A federal judge on Wednesday rejected a request by New York City Mayor Eric Adams to stop a plan to involuntarily hospitalize mentally ill homeless people living on the streets and subways ahead of the winter months.
According to the plan, announced Nov. 29 by the Democratic mayor, joint patrols by EMS and the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene and the New York City Police Department will “address untreated psychotic individuals who pose a risk of harm sees the transportation of persons with diseases to themselves, even if they are not a threat to the public.”
In a written order Wednesday, U.S. District Judge Paul Crotty, a coalition of advocates that includes New York Public Interest Lawyers and the National Alliance on Mental Illness in New York, ruled it was too early to seek emergency relief from the plan.
Crotty, while not making a definitive decision, said the coalition failed to prove Adams’ plan would cause irreparable harm, and the city has not expanded the initiative beyond basic training for senior officers, the New York Daily News reported.
NYC LIBERALS DRAWN ADAMS’ HOMELESS DIRECTIVE FORCULLY HOSPITALING THE MENTALLY ILL ON THE STREETS AND SUBWAYS.
“We are pleased that the court agreed that there is no basis to halt this important initiative while the case is pending,” Law Department spokesman Nick Paolucci told the newspaper. “When all the evidence is heard, we are confident that the court will agree that the city’s compassionate efforts to help people who are homeless and suffering from serious mental illness are consistent with federal and state law.”
In this file photo, New York City Mayor Eric Adams is shown at a conference on the rise of anti-Semitism across the United States at Lincoln Square Synagogue in Manhattan on December 12, 2022 in New York City.
(Spencer Platt/Getty Images)
During the hearing, a federal judge in Manhattan asked if the initiative had directly affected anyone, to which Mayor’s attorney Alan Scheiner said no, “no one was arrested because of this initiative. there is no example of it being taken,” writes The City. . Crotty also pointed to a lawsuit filed on behalf of 26-year-old Steven Green, who has been diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder and attention deficit disorder, after being arrested by police and involuntarily hospitalized more than three times since 2020. is doing
A homeless man sits on the street in New York City on November 30, 2022.
(Leonardo Munoz/VIEWpress)
Despite Adams being hospitalized before even running for office, Green said the mayor’s announcement exacerbated his PTSD, and he won’t leave his house “for fear that my mental disability will lead to the forcible and violent arrest of an NYPD officer.” , won’t leave the house. me and have to be hospitalized against my will.”
Opponents of New York City Mayor Eric Adams’ plan to involuntarily commit mentally ill homeless people to psychiatric hospitals attend a rally at City Hall on December 8, 2022 in New York City.
(Spencer Platt/Getty Images)
Her attorney, Luna Drubi, argued that the policy is unconstitutional and violates the Americans with Disabilities Act.
Adams defended the plan, saying officials would not make arrests.
“If we’re going to leave the status quo, and those who are saying that, that basically means leaving people on the streets who can’t meet their basic needs and who are a danger to themselves or others. It’s inhumane,” he said. Adams. December 10.
“I’m not going to do that. I’m going to make sure we get the care people need,” he said. “We’re not going to arrest everyone with mental illness. We’re not going to arrest people. So all of this hysteria that’s going on is completely against New Yorkers.”