New York City has just initiated a plan to remove homeless individuals that are mentally ill and take them to a hospital, even against their will.

Yes - you read that right!

According to an article published by Gothamist news,

“The move could allow non-medical professionals, such as police officers, to request such removals from streets and subways based on their judgment of a person's inability to meet basic needs for health and safety, the mayor’s office said. This can happen whether or not the person poses an overt danger to themselves or others.”

To no surprise, this plan is being met with mixed reactions, with some people expressing support and others feeling that this is a violation of civil liberties.

Let’s talk about this gray area, shall we?

Why Did Mayor Adams Release This Directive?

On Tuesday, November 29th, New York City Mayor Eric Adams gave the green light on an initiative that would “prevent people in need from slipping through the cracks.”

In the past, according to New York State’s Mental Hygiene Law, individuals experiencing a mental health crisis were only mandated to a hospital or psychiatric facility if they were clearly showing signs of distress and posing an imminent threat of harm to themselves or others.

However, there was one large problem with this approach. Oftentimes, when an individual is at the stage of committing violence or suicide, time is of the essence. This situation also increases the risk to everyone involved. The actions exhibited by these individuals indicate that a prior response could have slowed or eliminated the exacerbation of their mental illness and in hindsight, should have been assisted much earlier and brought to a safe place.

In Mayor Adams' new directive, specialized teams of both mental health professionals and police officers will conduct involuntary transportation to a hospital if they observe that an individual exhibits a lack of understanding or comprehension and if it appears apparent to the official that they are unable to meet their basic needs.

Are There Positives To This Plan?

It is understandable why this plan is being implemented. The streets of New York City can be perilous, especially for individuals who are suffering from any form of mental illness such as depression, schizophrenia, bipolar disease, or just simply homeless or alone. Data indicates that 60% of New Yorkers experiencing homelessness suffer from some form of mental illness. And, unfortunately, their vulnerability leaves them more susceptible to abuse from others.

However, with this new directive, these persons can hopefully avoid the risk of being attacked, or robbed. Therefore, removing these individuals from the streets and getting them the help they need, hopefully, will make the city a safer place for everyone involved.

Many people experiencing homelessness desperately need help and assistance when it comes to their mental health condition. Sadly, when many of these individuals are approached and offered a helping hand they often choose to refuse treatment due to mistrust and unfounded fear of others.

There are several reasons why this is the case: First, they may not be aware that they need help, and this is especially true if they have been living on the streets for a lengthy period.

Second, they may not believe or comprehend that treatment will help them in any way. Quite often because of the lack of family or friends, coupled with the fact that they have been in and out of treatment facilities without any lasting success, these individuals lose hope and reject any standard procedures.

Third, they may be afraid of being institutionalized, or in other words, taken to an unfamiliar environment, albeit the danger of the streets is their “norm.” This is a legitimate fear, as many homeless people with mental health issues have experienced some type of intervention and are forcibly removed from their known surroundings and placed in an institution against their will.

By forcing the individual, even against their will, New York City’s first responders are hoping that by helping, assisting, and arranging for a safe and clean environment, it will allow them an opportunity to break the toxic cycle of drugs, hospitals, jails, and the street at some juncture, eventually.

Understanding The Flip Side

On the other hand, this plan has been met with significant opposition from civil rights groups. They argue that it violates the rights of mentally ill people and could lead to them being needlessly committed.

There is also concern that this could be used as an excuse to sweep all homeless people off the street, regardless of whether or not they suffer from a mental illness. It is believed that someone with warped or harmful intentions could put this plan into action for all the wrong reasons. This method is seen as ill-advised because It all comes down to the judgment of one person determining an individual’s hospitalization against their will.

Those against this new plan argue that people should not be involuntarily committed simply because they are homeless and mentally ill. They should only be committed if they pose a danger to themselves or others. Norman Siegel, a well-known civil liberties advocate stated that the new directive was “far too vague,” and will likely result in non-dangerous persons being detained. Anthony Almojera, a lieutenant paramedic with the Fire Department’s Bureau of Emergency Medical Services, believes that the mayor is now shifting more responsibility to an overworked and burned-out medical corps strained from the pandemic and years of low pay.

Those who believe that forcing these individuals into treatment against their will takes away their freedom and could make their mental illness heightened or worse. Donna Lieberman, executive director of the New York Civil Liberties Union expressed her concerns, stating:

“The federal and state constitutions impose strict limits on the government’s ability to detain people experiencing mental illness — limits that the Mayor’s proposed expansion is likely to violate,” she said. “Forcing people into treatment is a failed strategy for connecting people to long-term treatment and care.”

All In All

It has been implied that The city of New York's new, current plan to remove mentally ill homeless people from the streets and take them to a hospital against their will is controversial, to say the least. There are concerns that it could violate the rights of mentally ill people and lead to them being needlessly “committed.” Only time will tell how successful this program ends up being.

The question before our citizens is, what do you think about this method? Do you think it is a good plan, a way to keep the general population and streets of New York City safe, or do you think it violates the civil liberties of those who are mentally ill?