Mayor Adam’s Plan Is A Violation Of Human Rights, NOT A Solution. 

The individuals and organizations who have signed below oppose New York City’s  Mayor Adams' plan to increase the involuntary removal and hospitalization of homeless people from the street if they appear to be a danger to themselves or others and lack basic needs. Most of these individuals are black and brown people who suffer with mental illness. Forcing them off the street based on appearance is subjective and violates their human rights. Forcing them into a hospital is overloading a system that is not beneficial to these people. Stripping them of whatever belongings they may have because others feel ‘uncomfortable’ around them. 

It does not have to be this way and Mayor Eric Adams should know this. Research indicates that effective community engagement is the key. Safe, stable, and affordable housing, along with support, has been proven to stabilize these individuals and prevent hospitalizations and incarcerations. This includes supported employment, crisis services, peer support, and case management. These services provided within a community and not in a hospital are effective. There is no evidence that involuntary treatment in hospitals is more effective than quality community-based treatment (Tsemberis & Eisenberg, 2000). 

We join together in New York to call on Mayor Eric Adams and his council to reject an expansion of involuntary removal and hospitalization. Instead, we propose to develop a comprehensive plan to provide homeless New Yorkers with the safe housing and voluntary supportive services they need and want. 

Below are statements by those impacted by this policy:

“I am burnt out. First COVID-19, now this. I would love to help the homeless, but this is not the place for them. They need support and they need to want the support. Forcing them in here is not pleasant or beneficial to anyone. Then they go right back to the street. It’s not fair to them or us and to be honest a waste of time and money that could be put to better use.”

         -Emergency Dept. Nurse

“The hospital is overrun, they have nowhere else to go. They should have policies in place for some kind of care other than the hospital for these people because they get brought in against their will and then once they’re discharged they go right back to living on the streets. It does nothing but disrupt their lives and wastes resources that could be put to better use.”

 -EMT worker

“If you're helping and providing services, then it's great that people are getting the help that they need. If you’re just scooping them up and dropping them off at a hospital without any regard for what kind of resources they need, then you’re doing them a disservice. Some people really do need the help and it’s great if they can get it, but the hospitals are so full of people that don’t need that level of care and healthcare workers are stretched so thin it just doesn't happen.”

           -Psych Nurse

“I’ve been to multiple shelters all over NYC and Westchester. It is difficult because there are so many people doing drugs and it is hard to be around that. I don’t feel safe and I don’t always have access to the medications and services that keep my mental health in check and keep me out of the hospital.”

           -Patient

Please join us and put an end to this madness. Sign below to support the rejection of this policy.