Governor Cuomo Updates New Yorkers on State's Progress During COVID-19 Pandemic - NOVEMBER 12, 2020

 

Positive Testing Rate in All Focus Zone Areas is 4.86 Percent; New York State Positivity Outside All Focus Zone Areas is 2.53 Percent     

Statewide Positivity Rate is 2.95 Percent

29 COVID-19 Deaths in New York State Yesterday

 Governor Andrew M. Cuomo today updated New Yorkers on the state's progress during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

"COVID is raging nationally, setting record numbers of cases and hospitalizations with each passing day," Governor Cuomo said. "While New York is doing better than just about any state in the United States, we are not immune from the national trend. Now it's up to what we do. There is no pre-destined future here. It's a pure consequence of our actions. If we stay New York Tough and don't fall subject to COVID fatigue and we stay smart through the holidays, through Thanksgiving, through Christmas, through Hanukkah, we'll keep it under control. New Yorkers just have to continue to take it seriously. I know it has been a long time, but these next weeks are going to be key and we really need people to buckle down to fend off the tide."

The Governor noted that the positive testing rate in all focus areas under the state's Micro-Cluster strategy is 4.86 percent, and outside the focus zone areas is 2.53 percent. Within the focus areas, 28,906 test results were reported yesterday, yielding 1,406 positives. In the remainder of the state, not counting these focus areas, 133,721 test results were reported, yielding 3,391 positives.

Today's data is summarized briefly below:

• Patient Hospitalization - 1,677 (+49)
• Patients Newly Admitted - 261
• Hospital Counties - 52
• Number ICU - 308 (+4)
• Number ICU with Intubation - 136 (+1)
• Total Discharges - 81,198 (+178)
• Deaths - 29
• Total Deaths - 26,055

An Update from State Comptroller DiNapoli: NY's Economy & Finances in the COVID-19 Era

After Five Months, Jobs Recovery
Varies Across New York

Total employment in New York State fell in March, and again—much more sharply—in April, with a combined loss of more than 1.9 million jobs. After five months of partial employment recovery since then, figures for September show significant if not severe lingering damage to job counts in every one of the State’s fifteen metropolitan statistical areas (MSAs).

New York City, an early epicenter of the COVID-19 pandemic, continues to feel the sharpest loss, with a net decline of 648,000 jobs, nearly 14 percent of its February total. Figures for the Orange-Rockland-Westchester MSA also show a large decline of 10.7 percent. But the bad news is not confined to downstate regions, with net losses of more than 10 percent also occurring in the Rochester, Syracuse and Glens Falls MSAs.

The Elmira area, where employment lagged most of the State’s other regions during the expansion that ended in February, has suffered proportionally smaller losses in recent months.

 

DEC ENVIRONMENTAL CONSERVATION POLICE OFFICER HIGHLIGHTS

 

Recent ECO Actions

New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) Environmental Conservation Police Officers (ECOs) enforce the 71 Chapters of NY Environmental Conservation Law (ECL), protecting fish and wildlife and preserving environmental quality across New York. In 2019, the 288 ECOs across the state responded to 25,704 calls and worked on cases that resulted in 16,855 tickets or arrests for crimes ranging from deer poaching to solid waste dumping, illegal mining, the black market pet trade, and excessive emissions violations. 

Two-thousand-and-twenty marks 50 years for DEC and 140 Years for New York’s Conservation Police Officers. In 1880, the first eight Game Protectors proudly began serving to protect the natural resources and people of New York State. 

"From Montauk Point and Brooklyn to Buffalo, the ECOs patrolling our state are the first line of defense in protecting New York's environment and our natural resources, ensuring that they exist for future generations of New Yorkers," said DEC Commissioner Basil Seggos. "Our ECOs have worked arduous hours, both deep in our remote wildernesses and in the tight confines of our urban landscapes, for far longer than the 50 years since DEC was created. These officers are critical to achieving DEC's mission to protect and enhance our environment and I am confident they will continue this important mission for the next 50 years and beyond." 

