Medical Experts, Not NYPD, Will Respond to 911 Mental Health Calls as Part of Pilot

NBC New York ^ | 11/10/2020 | Uncredited

[RightGeek]

For the first time in the city’s history, Mayor de Blasio announced Tuesday that the new mental health professionals and crisis workers will be the dispatched through 911, instead of the NYPD, to respond to mental health emergencies in two high-need communities -- calling the pilot program a "major innovation."

According to the mayor, the ongoing pandemic "pointed out such horrible disparities that we have to address but it also brought issues to the fore in a new way and nowhere is that more true than on the topic of mental health."

“One in five New Yorkers struggle with a mental health condition. Now, more than ever, we must do everything we can to reach those people before crisis strikes,” de Blasio said. “For the first time in our city’s history, health responders will be the default responders for a person in crisis, making sure those struggling with mental illness receive the help they need.”

[RightGeek]

I wonder what they will do when the "client" comes at them with a knife?

[LoveMyFreedom]

How about a shot gun also!

[ClearCase_guy]

“Doctor Smith! Watch out! This guy’s crazy!”
“Well, Doctor Jones, we have the cure.”
“That’s right Doctor Greene! Give ‘em a lead injection, boys!”

[GrandJediMasterYoda]

Just what I was going to say. This absolute ass of a Mayor is going to get these people killed. I wouldn’t even do it if I was a shrink or a “crisis worker”, number one because I would be disarmed being that it’s NYC where the 2nd Amendment doesn’t exist and number 2, if I was able to defend myself I would probably be charged with a crime

[Howie66]

Will they be issued their very own, personal body bag to carry with them?

[confederatecarpetbag]

“ One in five New Yorkers struggle with a mental health condition.”

And DiBlasio is among that number. Paramount among it, as I make it

[Sooth2222]

According to McCray, of the more than 170,000 mental health calls to 911 in 2019 -- an estimated one call every three minutes -- the majority concerned people who needed mental health help.

Wut?

[mass55th]

They better bring some body bags with them...and one extra for themselves.

[Ciaphas Cain]

I am a mental health professional. This allegedly brilliant plan WILL get people hurt and worse.

[stylin19a]

:: mental health professionals and crisis workers will be dispatched through 911, instead of the NYPD ::

cripes...creating hostages

[Rocko Jack]

Good luck
I worked as a Deputy Sheriff in the County jail.
We had many mentally ill inmates that could not be in hospitals because they were too violent. Some of the murderers were so psychotic they would try killing other inmates.

[lightman]

I wonder what they will do when the "client" comes at them with a knife?

$hit and die.

There will be a slew of dead "Medical Experts".

[DoughtyOne]

I see dead people...

[colorado tanker]

My guess is to get qualified mental health workers to go on these calls they will demand - a police escort. I sure as hell would.

[TigersEye]

We're gonna need a bigger supply of Medical Experts!

[LibsRJerks]

Someone needs to do a mental health evaluation on DeBlasio.

[Lurkina.n.Learnin]

Asylum New York!👍

[Trillian]

I wonder how many will die before they blame it on someone else and scrap it?

[oldasrocks]

I don’t believe only one in five New Yorkers

[TigersEye]

Any shrink wading into that mind better be wearing a psychic hazmat suit.