Mental Health Crisis in America

[China]

Violence against hospital staff has 'more than doubled' in past few years, St. Mary's psychiatry chief says

 

Patient assaults on health care providers have "more than doubled" over the past few years, according to head of psychiatry for St. Mary's Health.

 

It is yet another example of the pandemic's strain on health care workers. The demand for mental health care services has skyrocketed during the pandemic, Dr. Michael Kelley said, while the workforce has shrunk.

 

More adults than ever before have reported symptoms of anxiety and depression during the pandemic. But it is more difficult than ever to find a provider without sitting on a waiting list for months. That's led to more patients — with more acute behavioral health needs — to show up at emergency departments like the one at St. Mary's Regional Medical Center in Lewiston.

 

"Many group homes that house patients with behavioral health issues have closed, and the ones that are still operating are filled to capacity and not able to accept more patients," Kelley said.

"When group homes close, many shift the patients to hospital emergency rooms that are already full. If the patient is not sick enough to be admitted to the St. Mary's inpatient behavioral unit and they do not have a home, they stay in the ER and we try to find a placement," Kelley said.

 

Over the course of the pandemic, St. Mary's emergency department went from an average of eight to 10 psychiatric patient visits per day to about 18.

 

St. Mary's has two emergency departments: one general and one behavioral.

 

And those patients have to wait an average of 36 to 72 hours in the department for a placement, either on the hospital's general psychiatric unit or elsewhere. Prior to the pandemic, the average wait time was eight hours.

 

And sometimes, those patients get violent with hospital staff.

 

Violent incidents where a patient assaults a staff member have become more frequent and more serious, Kelley said. Some staff members have suffered broken bones and concussions.

"It has a dramatic impact on us," he said.

 

Steve Littleson, president and CEO of Central Maine Healthcare, said in a brief statement Friday evening that an "epidemic of violence in our hospitals is yet another crisis health care workers deal with every day."

 

Click on the link for the full article

Edited March 27, 2022 by China

[China]

South Jersey Woman Indicted For Punching Emergency Room Doctor: Prosecutor

 

A 48-year-old woman from Burlington County has been indicted for punching an emergency room doctor, authorities said.

 

Shelly Webb of Browns Mills was indicted for aggravated assault, according to Burlington County Prosecutor Scott Coffina.

 

An investigation began after Pemberton Township police were called to Capital Health at Deborah – Emergency Services in the 200 block of Trenton Road just before 7:30 a.m. on March 30, 2020, for an assault on a physician by a patient.

 

The investigation revealed that Webb came into the facility complaining of a migraine headache, and believed she may have been struck by lightning, Coffina said. She became belligerent upon being questioned and, when the doctor attempted to examine Webb’s head, she lunged forward and punched her in the abdomen, the prosecutor said.

 

“Given the dramatic rise since the beginning of the pandemic in violent incidents against health care workers – who already put their health at risk in the service of others simply by coming to work – we will continue to take a zero-tolerance approach toward assaults on employees of health care facilities,” Coffina said.

 

Click on the link for the full article

[China]

Denver’s Program to Dispatch Mental Health Teams Instead of Police is So Successful it is Expanding 5-Fold

 

After dispatching mental health teams, instead of police officers, to certain 911 emergency calls, the city of Denver is proclaiming their pilot program a huge success—and expanding it significantly.

 

Since June 2020, the Support Team Assisted Response (STAR) has deployed medical and behavioral health clinicians to respond to over 2,200 low risk calls reporting trespassing, intoxication, or mental health crises involving poverty, homelessness or addiction.

 

In all that time, STAR teams have never called for police back-up due to a safety issue, according to their January report.

 

In January, the City Council unanimously allocated a $1.4 million contract for the STAR program’s expansion, paying for five additional white vans and hiring 7 clinicians, 4 paramedics, and two emergency medical technicians.