If you witness an environmental crime or believe a violation of environmental law occurred, please call the DEC Division of Law Enforcement hotline at 1-844-DEC-ECOS(1-844-332-3267).  

Tiger (Tooth) King - Queens County

On Sept. 11, a Queens County man was fined for his role in the illegal sale of a tiger tooth. Wildlife parts of endangered species like tigers are prohibited from sale in New York. The tooth was offered for sale on Craigslist for $500. On Aug. 17, ECOs Lovgren and Traynor went undercover to arrange “buying” the tooth pendant and met with the seller in Queens. Igor Mukhin was issued a Notice of Violation for selling endangered wildlife parts and the case was closed with a fine of $500, with $250 suspended. The tiger tooth was forfeited to the State of New York and will be used for educational purposes.

K-9 Deming Assists in Poacher Bust – Sullivan County

On Oct. 27, two Sullivan County men appeared in the Town of Bethel Court to answer charges related to a poaching incident earlier this year. On Mar. 24, ECOs Wood, Parker, and Doroski received reports from a concerned citizen who advised officers he saw fresh blood in the snow and on the back of a white van just up the road in Bethel. ECO Wood deployed K-9 Deming and located a spent shell casing while ECOs Parker and Doroski investigated the van and noticed what appeared to be deer hair on the back of the van and blood inside of it. Officers interviewed residents at that location, Oscar Casas and Julio Dubon. When questioned, the men admitted to shooting a deer from a vehicle. Casas stated he shot the deer the previous night from his vehicle after the sun had set with the aid of a spotlight and Dubon, a passenger in the car, admitted to assisting with the take of the deer. Dubon showed ECOs where the deer was located inside a shed behind the residence. Officers seized the deer and the rifle and charged Casas with taking deer except as permitted, possession of a loaded long gun in a motor vehicle, and taking deer with the aid of an artificial light. Dubon was charged with being an accessory to the illegal take of a deer, taking deer except as permitted, and taking big game out of season. Both Casas and Dubon agreed to a civil compromise in court and were fined $2,200 plus applicable court fees.

Injured Owls Rescued – Columbia and Rensselaer Counties

On Nov. 8, ECOs Curinga and Davey responded to reports of two injured barred owls struck by motor vehicles in two separate locations. One of the owls was struck in the town of Copake, Columbia County, while the other was struck in the town of Brunswick, Rensselaer County. The ECOs successfully captured the owls and transported them to Friends of the Feathered and Furry Wildlife Center in Greene County. Both owls appeared to respond well to treatment and will hopefully be released back into the wild soon.

Third Avenue Business Improvement District - COVID-19 // 2nd Wave Planning, Business Impact and Resources

 

