In response to recent violent crimes in the New York City subway system, New York Gov. Kathy Hochul is seeking to expand the state’s involuntary commitment laws to allow hospitals to force more people with mental health problems into treatment. The governor has stated that many of the horrific incidents involved individuals with serious untreated mental illness, resulting from a failure to connect them to the mental health care system. Hochul believes that it is the duty of the state to protect the public from random acts of violence and ensure that all New Yorkers receive the help they need.
Although most people with mental illness are not violent, the recent surge of violent crimes in the subway has prompted Hochul to take action. The governor has not provided specific details about the legislative changes she plans to introduce but has mentioned a desire to expand the definition of individuals who can be committed to ensure more people receive the necessary care. Additionally, she aims to improve the process for courts to order assisted outpatient treatments for mental illness and make it easier for people to voluntarily sign up for these treatments.
Hochul expressed her gratitude to law enforcement for their efforts in keeping the subways safe but emphasized that changes to state law are necessary to address the root of the problem. She believes that public safety is her top priority and will do everything in her power to keep New Yorkers safe. The current state law allows police to compel individuals to be taken to hospitals for evaluation if they exhibit signs of mental illness that present a risk of harm, and psychiatrists must then determine if hospitalization is necessary.
Critics of Hochul’s proposed legislation, such as the New York Civil Liberties Union, argue that involuntarily committing more people does not make the public safer and infringes on individual rights and liberties. However, supporters of the bill, including New York City Mayor Eric Adams, believe that denying life-saving psychiatric care to individuals with mental illness is unacceptable. Adams has previously advocated for expanding mental health care laws and believes that involuntary commitment can be necessary in cases where individuals are unable to meet their basic needs.
Recent incidents in the New York City subway system, including the shoving of a man onto subway tracks and a fatal burning of a woman, have highlighted the importance of addressing untreated mental illness. Mayor Adams has indicated that the man accused of a knife attack in Grand Central had a history of mental illness, and the father of the suspect involved in the subway shoving incident expressed concerns about his son’s mental health prior to the event. Hochul’s proposed legislation seeks to bridge the gap in mental health care and prevent future violent crimes by ensuring that individuals with mental illness receive the necessary treatment and support.