 

The Denver Post reports that STAR teams have driven hundreds of miles, assisted suicidal people and schizophrenics; they’ve also handed out water and socks and connected people to shelter, food and resources.

 

STAR’s advisory team, consisting of 15 volunteer citizens, hope that with six vans, they can respond to more than 10,000 calls a year. Funding for the expansion was bolstered by a $1.4 million grant from the Caring For Denver Foundation.

 

“This innovative approach—meeting people where they are, with the right services, at the right time—is a game-changer for Denver,” said Bob McDonald, DDPHE Executive Director and Public Health Administrator for the City of Denver.”

 

Click on the link for the full article

[China]

Ready or not, 988 mental health hotline prepares for launch

 

A new three-digit national suicide prevention and mental health hotline — 988 — debuts Saturday, but it's not clear whether the service will be ready for prime time in many parts of the country.

 

Why it matters: America is struggling with a mental health crisis and it'll be easier to call or text for help with a 911-style hotline.

 

But that's only if someone is on the other end of the line who is equipped to respond appropriately, advocates say.

The big picture: In July 2020, the Federal Communications Commission designated 988 as the new emergency service to connect with either the National Suicide Prevention Hotline or Veterans Crisis Line by July 2022.

 

More than $430 million in federal funds were allocated to states to scale up and staff crisis centers. But federal officials have still expressed doubts about states' readiness, Politico reports.

"There is still much work to do," HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra said in a statement Friday. "But what matters is that we’re launching. 988 will be live."

Fewer than half of the public health officials responsible for deploying 988 say they are confident their communities have the necessary staff, financing or equipment to field the anticipated surge of calls, according to a recent Rand report.

What they're saying: "The concept of 988 is fantastic," Courtney Lang, a health justice advocate and Mental Health America board member, told Axios.

 

Yes, but: "This is supposed to be a crisis line," Lang said. "If the communities aren't ready, you're going to have people sitting on hold lines when every second is critical to saving someone's life."

 

Click on the link for the full article

[China]

 

[China]

Why The Far Right Is Going After Antidepressants

 

A recent study calling into question the long-held theory that depression results from a chemical imbalance in the brain is gaining traction on the far right, with some using it to argue that pharmaceutical companies are plying millions of people with useless antidepressants.

 

The buzz around the University of London study reached a fever pitch this week when right-wing Fox News host Tucker Carlson made it the centerpiece of his show.

 

“So first we were told that SSRIs would save lives,” Carlson said Monday, referring to the class of drugs known as selective serotonin re-uptake inhibitors, the most common form of antidepressant. “Now we learn they don’t actually work as intended. In fact, the whole idea behind the drug was completely wrong. And yet — and here is the best part — people are ignoring this news, and the drugs are still being prescribed.”

 

Carlson latched on to a common side effect of SSRIs to bolster his argument that people should abruptly stop taking a potentially lifesaving, mood-altering drug: “If it steals your sex drive, maybe it’s stealing your soul,” Carlson said. (It should go without saying, but if Carlson or anyone else suggests you stop taking a prescribed medication, you should not do so without consulting a doctor.)

 

Not long after the Uvalde, Texas, school massacre, far-right U.S. Senate candidate Blake Masters in Arizona speculated, without any evidence, that antidepressants were a factor in that and other mass shootings.

 

Masters said on a podcast in June that a typical shooter, “most of them are on SSRIs, you know, sort of hormone-controlling antidepressant drugs.”

 

Last week, Matt Walsh, a transphobic, far-right commentator, hailed the new paper’s findings on serotonin in a tweet that was amplified thousands of times.

 

“This anti-depressant study is huge. Big Pharma has made billions prescribing wonder drugs to treat depression but there was never any solid scientific evidence that the drugs would work. Now we know that the whole thing was built on a myth. Big Pharma’s greatest scam of all time,” he wrote.

 

Click on the link for the full article

 

So the extreme right wants people to be depressed and have unrestricted access to guns? Brilliant!