Third Avenue Business Improvement District remains committed and steadfast in our resolve to support South Bronx small businesses during the COVID-19 pandemic.  As New York State experiences a surge in COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations, yesterday Governor Cuomo announced new restrictions that will go into effect tomorrow, Friday, November 13th, at 10PM. The new restrictions include: Bars, restaurants, and any establishment with a state liquor license will be required to close in-person service from 10PM to 5AM daily. Restaurants can continue to provide food-only pick-up or delivery after 10PM, but will not be permitted to serve alcohol to go. Gyms and fitness centers must close daily from 10PM to 5AM.  Indoor and outdoor gatherings at private residences must be limited to no more than 10 people. According to the Governor’s office, local governments will be responsible for enforcing these new restrictions.  Third Avenue BID has been on calls with the Governor's office, Mayor's office, and business leaders throughout the night and this morning to better understand and ask for clarity on these restrictions.  We have also requested a briefing on the timeline for future restrictions which will impact our district and small businesses. While I urge you to remain calm, it is important to remember that the pandemic is not over yet – our communities must stay vigilant and continue to take the necessary precautions to keep flattening the curve. This includes wearing a mask outside of your home, maintaining six feet apart from others, frequently washing your hands, staying home if you are sick, and following New York State travel and quarantine guidelines. Learning from the previous wave, Third Avenue Business Improvement District created pandemic plans based on transmission rates and restrictions mandated by NYS and NYC. According to the latest information from NYC DOH, our neighborhood rolling 7-day transmission rate is from 3.86 and 4.08% and increasing depending on zip code. Initial preparedness plans include the following: Effective, Friday, November 20th - all in-person public programs will be suspended. All programs will transition back to digital offerings through Zoom and WebEx, with an emphasis on holiday programming, business development, financial programs, legal programs, and navigating COVID-19 restrictions Third Avenue BID will again serve as a PPE distribution center for the South Bronx Third Avenue BID's website, social media, and contact lists will be updated and utilized accordingly to maximize impact and reach. Fundraising capacity will increase to support cash infusion grants to district small businesses Effective immediately, all outdoor furniture (plazas and open streets inclusive of tables, chairs, umbrellas, etc.) will no longer be deployed. These items will be put in storage until Spring 2021. Effective next week Roberto Clemente Plaza and Willis Avenue Open Streets will become COVID19 rapid testing sites.   Pending weather, guidance from NYCDOT and guidance from NYC DOH, outdoor dining installations may be closed and moved to storage until Spring 2021. Professional services staff will fully transition to remote work effective, Friday, November 20th.  Teams have been fit out with laptops and cell phones to assist with this transition Pending notice from NYC Department of Health, public health outreach programs will be suspended. Continuous Access and Overdose Prevention programs will continue through the pandemic Pending notice from NYS, an evaluation of MTA ridership, and DOT pedestrian count numbers, Clean Street Team / Sanitation service hours may be reduced.  Security team services will be reduced and adjusted based on district data. In-person holiday programs (Thanksgiving Drive, Toy Drive, and WinterFest) will transition to vouchers and online offerings. Holiday lights have already been installed, trees will be installed on November 18th, and digital promotions have begun in the Daily News, El Diario, 1010 WINS, and digital platforms  As was the case during the 1st Wave, the information that we receive is fluid and can change with out notice.  As updates are made available we will share this information with staff, the Board, and stakeholders. Again, I thank you for your patience and partnership as we begin what looks to be a very long Winter.  We will approach it with positivity and resolve to ensure our small businesses, district, and South Bronx weather the storm.  Sincerely,

Michael Brady Chief Executive Officer

Governor Cuomo Announces Cashless Tolling to Go Live Overnight on NYS Thruway's Ticketed System Beginning Friday, November 13

 

Historic Transition to Take Place Simultaneously at 58 Tolling Locations Across Thruway System Overnight Friday, November 13 into Saturday, November 14

New TollsNY App Released Ahead of Transition for Easier Access to Manage E-ZPass and Tolls by Mail Accounts to Pay Toll Bills

Motorists Encouraged to Get E-ZPass at More Than 900 Retail Locations Across the State or to Sign Up Online at E-ZPassNY.com

Toll Plaza Removal and Interchange Reconfiguration to Begin Following Conversion

 Governor Andrew M. Cuomo today announced cashless tolling will go live on the New York State Thruway's ticketed system - more than a month ahead of schedule - during the overnight hours of Friday, November 13, into Saturday, November 14. The historic conversion will take place simultaneously at 58 tolling locations across the Thruway's 450-mile ticketed system. The ticketed system is the final section of the Thruway to be converted to cashless tolling, meeting a goal Governor Cuomo set in his 2018 State of the State address.

The official switch will take place in the overnight hours to limit impact to traffic. At the time cashless tolling goes live, cash will no longer be accepted as a form of payment at toll booths and printed toll tickets will not be handed out. To support this transition, NY E-ZPass has released a new TollsNY mobile app to help drivers manage E-ZPass accounts, find and pay Tolls by Mail invoices, and get important account alerts for tolls accrued at Thruway, MTA, and Port Authority tolling sites.

"The completion of this exciting new project will help Thruway travelers save time, as well as reduce traffic, cut greenhouse gas emissions and improve air quality all along the system," Governor Cuomo said. "Getting this cashless tolling system done and getting it done early shows that -even in these trying times - New York will never stop innovating and never stop  building for its future"

"Cashless tolling is already improving traffic flow, allowing motorists to get to their destinations easier and quicker without having to stop to pay a toll," said Lieutenant Governor Kathy Hochul. "Less idling also complements our clean energy goals, reducing pollution for a cleaner and greener environment. We encourage all drivers to get an E-ZPass across the state, with a new mobile app to help manage accounts and alerts to make it easier for New Yorkers. This is part of our ongoing efforts to improve and modernize infrastructure and build back better and stronger for the future."

