New York Gov. Kathy Hochul on Jan. 9 detailed a billion-dollar, multi-year plan to overhaul mental healthcare across the state.
The plan will boost operational capacity for inpatient psychiatric treatment by 1,000 beds, create 3,500 housing units for individuals with mental illness, boost mental health insurance coverage, expand outpatient services and foster systemic accountability for hospital admissions and discharges to better serve those with mental illness.
These proposals will reflect a more than $1 billion investment in mental health, according to the governor's office.
"We have underinvested in mental healthcare for so long, and allowed the situation to become so dire, that it has become a public safety crisis, as well," Ms. Hochul said in the release. "This proposal marks a monumental shift to make sure no one falls through the cracks and to finally and fully meet the mental health needs of all New Yorkers."