Flaws in DOCCS Contraband Testing Led to Unsupported Discipline of Thousands of Incarcerated Individuals

 

New York State Inspector General Lucy Lang released a report detailing defects in both the manufacturing and administration of drug tests used by the New York State Department of Corrections and Community Supervision (DOCCS) to detect the presence of contraband in correctional facilities that resulted in the disciplining of more than 2,000 incarcerated individuals across the state based upon unreliable evidence. These disciplinary sanctions included solitary confinement, delays in parole eligibility, and suspension of family visitation, among others.

From 2016 to August 2020, as the opioid epidemic surged both nationally and in New York’s prisons, a test manufactured by Sirchie Finger Print Laboratories called NARK II was used in DOCCS facilities due to its unique ability to identify hard to detect drugs. In August of 2020, DOCCS notified the Inspector General that the NARK II test had inconsistent instructions, potentially causing false-positive test results. 

Notably, per instructions from its manufacturer, the NARK II test is designed to serve merely as a presumptive test, producing preliminary results requiring laboratory confirmation. Despite this instruction, for the four years the test was in circulation, DOCCS used a positive result on an unconfirmed NARK II drug test as the basis for the imposition of discipline.  

Five days after receiving the initial notification from DOCCS, the Inspector General advised DOCCS to stop taking any disciplinary action against incarcerated individuals for a positive Nark II test result until confirmatory testing by an independent laboratory could be obtained, and to begin taking remedial actions. DOCCS immediately complied with both recommendations, including reversing and expunging the disciplinary records of incarcerated individuals who had been sanctioned based on such tests.

Following a full investigation, the Inspector General substantiated that the instructions provided by the NARK II manufacturer were inconsistent, contradictory and, in some instances, inaccurate and that the manufacturer failed to identify this issue or advise DOCCS as to the existence of revised or updated instructions. The investigation also determined that in addition to failing to obtain confirmation of presumptively positive NARK II test results, DOCCS staff administering the tests failed to follow protocols to prevent misidentification of contraband or cross-contamination of samples, undermining the accuracy of even the preliminary results. 

“Lack of integrity in the systems administered to New Yorkers behind bars implicates all of us,” said New York State Inspector General Lucy Lang. “This investigation and the subsequent policy changes and record expungements represent one step closer to ensuring the level of integrity we should all expect and demand from the State.”

“Illicit drugs pose a serious threat to the safety and security of those who work and live in correctional settings, and while the detection and removal of these substances is imperative, it must be done with accuracy and fairness,” said New York State Department of Corrections and Community Supervision Acting Commissioner Daniel F. Martuscello III. “To that end, we reported the potential for false-positive field test results to the Inspector General in 2020, resulting in the subsequent investigation, and have since made improvements that align with the report’s recommendations. I commend the Office of the Inspector General for its steadfast investigation and pursuit of fairness across New York State.”

The Inspector General thanked members of her team for their work on this investigation and today’s report, including George Frany, Attorney-in-Charge of DOCCS Matters, Carmen Frangella, Deputy Chief of Investigations for the Upstate Region, and Senior Investigative Counsel & Director of Report Writing Jonathan Masters. The Inspector General also expressed her appreciation to the Department of Corrections, particularly members of its Office of Special Investigations, for their partnership in investigating this matter and for promptly addressing the issues detailed within today’s report.

Read OIG’s complete report HERE, download included photos HERE, and follow the office’s work @NewYorkStateIG.

Former California Business Owner Charged with Access Device Fraud, Aggravated Identity Theft and Witness Tampering

 

An indictment was unsealed on Monday alleging that the chief executive officer of a California business caused unauthorized charges to be placed on thousands of consumer credit and debit card accounts. 

Jason Edward Thomas Cardiff, 48, formerly of Upland, California, is charged with access device fraud, aggravated identity theft and two counts of witness tampering. The indictment alleges that Cardiff owned and operated Redwood Scientific Technologies, which sold various homeopathic thin film strip products to consumers. Between January 2018 and May 2018, Cardiff directed his employees to use the credit and debit card information associated with previous customers to charge for additional products that those customers had not ordered. The indictment further alleges that Cardiff ordered employees to destroy documents that were responsive to a Federal Trade Commission Civil Investigative Demand.

“These charges reflect the department’s commitment to investigate unauthorized charges imposed on consumer accounts and hold criminals accountable for their wrongdoing,” said Principal Deputy Attorney General Brian M. Boynton, head of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “The Justice Department will use all of the tools at its disposal to prosecute such schemes.”