Thruway Authority Executive Director Matthew J. Driscoll said, "The conversion to cashless tolling is one of the largest projects in the Thruway's 66-year history. This unprecedented achievement is a significant milestone that will modernize the Thruway system for millions of drivers and ushers in a new era for toll collection that will benefit generations to come."

The $355 million design-build project to convert to cashless tolling is transforming and modernizing the Thruway system for approximately 267 million motorists that travel the superhighway each year. As part of the project, American-made steel gantries with state-of-the-art technology have been installed to replace cash collection at toll booths. Gantries are located over the Thruway or on exit ramps depending on traffic volumes, safety, and other factors. The tolling structure will not change and drivers will continue to be tolled by distance and exits traveled.

The conversion to cashless tolling marks the end of phase one of the project. Phase two, which begins following the conversion, includes the removal of existing toll plazas. During the interchange reconstruction, drivers will continue to travel through existing toll lanes at reduced speeds without stopping until the booths are removed and road reconfigurations are complete. Drivers should expect traffic shifts and must use caution around the toll plazas during this time, as these will be active construction zones. The posted speed limit when traveling through the toll lanes will be 20 MPH.

Tribute to Toll Collection Staff

After 66 years of operation, the conversion marks the end of an era for the Thruway Authority. Since the first tolls were collected on the Thruway in June 1954, toll collectors have been the backbone of the Authority, assisting customers and collecting cash tolls along the superhighway. From 1954 to 2020, more than 12,000 men and women have served as toll collectors, working 24 hours a day, 7 days a week in all weather conditions. As a tribute, the Thruway Authority launched a webpage dedicated to the history of toll collection.

TollsNY App

Ahead of the conversion to cashless tolling on the NYS Thruway, the new TollsNY mobile app has been released to help drivers manage E-ZPass accounts, find and pay Tolls by Mail invoices, and get important account alerts for tolls accrued at Thruway, MTA, and Port Authority tolling sites. The TollsNY app is available free in the Apple Store and Google Play.

When system-wide cashless tolling is operational, motorists will experience non-stop travel under gantries with state-of-the-art sensors and cameras that read E-ZPass tags and take license plate images. The system consists of more than 2,000 state-of-the-art cameras affixed to the gantries.

Vehicles with E-ZPass tags are automatically charged and vehicles without E-ZPass tags will have their license plate image captured and a toll bill mailed to the registered owner of the vehicle via Tolls by Mail. Non E-ZPass customers have a number of options to pay including by mail, over the phone, online, and via the TollsNY app. Customers who call **826 from most mobile devices will receive a text message with a link to the Tolls by Mail website and information on how to pay their toll bill.

Get E-ZPass Today and Start Saving Money

Motorists are encouraged to sign up for E-ZPass, the easiest and quickest way to pay tolls on the NYS Thruway. All drivers, regardless of residency, can sign up for a New York E-ZPass account at E-ZPassNY.com or by calling the E-ZPass Toll Free Customer Service Center at 800-333-TOLL (8655). E-ZPass On-the-Go tags are available at 26 Thruway Service Areas system-wide, more than 900 locations across the state including participating grocery and convenience stores as well as government offices, DMV offices, and AAA retail stores.

Current E-ZPass customers are encouraged to sign up for mobile alerts and to properly mount Tags to their windshield. Customers can login to their account at e-zpassny.com for more information.

For additional information on how cashless tolling works and tips on how to pay bills on time, visit the Thruway Authority's website at thruway.ny.gov/cashless.