[Larry]

Admiring Tucker Carlson warning people about having their souls stolen. 
 

Edit:  

 

I recall during Trump's campaign, somebody commenting that "Trumpism is like Scientology, but with worse celebrities."

 

The Scientologists are at war with mental health, aren't they?  

Edited July 28, 2022 by Larry

[Busch1724]

My takeaway is that Tucker has sex with souls

 

[Riggo-toni]

Tucker has sex with sows.

[China]

 

[China]

New Data Indicates Tennessee’s Kids Continue To Struggle With Mental Health Issues

 

An increasing number of Tennessee kids are experiencing chronic anxiety and depression, according to new data from the Annie E. Casey Foundation.

 

The latest Kids Count Data Book shows one in 10 kids in the state was diagnosed with anxiety and depression in 2020, an 8% increase since 2016.

 

Kylie Graves, communication and policy specialist for the Tennessee Commission on Children, added even prior to the pandemic, communities faced obstacles addressing a rise in mental-health issues driven by social media and other factors.

 

"But we do know that Tennessee struggles when it comes to children receiving a diagnosis, children receiving treatment," Graves outlined. "Really focusing on expanding that, and really making sure we're addressing the issue as a whole with youth mental health. "

 

Last year state lawmakers renewed the state's Mental Health Trust Fund, which directs $250 million toward mental-health services for kids. The data book ranks Tennessee 36th in the nation for overall child well-being.

 

Richard Kennedy, executive director of the Tennessee Commission on Children, said the state is experiencing serious mental-health workforce shortages, making it difficult to fill vacancies for school social workers and mental-health professionals.

 

Click on the link for the full article

[China]

Parents should consider schools in these 12 states if their kid’s mental health is a top priority

 

There are many factors for parents to consider when choosing a school or school district for their kids like the quality of the education, access to social opportunities, and location. It can be a difficult decision to make.

 

And if your kid’s mental health is a top priority for your family, you might have added one more consideration to your list: Does this school allow mental health days for its students?

 

According to a new study by Verywell Mind and Parents, 60% of parents of children ages 8 to 17 say the pandemic has at least somewhat affected their child’s mental health. Additionally, over a third of parents observed mood and behavior changes in their children, with 37% noticing their child having a harder time socializing.

 

And nearly half of parents polled listed school as the top stressor for their tween or teen:

School — 47%
Feeling misunderstood — 40%
Friendships — 39%
Covid-19/Pandemic — 38%
Identity — 31%
Social media — 31%

 

77% of parents who have let their child take mental health days feel that they had a positive impact. Instead of a typical school day, children spent the day talking about their feelings, spending time in nature or just relaxing.

 

And as a response to this mental health crisis, more and more states have begun proposing and enacting legislation that allows mental health days for students in public schools.

 

12 states that allow mental health days for students

1. Washington
2. California
3. Illinois
4. Virginia
5. Maine
6. Connecticut
7. Oregon
8. Arizona
9. Nevada
10. Utah
11. Kentucky
12. Colorado

Click on the link for the full article

 

[China]

Lawyers for estate: Hsieh's state of mind made him 'vulnerable to exploitation'

 

In the months before his death, former Zappos CEO and Las Vegas entrepreneur Tony Hsieh was running out of cash as he planned a time-traveling spaceship and theme park where visitors would pay in seashells — all while living in an environment where those around him allegedly took advantage of his deteriorating mental capacity, lawyers for his estate claim.

 

Hsieh died in a house fire in November 2020 in Connecticut. He was 46. In December 2020, a judge named his father, Richard Hsieh, and brother, Andrew Hsieh, as special co-administrators of his estate since the late tech visionary did not have a will. Andrew Hsieh resigned as a special administrator in July. The lawyers representing Hsieh’s estate make the new allegations in their response to a lawsuit from Hsieh’s former lawyer, Puoy Premsrirut, who is seeking payment per a creditor’s claim.