“This indictment alleges a blatant ripoff that simply charged customers for products they never ordered,” said U.S. Attorney Martin Estrada for the Central District of California. “We will remain vigilant to protect consumers from predatory businesses that exploit the trust placed in them by consumers.”

“The outstanding work by postal inspectors in this investigation uncovered a fraud scheme, where American consumers never received the products for which they were billed,” said Inspector in Charge Carroll Harris of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS) Los Angeles Division. “The U.S. Postal Inspection Service is committed to protecting American consumers from falling victim to these types of fraud schemes.”

Cardiff made his initial court appearance on Nov. 27 before U.S. Magistrate Judge Brianna Fuller Mircheff of the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California. If convicted, Cardiff faces a maximum penalty of 15 years in prison for access device fraud, 20 years in prison for witness tampering and a mandatory minimum of two years in prison for aggravated identity theft. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. At his arraignment on Monday, Cardiff entered a not guilty plea and a trial was scheduled for Jan. 23, 2024.

USPIS is investigating the case.

Trial Attorneys Manu Sebastian and Brianna Gardner of the Civil Division’s Consumer Protection Branch, along with Assistant U.S. Attorney Valerie Makarewicz for the Central District of California, are prosecuting the case.

Additional information about the Consumer Protection Branch and its enforcement efforts can be found at www.justice.gov/civil/consumer-protection-branch.

An indictment is merely an allegation. The defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

Five Queens Men Charged With Kidnapping And Murder

 

Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, James Smith, the Assistant Director in Charge of the New York Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”), and Edward A. Caban, the Commissioner of the New York City Police Department (“NYPD”), announced the unsealing of an Indictment charging DONXING ZHENG, WANGCHAO HE, a/k/a “Ah Chao,” JIANGNAN LIN, a/k/a “Xiao Pang,” a/k/a “Little Fatty,” DONG LIU, a/k/a “Ah Dong,” and SUI ZHANG, a/k/a “60,” with kidnapping resulting in the death of Peng Cheng Li (the “Victim”), kidnapping conspiracy, and conspiring to distribute ketamine.  HE, LIN, LIU, and ZHANG were arrested and will be presented before U.S. Magistrate Judge Victoria Reznik.  ZHENG was arrested on a complaint on July 31, 2023, and presented on August 1, 2023, before Judge Reznik.  ZHENG will be arraigned on the Indictment at a later date. 

U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “As alleged, these five defendants lured Peng Cheng Li to a location with the intent to hold him for ransom, assaulting him and transporting him to the resulting of his death.  This arrest is a testament to my Office’s dedication to protecting the safety and security of our citizens and pursuing those who dare violate that to justice.” 

FBI Assistant Director in Charge James Smith said: “These five defendants deprived the victim Peng Cheng Li of his freedom and ultimately his life when they allegedly kidnapped, assaulted, and murdered him in a failed attempt to collect a payment.  This type of barbaric behavior has no place in our society and will not be tolerated.  The FBI will be sure that anyone attempting to use violence to make money will be brought to justice.”  

NYPD Commissioner Edward A. Caban said: “As demonstrated by this case, the dangerous combination of illicit drugs and brutal violence will never be tolerated in New York City.  Today’s charges are the next step in our journey toward justice for Mr. Li.  The tireless work of NYPD investigators, FBI agents, and prosecutors from the office of the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District will ensure that all involved in these grievous crimes are held accountable for their despicable acts.”

As alleged in public court filings and the Indictment unsealed today in White Plains federal court:[1] 

On or about July 19, 2023, ZHENG, HE, LIN, LIU, ZHANG, and others known and unknown used an Internet-based cellphone application to call a restaurant to lure the Victim, an employee of the restaurant, to a location in Flushing, Queens.  When the Victim arrived at that location, ZHENG, HE, LIN, LIU, ZHANG, and others known and unknown abducted, assaulted, and held the Victim for the promise of payment.  Thereafter, ZHENG and others known and unknown drove the Victim through, among other locations, Manhattan, the Bronx, and Westchester County, and eventually took the Victim to New Hampshire.  At some point after he was abducted, the Victim died, and ZHENG and others known and unknown buried the Victim’s body in a forest in New Hampshire.

