According to a new poll, almost 90% of New York City voters support the unwilling commitment and increased care of mentally ill residents roaming the streets and the subways.
Results from Association for Better New York 88% of voters showed support for the expanded treatment. Because Gov. Kathy Hochul's bid to expand the Involuntary Commitment Act faces resistance from Congress.
“Do you strongly support, somewhat support, somewhat oppose, and strongly oppose the expansion of the state's eligibility criteria for unwilling treatment and care to include individuals who are unable to care for themselves and meet basic needs?” the survey asked.
Of the 600 voters voted, only 4% said they opposed, and 8% were undecided as 8% were overwhelming in all regions and demographic groups in the city.
More than nine in 10 voters (91%) agreed to a statement that “it's more compassionate to provide unwilling treatment and care to people with severe mental illness than to leave them on the streets.”
Similarly, 91% of voters agree that “people suffering from severe mental illness should not be denied life-saving psychiatric care because illness prevents them from realizing that they need help.”
Polls – conducted by Tulchin Research For Abny, 73% of voters have found that the number of New York public safety incidents involving individuals with severe mental illnesses that have not been treated has increased in recent years. Approximately 18% said they remained the same, while only 4% said they had a decline.
“New Yorkers are justly concerned about their safety,” said Abbey's chairman Stephen Rubenstein. “This isn't just about watching the news, it's rooted in the direct experiences New Yorkers have in their daily transport systems.
“There's an overwhelming consensus across all boroughs and all political parties, and we have a problem and there's a compassionate way to fix it,” Rubenstein added. “The proposed laws to better care for those who cannot take care of themselves have a strong support from New Yorkers.”
About 86% of Big Apple residents said they saw people wandering on the streets and on the subways suffering from severe mental illness and appearing to be unable to care for themselves.
About nine in ten voters believe New York State Senators should or should be a top priority for dealing with untreated severe mental illness, polls show.
Nearly two-thirds of respondents said they felt they were at risk while riding the subway or bus due to the actions of people dealing with severe mental illness.
Hochul officials said she and her voters are in sync with wanting common sense solutions to help mentally ill residents get care while enhancing public safety.
“Providing care to those facing serious health risks due to mental illness is a compassionate and humanitarian approach that all New Yorkers can recognize. This is why there is overwhelming public support for Gov. Hochul's proposal,” said spokesman Avery Cohen.
“We look forward to working with Congress to enact these statutory changes and matching New York with the other 43 states that already have New York in law. The cost of omission is too high.”
In its analysis, Tulchin Research said voters viewed them broadly as “compassionate and necessary” to help those who cannot help themselves, and as “compassionate and necessary” to believe they will protect public safety by expanding eligibility criteria for unwilling care.
Despite overwhelming public support, Hochul faces headwinds in Albany.
The state legislature and the Senate have completely omitted or abolished some of Hochul's bids to extend the Involuntary Commitment Act with separate counter-proposal proposals to the governor's budget plan announced last week.
The lower chamber of commerce single-room budget proposal omits Hochul's proposal on expanding the standards needed to enforce people with mental disabilities into psychiatric care.
However, it includes provisions to strengthen discharge plans and request a review panel after serious incidents in which mentally ill people are cracked or harmed others.
While many mental health care advocates and civic activists are also opposed to forced treatment, others, including Congress President Carl Heaty, said there could be room for reasonable compromises.
“We want people to feel safe on the subway. Metro should not be a temporary place to live for people with mental health issues,” Heacy said last week.
Tulchin Research conducted an ABNY survey among 600 voters in New York City from February 4-10. +/- There is an error of 4% points.