 

Lawyers for Hsieh’s estate have repeatedly written in court documents that Hsieh did not have the mental capacity to sign off on contracts in the months and years leading up to his death.

 

“In the months leading up to his death, Tony’s mental and physical condition rapidly deteriorated,” the updated court documents filed Friday said. “Tony suffered from paranoid and disorganized delusional thinking and engaged in erratic behaviors that posed a danger to himself and others. As a result, Tony was unable to exercise reasonable diligence and judgment in his health and business affairs and vulnerable to exploitation.”

 

In addition, documents filed Friday said, “Tony was in a ‘CODE RED’ negative cash position” as two of Hsieh’s confidants, Connie Yeh and Chrissie Yim, “[doubled] their salaries,” received “excessive bonuses” and money toward other projects. The documents include the claim that someone accessed payroll software to raise their salaries.

 

“Despite Yim deeming the situation ‘CODE RED,’ Yeh (who received the daily liquidity tracker and assisted in its preparation) and Yim abused their positions of trust and confidence to further exploit Tony for their own personal benefit,” the estate lawyers said. “Yeh and Yim both wired millions of dollars from Hsieh’s accounts to their own owned-and-managed entities in the weeks after Hsieh’s death, lawyers for the estate claim. Neither Yeh nor Yim disclosed these self-directed payments to the estate or its representatives (despite working for and with the ESTATE for months following Tony’s death). Indeed, at the time Yeh and Yim paid themselves in December 2020, Yeh and Yim lacked any authority to exercise control over any of Tony’s accounts.”

 

Lawyers for the estate also allege for the first time in court documents that Hsieh planned to lease a Utah film studio where he would build “a time-traveling rocket ship.”

 

Documents filed last month provided new insight into a large project in Park City, which Hsieh was reportedly working on and funding in the months leading up to his death. Around this time, lawyers for Hsieh’s estate said Hsieh “became fixated with [a] tarot card deck” he called “Earth Warriors” and believed “he had discovered the algorithm for world peace.”

 

The Park City Project was to be built as a ranch where visitors would be “centered around the idea of no shoes, no tech, and no obligations,” lawyers said. According to court documents, Hsieh referred to the park as “Disneyland 2.0” and “County Zero.”

 

The ranch, or “cashless theme park” was to require tarot cards for entry, the filing said.

 

“Once inside the park, visitors would participate in activities to earn seashells that could be exchanged for food, balloon rides, and spa days. After 100 hours, guests would leave the theme park, in Tony’s mind, committed to Country Zero and world peace and would continue to live on Earth Time from their personal residences,” lawyers said.

 

Click on the link for the full article

[China]

Health Panel Recommends Anxiety Screening for All Adults Under 65

 

A panel of medical experts on Tuesday recommended for the first time that doctors screen all adult patients under 65 for anxiety, guidance that highlights the extraordinary stress levels that have plagued the United States since the start of the pandemic.

 

The advisory group, called the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force, said the guidance was intended to help prevent mental health disorders from going undetected and untreated for years or even decades. It made a similar recommendation for children and teenagers earlier this year.  

The panel, appointed by an arm of the federal Department of Health and Human Services, has been preparing the guidance since before the pandemic. The recommendations come at a time of “critical need,” said Lori Pbert, a clinical psychologist and professor at the University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, who serves on the task force. Americans have been reporting outsize anxiety levels in response to a confluence of stressors, including inflation and crime rates, fear of illness and loss of loved ones from Covid-19.

 

“It’s a crisis in this country,” Dr. Pbert said. “Our only hope is that our recommendations throw a spotlight on the need to create greater access to mental health care — and urgently.”

 

From August 2020 to February 2021, the percentage of adults with recent symptoms of an anxiety or a depressive disorder increased to 41.5 percent from 36.4 percent, according to one study cited by the task force.

 

Click on the link for the full article

[China]

A Federal Judge Has Ordered the Release of More Than 100 Patients From the State’s Locked Psychiatric Hospital. No One Is Sure What Happens Next.

