Many New Yorkers facing serious behavioral health challenges are discharged from the hospital without the necessary support they desperately need, which leads to cycles of hospitalization, shelter stays, or homelessness. Governor Kathy Hochul’s proposed mental health reforms offer real solutions. While involuntary hospitalization is a controversial topic not to be taken lightly because it impinges on people’s rights, I have seen it save lives when done in a mindful way for a narrow subset of the population at the highest risk. However, it is only effective when paired with a robust continuum of trauma-informed and person-centered services.
In The Media
Successful mental health pilot at risk as city stalls release of promised funds
Irma Garcia-Vargas, who lives with bipolar disorder and schizophrenia, struggled to find stable housing and treatment years after she moved to New York. Garcia-Vargas, who
May 18, 2026
