Oversight - From Crisis to Care: How New York City Connects New Yorkers to Mental Health Services.

This document outlines an oversight hearing on New York City's mental health services, focusing on the "Crisis to Care" framework. It also discusses two proposed local laws:

• Int. No. 722-2026: This law mandates quarterly reporting and online publication of data related to 911 calls identified as mental health emergencies. It requires agencies like the NYPD and FDNY to include unique dispatch identifiers and specify if a B-HEARD team was dispatched and able to respond. The goal is to increase transparency in mental health emergency response.
• Preconsidered Int. No. ____: This law proposes establishing a task force to study and recommend improvements to the NYC 988 system. It also mandates a public education campaign by DOHMH to raise awareness about mental illness, how to recognize symptoms, assess risk, and effectively communicate with 988 operators. The campaign will also detail available mental health services.

The hearing aims to assess the performance of the crisis-to-care continuum, identify gaps in service, and ensure equitable access for underserved communities, particularly concerning the 988 Lifeline, SPOA referrals, and intensive community-based programs like IMT and ACT.