 

The Oregon State Hospital, the state’s locked psychiatric hospital, abruptly announced three weeks ago that, in response to an order by a federal judge, it would send more than 100 patients back to their respective counties early.

 

Many of the facility’s patients face criminal charges and are being held until they are stable enough to stand trial.

 

In interviews, sources familiar with Oregon’s struggling mental health system say the new policy will not resolve the system’s long-standing shortcomings: There are simply not enough treatment options for people suffering from severe mental illness. The emergency release is the latest symptom of a system critics say is wholly inadequate for the mental health challenges Oregon faces.

 

Kevin Fitts, executive director of the Oregon Mental Health Consumers Association, says early release is a “fiasco.”

 

“Where do these people go? There’s not enough capacity,” Fitts says. “I’m not talking about a little lack of capacity. I’m talking 20 to 30 percent of what’s needed.”

 

The hospital didn’t say whom it was going to release, leaving prosecutors upset.

 

“It’s the most absurd thing in the world that we don’t know,” says Washington County District Attorney Kevin Barton. “And not only that, they won’t tell us.”

 

Oregon sits near the bottom in rankings of states’ mental health outcomes. Here, getting arrested is the only way for people to get treatment. And, when people fall out of the system, they often get arrested again.

 

“It’s like squeezing a balloon,” Barton says. “The hospital has been squeezed, and it’s popping out at our end. But there’s nowhere to put these people.”

 

Click on the link for the full article

[China]

 

[China]

Adderall shortages impacting ADHD patients

 

Widespread shortages of Adderall and other versions of the drug used for treating attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) are deepening in the U.S., causing desperation in patients who rely on the medication to focus.

 

The largest Adderall manufacturer in the U.S., Teva Pharmaceuticals Industries Ltd., said last month that a labor shortage from earlier in the year disrupted production, The Wall Street Journal reported.

 

A Teva spokesperson said at the time that the company expects shortages at the retail level to be resolved in coming weeks, but pharmacies are now reporting shortages of the ADHD treatment from an array of other drugmakers.

 

The American Society of Health-System Pharmacists (ASHP) reported shortages of several versions of the amphetamine from numerous manufacturers this week, as reports sprout up nationwide of the impact that low supplies are having on patients who are unable to fill their prescriptions.

 

"It frightens people," Dr. Robert Shulman, a psychiatrist at Rush University Medical Center, told FOX 32 in Chicago. "It frightens parents who have kids who are starting school right now. It frightens adults who are reliant on the medicine to get them through the work day. Patients can't get their medicines, and we get a lot of phone calls, so it's a lot of extra work, and the patients have to call around to pharmacies to look and see where there is a supply."

 

Shulman says there are several factors contributing to the shortages, including record-high prescriptions for the drug following the COVID-19 lockdowns, a surge in recreational use of the stimulant, and manufacturing limits put in place by the federal government.

 

Click on the link for the full article

 

Unavailable for comment

[TheGreatBuzz]

Weed helps.

[tshile]

On 8/23/2022 at 3:59 PM, China said:

Parents should consider schools in these 12 states if their kid’s mental health is a top priority

 

There are many factors for parents to consider when choosing a school or school district for their kids like the quality of the education, access to social opportunities, and location. It can be a difficult decision to make

sorry to reply to and old post but just seeing it. 
 

this is a bit misleading and feels lazy. 
 

first off - at least for Virginia, this is very much a by-district thing. Declaring the whole state at some ranking is a bit silly. 
 

second - putting a policy on paper is different than what actually happens. Especially if there are resource issues in your specific district. Also - navigating the public school system for mental or other disabilities and seeking accommodations is sort of a joke. Everyone pretends they care but the reality is they have limited resources and they prioritize children and are very misleading. If you use certain words, or phrases, or make certain arguments, or if you pay very close attention to the words they use and the arguments they make, you’ll notice there’s many paths and they will try to steer you down the one that is not best for your child but best for them (the school staff.). It’s actually quite the insulting once you become aware of the game being played. 
 

anyways. If your area allows for a 3rd party to help you navigate the system, someone who’s job is to do that sort of thing, I highly recommend it. They’ll make sure to cut out all the bull**** and put people on the spot when it’s in the best interest of your child. 