Comptroller Stringer Announces Support for New York Taxi Workers Alliance Proposal for Medallion Debt Relief

 

Taxi Workers Alliance proposal offers strategic and comprehensive roadmap to relieve crushing debt, resolve non-performing loans, and save taxpayer money

Following the tragic deaths of nine drivers in one twelve-month period, plan calls for City to act as backstop for medallion loans held by individual owners

Stringer: Predatory lenders took drivers for a ride and left families in a wreckage of financial distress and despair. We have a fiscal and moral obligation to make this right—and embracing this plan is a start.

 New York City Comptroller Scott M. Stringer announced support for a breakthrough proposal released by the New York Taxi Workers Alliance (NYTWA) to address the taxi medallion crisis that has led to widespread financial devastation among drivers whose medallion values plummeted. NYTWA’s plan calls on lenders to write down outstanding loans to a maximum of $125,000, allowing medallion owners to repay loans on terms they can afford with current earnings. Under this agreement, the City would act as a backstop for medallion loans held by individual owners. After reviewing the proposal, the Comptroller’s Office has concluded that it offers a comprehensive risk management approach that could reduce future liability and costs for taxpayers.

“For decades, driving a cab in New York City was a road to the middle class for immigrants from around the world. But today, the medallion that once promised prosperity and stability is now a financial sinkhole. The taxi medallion crisis is a test of our commitment to fighting poverty and preserving pathways to the American Dream,” said New York City Comptroller Scott M. Stringer. “This breakthrough proposal from the Taxi Workers Alliance offers a responsible and necessary approach to relieve crushing debt for drivers and reduce ballooning costs for taxpayers. Predatory lenders took drivers for a ride and left families in a wreckage of financial distress and despair. We have a fiscal and moral obligation to make this right—and embracing this plan is a start. My office has vetted the proposal from the New York Taxi Workers Alliance and found it fiscally sound.”

In the early 2000s, many taxi medallion owners took out loans to purchase medallions at inflated prices that were driven upward by predatory lenders. The advent of app-based for-hire companies like Uber and Lyft further upended this market and popped the speculative bubble, leading to a sharp decline in driver incomes and the value of medallions. The resulting economic catastrophe led nine drivers to commit suicide in a twelve-month period, underscoring the urgent need for action. With the added economic stress brought by the COVID-19 pandemic, even more medallion owners are struggling and unable to afford rent and groceries, let alone their monthly loan payments – which exceed their earnings in some cases. Due to the medallion market collapse, owners across the city are now underwater and their loan balances exceed the market value of their medallions. Yellow cabs, in particular, are impacted by economic downturn in Manhattan and the airports, both of which they rely on for the majority of their fares. Without immediate attention to this crisis, the yellow cab sector will face massive foreclosures and bankruptcies, worsening the economic instability in our city.

NY Taxi Workers Alliance proposal presents strategic roadmap to solve the medallion crisis

• The plan recognizes that lenders are holding non-performing loans that are often not worth their face value.
• The proposal calls for lenders to write down outstanding loans to a maximum of $125,000, allowing medallion owners to repay loans on terms they can afford, with interest rates capped at 4 percent and monthly payments at less than $800.
• The plan proposes the City act as a backstop to put a floor under loan losses by guaranteeing purchase of any medallions that borrowers default on, to facilitate this step by lenders. With this approach, the City would take possession of the medallion and be able to sell it to recoup all or part of its cost.
• As a package, this proposal represents a sound risk-management alternative to the current status quo.

The City backstop would benefit all parties—medallion owners, lenders, and City taxpayers

• The proposal would ensure medallion owners would have manageable, affordable loan payments and be free of the threat of financial ruin for themselves and their families.
• Lenders would have certainty about the value of their medallion loan portfolios and be able to reflect an accurate valuation on their own balance sheets.
• The City’s exposure would be limited and the threat of possible larger liability could be removed or reduced.