HE, 29, LIN, 22, LIU, 35, ZHANG, 22, and ZHENG, 28, all of Queens, New York, are each charged with kidnapping resulting in death, which carries a maximum potential sentence of death or life in prison; kidnapping conspiracy, which carries a maximum potential sentence of life in prison; and conspiracy to distribute ketamine, which carries a maximum potential sentence of 10 years in prison.

The maximum potential sentences are prescribed by Congress and are provided here for informational purposes only, as the sentencing of the defendants will be determined by a judge.

Mr. Williams praised the work of the FBI and the NYPD. 

This case is being handled by the Office’s White Plains Division. Assistant U. S. Attorneys Ryan W. Allison and Jared D. Hoffman are in charge of the prosecution.

The charges contained in the Indictment are merely accusations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

[1] As the introductory phrase signifies, the entirety of the text of the Indictment and the description of the Indictment set forth herein constitute only allegations, and every fact described should be treated as an allegation.

NYC Comptroller Lander and Pension Trustees Join Global Labor Rights Investor Network

 

Network Comprising Investors Representing $2.2 Trillion+ in Assets Under Management and Centers the Importance of Upholding Workers Rights

New York City Comptroller Brad Lander announced that the New York City Employees’ Retirement System (NYCERS) and Teachers’ Retirement System (TRS) have joined the Labor Rights Investor Network (LRIN), a global initiative of the CWC and its partnering unions. The network consists of asset managers, asset owners and investment service providers committed to integrating labor rights into their stewardship practices.

“As financial stewards responsible for the retirement savings of thousands of unionized workers we want to ensure that the companies in which we invest our capital are in turn investing in their workforce. Ignoring fundamental workers rights risks eroding long-term shareholder value,” said Comptroller Lander. “The historic movement to ensure labor rights are respected has led to measurable gains for hundreds of thousands of workers. We are proud to stand boldly with the Committee for Workers Capital to announce this important initiative which centers respecting labor rights as a business imperative key to mitigating systemic risks.”

“Organized labor is the foundation of our City, and a central element of the City workforce whose finances we steward. Worker protections are vital to all New Yorkers. I fully support our membership in the Labor Rights Investor Network. Membership will strengthen our pension fund and promote positive labor practices that are both prudent and principled,” said New York City Public Advocate Jumaane Williams.

The Systems’ membership with the network builds upon an extensive record of prioritizing a company’s treatment of their workforce as a critical factor in their role as fiduciaries responsible for securing strong returns for hundreds of thousands of current and former public sector workers and their beneficiaries. This record includes securing a workers rights assessment by Apple and Starbucks that will conclude this year. The Systems view the right to freedom of association and collective bargaining as a fundamental human right as recognized by the International Labour Organization (ILO) and the United Nations (UN).

LRIN members set expectations for their portfolio companies and request that the boards and senior management of these companies take responsibility for labor rights oversight and ensure respect for workers’ rights to freedom of association and collective bargaining. The LRIN is housed at the Global Unions’ Committee on Workers’ Capital (CWC), a committee of the International Trade Union Confederation, the Global Union Federations and the Trade Union Advisory Committee to the OECD that advocates for the responsible investment of workers’ capital.

Comptroller Lander joined network members, representatives from Microsoft and others from the labor and business communities yesterday for an official launch of the Network during an events at the U.S. Department of Labor aimed at highlighting how businesses and investors can become more resilient and competitive by harnessing the growing global movement for worker voice.

In addition to Comptroller Lander, the trustees of the aforementioned New York City pension funds are as follows:

New York City Employees’ Retirement System (NYCERS): Mayor Eric Adams’ Appointee Bryan Berge, Director, Mayor’s Office of Pension and Investments; New York City Public Advocate Jumaane Williams; Borough Presidents: Mark Levine (Manhattan), Donovan Richards Jr. (Queens), Vito Fossella (Staten Island), and Vanessa L. Gibson (Bronx); Henry Garrido, Executive Director, District Council 37, AFSCME; Richard Davis, President Transport Workers Union Local 100; and Gregory Floyd, President, International Brotherhood of Teamsters, Local 237.

Teachers’ Retirement System (TRS): Mayor Eric Adams’ Appointee Bryan Berge, Director, Mayor’s Office of Pension and Investments; Chancellor’s Representative, Dr. Angela Green, New York City Department of Education Panel for Educational Policy; and Thomas Brown (Chair), Victoria Lee, and David Kazansky, all of the United Federation of Teachers.

