Senator George Borrello chastises Governor Hochul and state officials for their inaction on critical mental health reforms that could have averted recent tragedies (WNY News Now).
Albany, New York Following a string of horrifying incidents connected to people with a history of severe mental illness, Senator George Borrello blasted state officials for not implementing legislation he and former Senator Diane Savino sponsored in 2022. In addition to strengthening Kendra’s Law amendments, which he claims might have avoided numerous tragedies and saved countless lives, the proposal sought to broaden the standards for involuntary commitment.
According to Sen. Borrello, our state’s failure to handle severe mental illness has resulted in the loss of numerous innocent lives and the danger to innumerable others. The startling increase in violent attacks by mentally ill persons, many of whom target innocent victims on New York City subways, demonstrates how serious this situation has gotten, even though the majority of people with mental illness are not violent. Ordinary New Yorkers are now bearing the tragic and avoidable consequences of a dysfunctional system as a result of state politicians’ failure to implement basic reforms like the bipartisan solution that was suggested three years ago.
He pointed out that the following are only a few of the innumerable crimes that might have been prevented:
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November 2024
: Ramon Rivera, an individual with documented mental health issues and a long criminal history, is accused of a stabbing rampage across Manhattan that resulted in the deaths of three people. -
December 2024
: Kamel Hawkins was charged with attempted murder and assault after allegedly shoving a random stranger onto Manhattan subway tracks, causing severe injuries. Family members said Hawkins displayed signs of mental instability in the weeks leading up to the incident. -
December 2024
: A woman was intentionally set on fire while she was sleeping on a New York City subway train, allegedly by a migrant with substance abuse and mental health issues. -
March 2024:
Franz Jeudy, a criminal recidivist with mental health problems, was accused of sucker-punching a Brooklyn school bus aide in the face as she walked home. The victim lost teeth, suffered facial fractures and a broken jaw, and has lasting nerve damage from the assault. -
May 2022
: Andrew Abdullah is accused of fatally shooting Daniel Enriquez as he was heading to Sunday brunch on the subway. Abdullah had an extensive criminal history and severe mental health problems.
Sen. Borrello said that Governor Hochul has stated plans to propose strengthening state laws on involuntary commitment requirements and Kendra’s Law ideas, which are expected to replicate reforms Borrello himself advocated years ago, in the face of this seemingly never-ending wave of crimes.
The law, which was first filed as S.8508A in 2022 by Senators Diane Savino and Borrello, has been in effect for about three years. Most recently, it was S.5508, which was sponsored by Senator Scarcella-Spanton and co-sponsored by Senator Borrello. There are two main parts to the legislation that would
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broaden the standard for involuntary hospitalization if an individual s mental illness renders them unable to meet their own basic needs
such as food, shelter, clothing, or health care. This is the standard recognized by most other states; and -
strengthen Kendra s Law by allowing longer hospital stays for people who fail to follow their court-mandated, assisted outpatient treatment (AOT)
. Current law allows for an involuntary, 72-hour hospitalization, a timeframe that is often inadequate to stabilize a patient. In these instances, the bill would allow mental health professionals to request longer hospital stays.
Sen. Borrello stated that the goal of this law is to prevent catastrophes and save lives. We can make sure that people with severe mental illness get the care they sorely need before their condition worsens by expanding the criteria for forced hospitalization. In order to give patients the time and assistance they need to stabilize, it is equally important to strengthen Kendra’s Law by permitting longer hospital stays for those who disregard court-mandated therapy. These long-overdue reforms will shield the general population from preventable and frequently disastrous outcomes, as well as individuals who suffer from mental illness.
Kendra’s Law is named after Kendra Webdale of Fredonia, New York, who was tragically killed in a 1999 subway shoving incident in New York City by a man who had a lengthy history of schizophrenia. During their time at Fredonia High School, she was Sen. Borrello’s friend and classmate.
The tragic death of a good-hearted, talented young woman and a friend from my high school days served as the impetus for Kendra’s Law. Nevertheless, Sen. Borrello stated, “that tragedy gave us an important tool for helping seriously mentally ill people access lifesaving treatment.” It has been demonstrated to be very successful in preventing homelessness, jail, suicide, and other negative outcomes that are frequently associated with severe mental illness. It should be enhanced, nevertheless, because it is underutilized. These problems would be resolved by our measure.
A bipartisan proposal that may have saved lives and given those with severe mental illness vital support was put out almost three years ago. It is cruel and hazardous to abandon mentally ill people to suffer on the streets while they are engrossed in their illusions; it is neither humane nor caring. The idea behind the legislation we offered three years ago is what the governor is promoting. The structure is already in place. Sen. Borrello came to the conclusion that Governor Hochul should include the text of this bill in her executive budget if she is sincere about changing the mental health system in New York.