Bronx River Art Center (BRAC) - JUSTICE Exhibition at BRAC

 

Bronx River Art Center presents: JUSTICE Curated by Juanita Lanzo October 26 through December 12, 2020 Join us tonight for Artists’ and Community Reception! 6:30 - 8pm RSVP for Timed Tickets Mask-wearing and social distancing will be required. or go to BRAC's Facebook page to attend virtually via Facebook Live Bronx River Art Center (BRAC), is pleased to announce this Fall’s exhibition JUSTICE in which four artists will activate the windows and gallery space at BRAC to create artworks that document, illustrate, converse and capture our shared humanity, pain, and joy, daily life struggles, and resilience. The works in the exhibition will be developed by ongoing public interactions by the artists in everyday or regular encounters with Bronx residents, visitors, and students at BRAC. Participating artists Laura Alvarez, Rejin Leys, Tijay Mohammed, and Tammy Wofsey will create work in the space that will be installed on the windows and other spaces at BRAC, in a wide array of media (from paintings, drawings, and mixed-media installations that will be seen by West Farm Square/East Tremont Ave area residents and beyond).  JUSTICE will be a work in progress exhibition that takes place while NYS has been in lockdown, due to COVID-19, and has partially re-opened for families to work, go to school, and live in socially distanced terms, until further notice. The artists will present work that creates a dialogue around the racial and social disparities that were exacerbated by the Pandemic, resulting in the loss of thousands of Black, Brown, Asian and Indigenous lives, the disruption or total lack of education and social services to working-class and poor families, food insecurity and urban violence and police brutality.  Laura Alvarez will be creating a DNA inspired painting, reflecting our shared humanity, what we have in common, our sameness. Rejin Leys will present a bilingual (English/Kreyol) number book, produced during the Covid-19 crisis with support from Haiti Cultural Exchange. Tijay Mohammed's installation of masks will display the responses by individuals to these times ranging from gratefulness, resourcefulness, pain, struggles, joy, and hope.  Tammy Wofsey’s prints will comment on the relationships between health care, race, class, and environmental issues. Join us for Artists’ and Community Reception Tonight - 6:30 - 8pm RSVP for Timed Tickets Mask-wearing and social distancing will be required.

Artwork: Tijay Mohammed, BLACK BLACK BLACK, 2020, Acrylic, resin, glitter glue on Baltic birch plywood About the Artists: Laura Alvarez was born in Valencia, Spain and received an MA in Fine Arts in Spain and England. In NYC, she juggles between her city job, her artist career, and her commitment to her Bronx community. Laura is the Co-Founder, Vice-President and COO of BxArts Factory, a non-profit organization whose mission is to make art accessible to everyone in the Bronx. They believe everyone is an artist and they will help you unlock it. She has received several awards and grants that she has used to continue promoting the arts among the Bronx youth and to create work that starts a conversation, touching issues like ecology, womanhood, racism, tradition, inequality or immigration. She has exhibited all over Europe and New York in collective and solo shows. In most of her shows she tries to program free workshops to pass along her love for art and her mantra: “everyone is an artist“. Rejin Leys is a mixed media artist and paper maker based in New York, whose work has been exhibited at such venues as Centro Cultural de España, Santo Domingo, DR; Kentler International Drawing Space, NY; Queens Museum, NY; and Les Ateliers J.R. Jerome, PaP, Haiti. Her work is in the collections of the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, Yale University, and Rutgers University Caribbean Studies Department, and she is a recipient of a fellowship from the New York Foundation for the Arts. Ghanaian-born artist Tijay Mohammed has exhibited his works nationally and internationally, including features at Katonah Museum of Art NY, Hudson River Museum NY, Materials for the Arts NY, Art League Huston, Longwood Art Gallery NY, Green Drake Art Gallery PA, and The National Museum of Ghana. In addition, he has received numerous accolades and residencies from The Laundromat Project NY, Children’s Museum of Manhattan NY, Hudson River Museum NY, Materials for the Arts NY, Ravel d’Art Cote d’ivore, Harmattan Workshop Nigeria, Global Crit Clinic and Asiko Artist Residency Ghana. Among many grants, Tijay is a recipient of Arts Fund, Artist for Community and New Work grant from the Bronx Council on the Arts, and the Spanish Embassy Ghana Painters Award. He is committed to working with the diverse communities with which he surrounds himself. The artist currently resides in The Bronx NY and also maintains a studio in Ghana. Tammy Wofsey is a visual artist with a focus in printmaking and book arts. She established Plotzing Press, a publishing press and printmaking studio in the Mott Haven section of the South Bronx. Her work varies in size and type, from elaborate, hand-bound art books to large, multi panel prints based on natural forms. The paper-based prints are both visual and tactile, combining strong images based on natural forms with deep embossed surfaces. The artist's work has been installed in libraries, public spaces and private collections.