MAYOR ADAMS LAUNCHES NEW EFFORT TO MAKE THOUSANDS OF NYC INTERSECTIONS SAFER, PART OF BROAD NEW STREET SAFETY INITIATIVE

 

Adams Administration to Make Safety Improvements to at Least 2,000 Intersections per Year, Including Adding Lifesaving Sight Lines to at Least 1,000

 

NYPD to Include Traffic Violence Data in Regular CompStat Reporting for First Time, Treating Traffic Safety as Core Public Safety Issue

 

Mayor Adams to Expand Safety Technology Pilot in City Vehicles and Sign Executive Order Requiring Safety Technology in Contractor and Licensee Heavy-Duty Vehicles

New York City Mayor Eric Adams today launched an aggressive, three-pronged effort to rapidly accelerate the city’s ongoing efforts to make streets safer for all New Yorkers and road users, as traffic fatalities continues to rise nationally, beginning by doubling down on the administration’s focus on improving safety at intersections. Under this initiative, the Adams administration will make safety improvements to intersections at double its current rate — delivering upgrades to at least 2,000 intersections per year, with lifesaving visibility improvements through a tool known as daylighting to at least 1,000 of those intersections each year. To build on that work, the New York City Police Department (NYPD) will add traffic violence to its regular CompStat reporting — treating traffic safety as a critical public safety issue — and the administration will make significant safety upgrades to city vehicles and vehicles of city contractors and licensees to make more vehicles safer across the city.

 

“Protecting New Yorkers is my most sacred responsibility as mayor, and that holds true for traffic violence just as much as any other form of violence. Our streets must be safe places for all New Yorkers — pedestrians, cyclists, and motorists alike,” said Mayor Adams. “Today, I’m excited to announce that we are doubling our current pace of intersection safety improvements, because that’s where more than half of all traffic injuries and deaths take place. We’re going to include traffic violence in CompStat, to treat traffic violence like the serious crime that it is. And we’re ensuring that the city leads the way towards a safer future, starting with our own fleet.”

 

“One traffic fatality is one too many. We are committed to using every lever — not only the makeup of the street itself but also how we prepare the city’s fleet for the dynamic environment of New York City streets and even how we monitor the data — to ensure that New Yorkers are safe however they choose to get around,” said Deputy Mayor for Operations Meera Joshi. “Traffic violence is violence, plain and simple. We must keep New Yorkers safe, and with this suite of initiatives, we are one step closer to doing just that.”

 

“This administration is steadfastly committed to reducing traffic violence and ensuring the safety of every New Yorker on our roadways,” said Deputy Mayor for Public Safety Phillip Banks III. “Our city's heartbeat is in the rhythm of its streets, and prioritizing roadway safety is not just a duty but a shared responsibility. Together, we are driving change by accelerating safety improvements to city streets, enhancing data collection and reporting, and investing in state-of-the-art technology that will ensure compliance with local speed laws.”

 

“Reckless behavior on New York City roadways puts everyone in serious and immediate peril, and eradicating it remains at the core of the NYPD’s intelligence-driven traffic safety policies,” said NYPD Commissioner Edward A. Caban. “Day in and day out, the men and women of the NYPD strive to keep New Yorkers safe in a variety of ways. By including traffic-specific data in CompStat reporting, our ability to fulfill that mission is greatly enhanced.”

 

“Intersections are one of the most dangerous areas on our streets, and the plan announced today will make them safer by improving visibility,” said New York City Department of Transportation (DOT) Commissioner Ydanis Rodriguez. “One life lost to traffic violence is one too many, and DOT will use every tool in its toolbox to implement safer street designs, advance critical public education efforts, and collaborate with NYPD on robust traffic enforcement.”  

 

“With the expansion of intelligent speed assistance on city fleet vehicles, we are putting the safety of pedestrians, cyclists, other motorists, and our fleet operators first,” said New York City Department of Citywide Administrative Services Commissioner Dawn M. Pinnock. “By including more vehicles in this pilot and adding school buses, we are redefining fleet safety in our city one mile at a time. As the standard bearers for fleet operations citywide, we are leaning into technological advances and prioritizing driver safety trainings to make our city's fleet not just the greenest, but the safest.”

 

“Every act of traffic violence touches New Yorkers in ways that are seen and unseen,” said New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene Commissioner Dr. Ashwin Vasan. “Lives are lost, and families are devastated. That hurt and trauma ripple through entire networks of friends, classmates, neighbors, and acquaintances. And the tools of public health, prevention, data, policy, and interruption of cycles of traffic violence are key to safer streets and a safer and healthier future for us all.”