[China]

10 Telltale Signs of an Antisocial Personality Disorder

 

PEOPLE MIGHT DESCRIBE themselves or others as “antisocial,” when they’re shy, introverted, or just don’t like to be around others. But, in a mental health context, the term “antisocial” actually refers to a personality disorder, where someone might not know how to behave towards others and may generally treat other people badly.

 

Antisocial personality disorder (ASPD) is a clinically diagnosable condition. People with the disorder may repeatedly violate the law, exploit others, and display deceitful, impulsive, or aggressive behavior, according to the American Psychological Association (APA). They might also disregard the safety of themselves and others, act irresponsibly, and lack guilt, remorse, and empathy.

 

“Someone continuously disregards or violates the rights and considerations of others without remorse,” says Matt Glowiak, Ph.D., LCPC, a therapist who specializes in substance abuse and personality disorders. “Individuals may present as hostile, irritable, agitated, aggressive, and violent. Like other diagnosable personality disorders, ASPD is a chronic condition that is considered treatable but not curable.”

 

Many people don’t enjoy being with other people or in crowds, but they don’t necessarily have ASPD, says Martha Teater, LMFT, a therapist who specializes in relationships. “When talking about mental health diagnoses, it’s important to be precise and not just lightly use terms that represent something much more serious.”

 

People who are introverted may feel most comfortable when keeping to themselves, but they typically actually like people, experience remorse, and build meaningful relationships, Glowiak says. Whereas, those with ASPD, usually don’t follow socially accepted norms, deliberately cause physical or emotional harm to people, might break the law, and refuse to take responsibility for their actions.

 

Click on the link for the full article

[China]

Proposed mental health crisis and recovery center raises concerns in West St. Paul

 

Dakota County officials will hear feedback on a proposed mental health crisis and recovery center in West St. Paul at a community engagement meeting Thursday. The West St. Paul City Council will vote on the project on Dec. 12.

 

Some residents have expressed concerns about transparency and neighborhood safety after learning more about the project in recent weeks.

 

Click on the link for the full article

[China]

New York City to Involuntarily Remove Mentally Ill People From Streets

 

Acting to address “a crisis we see all around us” toward the end of a year that has seen a string of high-profile crimes involving homeless people, Mayor Eric Adams announced a major push on Tuesday to remove people with severe, untreated mental illness from the city’s streets and subways.

 

Mr. Adams, who has made clearing homeless encampments a priority since taking office in January, said the effort would require involuntarily hospitalizing people who were a danger to themselves, even if they posed no risk of harm to others, arguing the city had a “moral obligation” to help them.

 

“The common misunderstanding persists that we cannot provide involuntary assistance unless the person is violent,” Mr. Adams said in an address at City Hall. “This myth must be put to rest. Going forward, we will make every effort to assist those who are suffering from mental illness and whose illness is endangering them by preventing them from meeting their basic human needs.”

 

Click on the link for the full article

[China]

Seattle's schools are suing tech giants for harming young people's mental health

 

The public school district in Seattle has filed a novel lawsuit against the tech giants behind TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, YouTube and Snapchat, seeking to hold them accountable for the mental health crisis among youth.

 

Seattle Public Schools filed the lawsuit Friday in U.S. District Court. The 91-page complaint says the social media companies have created a public nuisance by targeting their products to children.

 

It blames them for worsening mental health and behavioral disorders including anxiety, depression, disordered eating and cyberbullying; making it more difficult to educate students; and forcing schools to take steps such as hiring additional mental health professionals, developing lesson plans about the effects of social media, and providing additional training to teachers.