Artwork by Tammy Wofsey. Published by the artist at PlotzingPress.

PUBLIC ADVOCATE WILLIAMS CHALLENGES MAYOR TO PROVIDE CLARITY, DETAILS FOR MENTAL HEALTH CRISIS RESPONSE PROGRAM

 

Public Advocate Jumaane D. Williams responded to Mayor Bill de Blasio's recently announced pilot program for mental health crisis response today, challenging the administration to provide more clarity and details for the design and implementation of the program. 

In a letter to the Mayor, the  Public Advocate calls the announcement "a meaningful step in the right direction," but points to his own 2019 report, 'Improving New York City's Responses to Individuals in Mental Health Crisis,' as a blueprint to effectively prioritize and facilitate a non-police response to mental health crises. While the Mayor's pilot program appears to adopt some of the recommendations in the report, such as a 2-hour response time and a default to non-police response, there are several areas in which they differ. In distinction to the Mayor's pilot announcement, the Public Advocate's report calls for, among other things:

• A memorable three digit alternative number to 9-1-1, meant for NYC-WELL calls
• Expanded training for NYC-WELL operators and staffing for mobile crisis response
• Minimal engagement with policing, the criminal justice system, or hospitalization
• Directly combining acute emergency response with long-term sustained care
• Collaboration with community organizations and mental health peers in both designing the system and responding to crises
• Culturally competent community outreach and public information campaigns, especially as related to race and language fluency

The Public Advocate also sought further information from the administration about the implementation of the Mayor's pilot program, including how 9-1-1 operators will be trained to distinguish between police and non-police health emergencies, the makeup of crisis response teams, cultural competency in response, and the level of follow-up and post-crisis engagement. He asks that advocates largely left out of the original announcement process be included in both the planning and implementation of the program moving forward. 

The full letter to the Mayor is below and can be downloaded here, and the Public Advocate's 2019 report is available online. A visual summary of the plan can be found here.

Dear Mayor de Blasio:

I would like to thank you for supporting several recommendations that my office released in a September 2019 report on improving responses to mental health crises. Your announcement is a meaningful step in the right direction, though I believe it is important to implement such important changes in collaboration with pending legislation from the City Council. It remains vital that we keep racial equity at the forefront of these efforts.

Additionally, while we strive to reduce the criminalization of individuals experiencing a mental health crisis, we must also avoid needless hospitalization whenever possible. I believe this pilot can be made safer, more effective, and more just, by implementing additional recommendations from my office's report and infographic, which I have attached for your review. 

 

I would also like to seek clarity with the following questions: 

1. How will we train 9-1-1 to identify calls that do not need police response and make appropriate dispatch determinations by February 2021? What criteria will dispatchers be using to make these determinations, especially in regard to those concerning when a police officer is or is not to join the health professionals as part of the response team?
2. What will client follow-up and post-crisis services look like? Will there be connections provided to services such as Mental Health Respite Centers, Support and Connection Centers, and long term care?
3. Will we equip mobile crisis teams with a clinician, a social worker, and a mental health peer as their primary responders? 
4. How will we ensure cultural competence amongst mobile crisis teams and within community outreach and public information campaigns to ensure awareness of this resource?
5. Who will be advising the development of this pilot? Will community-based organizations, advocates, and elected officials be included?

I look forward to receiving your response as we work together to make our city a safer and more just place. Please direct any questions or further discussion toward First Deputy Public Advocate Nick E. Smith, at nsmith@advocate.nyc.gov, and Deputy Public Advocate for Justice, Health Equity & Safety Rama Issa-Ibrahim at rissa-ibrahim@advocate.nyc.gov.

Thank you.

Sincerely,

Jumaane D. Williams

Public Advocate for the City of New York