Examples of improved sight lines at intersections after implementation of daylighting treatments. Credit: New York City Department of Transportation

Accelerating Intersection Improvements & Slowing Turns

 

Intersections pose a special safety challenge in New York City. Crashes at intersections typically comprise 50 percent of all fatalities and 70 percent of all injuries in a year. For pedestrians, the dangers are more pronounced: 55 percent of pedestrian fatalities and 79 percent of pedestrian traffic injuries occur at intersections.

 

The Adams administration has made intersections a priority for street safety improvements. In January 2022, Mayor Adams announced a plan to make 1,000 intersections safer in one year with design improvements like improved traffic signals, raised crosswalks, and other expanded pedestrian space and visibility measures. The administration exceeded that goal two months ahead of schedule, ultimately completing improvements at 1,400 intersections in 2022.

 

In 2024, the administration will double that initial goal and make safety improvements at 2,000 intersections with design improvements like raised crosswalks, extended sidewalks, and leading pedestrian signals. Of those intersections, 1,000 will receive daylighting treatments to enhance visibility along with design upgrades to slow down turning vehicles.

 

This new target represents a dramatic expansion of daylighting — 10 times the requirement under local law and more than three times the current rate. Daylighting is a recommended tool in the National Association of City Transportation Officials’ Urban Design Guide and has contributed to decreases in pedestrian injuries and overall crashes in cities like San Francisco and Hoboken, NJ.

 

Adding Traffic Violence to CompStat

 

Through the CompStat 2.0 online dashboard, the NYPD provides New Yorkers with weekly data on the administration’s progress on fighting crime and promoting public safety. Starting January 1, that resource will also include statistics on traffic fatalities, putting traffic violence on par with other violent crime and further elevating efforts to combat traffic violence as a top administration priority.

 

Additionally, DOT will expand its standard traffic fatality data updated daily and provided regularly to members of the press. Beginning in January 2024, the data will better account for the diverse ways that New Yorkers get around now — delineating traffic fatalities by 11 subcategories, up from the current five. The new table will break down data into the following subcategories: pedestrian, traditional bike, motorcycle, e-bike, moped, stand-up e-scooter, dirt bike/ATV, other motorized two-wheeled device, car, SUV, and other motor vehicle.

 

Making the City’s Fleet Even Safer

 

In August 2022, Mayor Adams and DCAS Commissioner Pinnock launched a pilot program to add active intelligent speed assistance (ISA) technology in 50 city vehicles, restricting maximum speeds and ensuring almost universal compliance with speed limits across 750,000 miles traveled. Paired with additional technological improvements, the implementation of this tool has led to a 20 percent decrease in crashes involving city vehicles.

 

The administration is now expanding that pilot program fivefold and including 50 school buses for the first time — helping keep young New Yorkers safe as they travel to and from school. The city is also applying for a federal grant to add ISA technology to thousands of additional city fleet vehicles.

 

DCAS will test additional safety improvements to the school bus fleet, including audible turn alerts, safety surround cameras, pedestrian collision warning systems, and back-up sensors. The agency will require that school bus operators participate in urban safety and defensive driver training, with the goal of having all drivers complete that training by the start of the 2025-2026 school year. In the coming weeks, DCAS will release a holistic Safe Fleet Transition Plan, encompassing these and other initiatives to make the city’s school buses safer.

 

In the coming weeks, Mayor Adams will issue an executive order setting forth a framework for contractor heavy duty vehicles to include vehicle safety training and technology, ranging from truck surround cameras to telematics. Separately, the mayor’s office will work with the Business Integrity Commission to further strengthen rules related to heavy-duty trade waste vehicles.

 

“Few things can improve street safety like creating better visibility at intersections, which Hoboken has proved over the past several years, so we applaud Mayor Adams and DOT for launching this effort to daylight many more New York City intersections,” said Eric McClure, executive director, StreetsPAC. “We also hope that the inclusion of traffic violence data in CompStat reporting will lead to more effective, and equitable, enforcement against dangerous driving. And we’re excited for the city’s commitment to expanding fleet safety initiatives while including contractors and licensees in those efforts.”