 

"Defendants have successfully exploited the vulnerable brains of youth, hooking tens of millions of students across the country into positive feedback loops of excessive use and abuse of Defendants' social media platforms," the complaint said. "Worse, the content Defendants curate and direct to youth is too often harmful and exploitive ...."

 

Meta, Google, Snap and TikTok did not immediately respond to requests for comment Saturday.

 

While federal law — Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act — helps protect online companies from liability arising from what third-party users post on their platforms, the lawsuit argues that provision does not protect the tech giants' behavior in this case.

 

"Plaintiff is not alleging Defendants are liable for what third-parties have said on Defendants' platforms but, rather, for Defendants' own conduct," the lawsuit said. "Defendants affirmatively recommend and promote harmful content to youth, such as pro-anorexia and eating disorder content."

 

Click on the link for the full article

[China]

50-person riot breaks out at Florida mental health treatment center

 

Eight minors escaped from a Florida mental health clinic after a riot broke out among its residents.

 

NBC affiliate WPTV reported that 50 of the 130 residents at the Sandy Pines Treatment Center got into a riot after a fight broke out.

 

Sandy Pines describes itself as a behavioral health treatment center for children and adolescents.

 

The Martin County Sheriff’s Office said three people were hurt in the riot, including a staff member.

 

“Those who took part in this incident broke windows, destroyed furniture and engaged in a large fight before a group of juveniles broke out of the facility,” the sheriff’s office said.

 

Eight minors escaped in the riot, but they were later caught and taken to a juvenile detention center in Fort Pierce on various charges, according to deputies. In total, 12 minors were arrested in the riot, including the escapees.

 

Click on the link for the full article

[China]

On 11/29/2022 at 5:09 PM, China said:

New York City to Involuntarily Remove Mentally Ill People From Streets

 

Acting to address “a crisis we see all around us” toward the end of a year that has seen a string of high-profile crimes involving homeless people, Mayor Eric Adams announced a major push on Tuesday to remove people with severe, untreated mental illness from the city’s streets and subways.

 

Mr. Adams, who has made clearing homeless encampments a priority since taking office in January, said the effort would require involuntarily hospitalizing people who were a danger to themselves, even if they posed no risk of harm to others, arguing the city had a “moral obligation” to help them.

 

“The common misunderstanding persists that we cannot provide involuntary assistance unless the person is violent,” Mr. Adams said in an address at City Hall. “This myth must be put to rest. Going forward, we will make every effort to assist those who are suffering from mental illness and whose illness is endangering them by preventing them from meeting their basic human needs.”

 

Click on the link for the full article

 

NYC's Involuntary Hospitalization Plan Can Proceed, A Judge Rules

 

A judge ruled that New York City’s controversial plan to allow first responders to involuntarily hospitalize homeless people with mental illnesses can proceed, according to CNN.

 

Under Mayor Eric Adams’ plan, which faced backlash and legal challenges shortly after it was introduced in November, first responders would have the authority to remove and involuntarily hospitalize anyone on the streets who “appears to be mentally ill” or “displays an inability to meet basic living needs.” Removal would be allowed even if the person doesn’t appear to be a danger to themselves or others.

 

Mental health advocates, organizations and individuals alleged that the city’s plan was too broad and violated constitutional rights, according to The New York Times. In December, a motion was filed as a part of an existing lawsuit, calling on U.S. District Judge Paul Crotty to issue a temporary restraining order and preliminary injunction against the plan.

Crotty denied the motion on Monday.

 

These legal challenges came soon after Adams’ plan was announced, as part of an effort to address issues surrounding homelessness, mental health and crime.

 

According to the Coalition for the Homeless, 22,697 single adults were sleeping in the city’s shelters each night in November 2022 – a near-record since the Great Depression. Within the U.S., 20.8% of homeless people have a serious mental illness.

 

Click on the link for the full article