielle’s Angel Foundation at Cipriani Wall Street on October 24, 2022 in New York City. (Photo by Mark Sagliocco/Getty Images for Gabrielle’s Angel Foundation )
“Without that intervention, they remain lost and isolated from society, tormented by delusions and disordered thinking.”
Individuals could be forcibly removed from the streets and sent to a hospital if the pose a danger to themselves even if they are no threat to others, according to Adams. (RELATED: Man In Hospital Gown Hit, Killed On New York City Highway Trying To Run Across It)
Among the criteria for involuntary hospitalization is being unable to provide oneself with basic needs such as food, shelter and health care.
Additionally, a city directive on the policy adds individuals with “unawareness or delusional misapprehension of surroundings” or “delusional misapprehension of physical condition or health” as candidates for involuntary hospitalization
The directive acknowledges potential legal challenges, noting “case law does not provide extensive guidance regarding removals for mental health evaluations based on short interactions in the field.”
Adams says the goal of the new policy is to make sure the city would keep the patients hospitalized and in care until they are stable enough to connect them to continued care.