 

“New York City is leading the way on implementing proven vehicle safety technology that will save lives and prevent injuries on our nation’s roads,” said National Transportation Safety Board Chair Jennifer Homendy. “The U.S. is facing a growing public health crisis on our roads, with nearly 43,000 people dying annually and millions more injured. Speed is one of the greatest risk factors in crashes. I applaud the mayor’s actions and strongly encourage other cities, states, and the federal government to follow in the city’s footsteps and take action now to save lives.”

MAYOR ADAMS ANNOUNCES MORE THAN HALF OF HARDEST-TO-REACH NEW YORKERS HAVE MOVED FROM STREET INTO CARE ONE YEAR AFTER SEVERE MENTAL ILLNESS PLAN LAUNCHES

 

Coordinated Efforts and Investments to Support New Yorkers With Severe Mental Illness Have Helped Stabilize Lives of Over 50 of “Top 100 Hardest-to-Reach New Yorkers”

 

City Strengthening Services, With All NYC Health + Hospitals Psychiatric Beds Closed During COVID-19 to Open This Year, Nearly All First Responders Receiving Specialized Training, More People Moving From Temporary to Permanent Housing

 

Stronger Coordination Between City Agencies, State, MTA, Has Led to Fewer People Cycling Between Emergency Rooms and Streets

 

Since Launching Subway Safety Plan, More Than 6,100 New Yorkers Have Checked Into Shelter

 

Intensified Efforts Will Support New Yorkers Sleeping on Streets and Subways Ahead of Winter

 

City Continues to Work with Albany to Advance Supportive Interventions Act So More New Yorkers Can Receive Care They Need

One year after launching an ambitious plan to support New Yorkers living with untreated severe mental illness and experiencing homelessness, New York City Mayor Eric Adams updated New Yorkers on the city’s progress, announcing that more New Yorkers are getting connected to the care they need and have begun stabilizing their lives. Thanks to intense coordination between city and state agencies, increased training for first responders, expanded deployment of clinicians, and additional psychiatric beds coming online, over 50 of the 100 hardest to reach New Yorkers living on city streets — those who have been on the Coordinated Behavioral Health Task Force’s two “Top 50” lists, many of who are known or believed to have severe mental illness — now have a roof over their heads and are stabilizing their lives in a hospital or another supportive setting. This represents a 145 percent increase over the prior year. Additionally, hundreds of additional New Yorkers living on city streets believed to have untreated severe mental illness have been connected to hospitals for evaluations.

 

Mayor Adams also today announced that homeless outreach staff have referred 70 percent more people experiencing street homelessness to shelter during Fiscal Year 2023 (FY23) compared to FY22 and have moved approximately 1,000 people from Safe Haven and stabilization beds to permanent housing during FY23 — more than double the number from FY22. Ahead of this winter, the city is launching intensified street outreach efforts to help all New Yorkers living on the streets move to safer, healthier indoor conditions.

 

“One year ago, we made a commitment to New Yorkers that the days of ignoring the mental health crisis playing out on our streets were over,” said Mayor Adams. “I'm proud that a year into this effort, we have made progress helping and housing a significant number of those most in need of care and support. We're investing in training first responders, bringing psychiatric beds online, and strengthening inter-agency coordination — and the early results show what's possible when we lean into the most challenging cases with engagement, compassion, and support. While we're encouraged by the early results, we look forward to working with our partners in Albany to pass the Supportive Interventions Act, as well as engaging even more New Yorkers and providing them with the help they so desperately need. We will not abandon New Yorkers in need, and we’re committed to getting this right so all New Yorkers can live, work, thrive, and be safe.”

 

“Today’s announcement is a product of work over more than a year to bring hope and support to New Yorkers struggling with severe mental illness,” said Deputy Mayor for Health and Human Services Anne Williams-Isom. “Over that time, we have helped people transition into stable housing, receive care for their mental health and other conditions, and connect them with supports to achieve a more dignified life. Every person we have supported has friends, family, or loved ones that can now witness them in a safe, stable place receiving the care they need. While we know there are many more out there that need support, we come together today to recognize the incredible inter-agency work that has made this all possible and to affirm that this work will continue to help New Yorkers in need.”

 

“As we mark critical progress expanding and strengthening pathways to stability and permanent housing for some of our most vulnerable New Yorkers, we are seeing the real impact of this administration’s unprecedented investments in specialized beds and outreach resources,” said New York City Department of Social Services (DSS) Commissioner Molly Wasow Park. “We are grateful to our agency partners for bolstering the city’s health care response to this crisis, and especially thankful to our incredible outreach teams for their around-the-clock, citywide efforts to reach and encourage thousands of New Yorkers experiencing unsheltered homelessness to come inside and stabilize their lives. The dedication of countless outreach workers and shelter staff, providing care and supports every step of the way, helped nearly 1,000 New Yorkers who were living unsheltered eventually move into permanent homes in the last fiscal year. We look forward to building on this vital progress as we work to ramp up specialized bed capacity and outreach efforts this winter.”  

 

“As we work together to support our neighbors with serious mental illness and build a healthier city, we have to make sure we’re adjusting our practices to best meet the needs of New Yorkers,” said New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH) Commissioner Dr. Ashwin Vasan. “Better communication across agencies means we can focus on ensuring people who have been ignored for too long receive the care, support, and stability they deserve.”

 

“As the largest provider of behavioral health care in New York City, NYC Health + Hospitals is committed to doing all we can to meet the need of New Yorkers experiencing serious mental illness,” said NYC Health + Hospitals (H+H) President and CEO Mitchell Katz, MD. “We are proud to offer a range of services for our patients with serious mental illness, including two Extended Care Units where patients who are leaving inpatient psychiatric care can stay for up to 120 days to receive additional treatment, music and art therapy, and rehabilitative activities to help them integrate back into the community upon discharge. The mayor’s plan announced last year has helped us improve communication with the city’s mobile outreach teams, and we look forward to continuing this work with DHS, homeless services providers, the city and state health departments, and our other partners to ensure that patients get the care that they need in the most appropriate setting.”

 

“The Mayor’s Office of Community Mental Health is extremely proud of the accomplishments achieved over the last year supporting New Yorkers with severe mental illness under the leadership of Mayor Adams and Deputy Mayor Williams-Isom. The tireless efforts and seamless coordination required to identify care gaps, devise new strategies, strengthen communication pathways, and develop data collection infrastructure to measure progress are all rooted in this administration’s commitment to effect long-lasting improvement to the continuum of care,” said Mayor’s Office of Community Mental Health Executive Director Eva Wong. “As we move forward, our focus remains unwavering, ensuring a more inclusive and supportive city for vulnerable New Yorkers facing mental health challenges and homelessness.”

 

“New York City Police Department members are acutely aware of this longstanding, highly complex issue and are proud to be part of the significant advances already being made in our city,” said New York City Police Department (NYPD) Commissioner Edward A. Caban. “We work closely with our many partners each day and night to ensure that all New Yorkers, especially our city’s most vulnerable populations, can access the services they require and deserve. Essential to this vital undertaking is the ongoing support and attention of our collective efforts.”

 

“Responding to help New Yorkers in need of emergency medical care is the core mission of the FDNY,” said Fire Department of the City of New York (FDNY) Commissioner Laura Kavanagh. “Working together with our government partners, our goal is simple: to be there for every New Yorker during their most difficult moments and provide the critical care they need.”

 

Progress Supporting New Yorkers with Untreated Severe Mental Illness

 

Since launching the city’s intensified efforts last year, the Adams administration has made progress to address the ongoing crisis of individuals experiencing severe mental illnesses left untreated and unsheltered in New York City’s streets and subways, while delivering on promises made in the original announcement. While much work remains, the early progress following decades of failed efforts suggests that the administration’s efforts could lay the groundwork for lasting progress.

 

Over the past year, the city has made progress by:

 

Bringing More Psychiatric Beds Online: City agencies have partnered closely with the state and the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) to ensure New Yorkers in need of extended hospitalization to stabilize their lives have access to that care. Through a partnership with the New York State Office of Mental Health, the city is transferring patients to the state’s new Transition to Housing Unit, which provides extended care and is designed to facilitate discharge directly to permanent supportive housing. The city has also opened an Extended Care Unit for this population at H+H/Kings County, building on the success of the existing Extended Care Unit at H+H/Bellevue. Finally, the city announced today that all H+H psychiatric beds closed during the COVID-19 pandemic would be brought back online by the end of 2023, bringing the total H+H psychiatric bed capacity to 1,000 beds.

 

Improving Communication Between First Responders and NYC Health + Hospitals: A new H+H protocol has vastly improved communication surrounding involuntary removals by certified clinicians, reducing the number of people cycling between hospitals and the street. New communication channels established this year ensure clinical information on removals is received by the hospital — allowing hospital staff to prepare for an arrival and reducing the likelihood of communication breakdowns. Since the implementation of this system, approximately 72 percent of patients for whom H+H received such notifications were admitted to hospitals for a medical or psychiatric need.

 

Training Clinicians and First Responders: Enhanced training on the legal standards that allow for the last resort of involuntarily removing and involuntarily admitting an individual to a hospital has been delivered to over 400 H+H emergency rooms and inpatient psychiatric clinicians, and 39,500 first responders — representing approximately 95 percent of FDNY emergency medical services personnel, voluntary ambulance emergency medical technicians, and NYPD patrol officers. This training has a new emphasis on the legal authority to intervene when severe mental illness is preventing a person from meeting their basic needs so first responders and clinicians can identify more New Yorkers in need of support.

 

Implementing Data Collection Processes: Before Mayor Adams’ directive last fall, data was not tracked consistently across the continuum of the removal process. Agencies were not comprehensively tracking the number of involuntary removals being performed, which made monitoring and measuring progress nearly impossible. All agencies involved in the involuntary removal process have now created mechanisms to better track all involuntary removals.

 

Piloting Joint Response Teams: The city continues to deploy inter-agency teams comprised of clinicians, outreach workers, and first responders to reach and serve New Yorkers in need of varying mental health and shelter services. With multiple team configurations operating throughout New York City, teams are now able to better meet the wide range of needs New Yorkers living on the street have.

 

Introducing State Legislation: The Supportive Interventions Act — legislation based on Mayor Adams’ legislative agenda announced last year — has been introduced by New York State Assemblymember Edward Braunstein. The new legislation will scale up the city’s efforts and takes aim at several legal barriers to psychiatric crisis care and crisis avoidance. If enacted, this legislation would help ensure timely and effective provision of hospital care — reducing the number of individuals stuck in the mental health system’s revolving door and strengthening coordination of care between inpatient and outpatient providers when patients shuttle between hospitals and the community.

 

In addition to the plan to assist New Yorkers with untreated severe mental illness experiencing homelessness, the Adams administration has continued to invest in the entire mental health continuum of care to support the mental health of all New Yorkers. As part of these efforts, the administration has committed to tripling the capacity at Clubhouses — spaces that offer support and community to New Yorkers living with severe mental illness — doubling Intensive Mobile Treatment and Assertive Community Treatment teams, and investing in Support and Connection Centers.

 

Progress Supporting New Yorkers Experiencing Unsheltered Homelessness

 

As a result of the Adams administration’s unprecedented investments to aggressively expand Safe Havens and stabilization beds, increase outreach staffing, and strengthen interagency coordination, the city is making significant strides in addressing unsheltered homelessness. In FY23, the city more than doubled the number of permanent housing placements from Safe Havens and stabilization beds, which are designed to help New Yorkers experiencing unsheltered homelessness transition off the streets and subways as they receive robust services to stabilize their lives. With a 60 percent increase in outreach staffing since January 2022, overall referrals to shelter placements surpassed 8,500 in FY23 — a 70 percent increase in FY23 compared with FY22. Additionally, since the launch of the Subway Safety Plan in February 2022, more than 6,100 New Yorkers have checked into shelter.

 

In FY23, the New York City Department of Homeless Services (DHS) connected more than 1,000 New Yorkers in Safe Haven and stabilization settings to permanent housing — a more than 130 percent increase over the prior year.

 

To continue to build on this progress and ensure robust services for New Yorkers experiencing unsheltered homelessness during the winter, the city is opening 270 Safe Haven and stabilization beds and ramping up training for outreach staff, including collaborative training for clinical staff with DSS, DOHMH, and H+H. Additionally, the city will open a new, hybrid low-barrier program right by one of the city’s busiest end-of-line subway stations. This hybrid model will serve both as a Drop-In Center and stabilization bed site. It is scheduled to open in the coming weeks in Queens.

 

“BronxWorks is committed to serving all residents of the Bronx, including our borough's most vulnerable members,” said Scott Auwarter, assistant executive director, BronxWorks. “To better serve these members of our communities, a continuum of care that includes all of our partners in this work, from our fellow community organizations to our city agencies, to our healthcare systems is absolutely vital. Over the past year, we have seen unprecedented progress in the coordination of services with hospitals and mental health teams for clients with severe mental illness who are the most vulnerable living on the street. Most of our clients subject to removal orders are now receiving comprehensive inpatient treatment and are now able to stabilize so they can succeed in transitional and permanent housing. ”