New York City Launches Plan To Reduce The Number Of People With Behavioral Health Disorders In City Jails

On December 2, 2014, New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio released a four-year plan to reduce unnecessary arrests and incarceration of people with behavioral health disorders. The plan calls for the city to invest $130 million to fund services to help individuals with behavioral health disorders avoid criminal justice involvement and to ensure that those who do enter the criminal justice system receive therapeutic treatment and subsequent connection to community-based services.

During 2015, the city plans to launch a pilot community-based behavioral health diversion center for people in crisis who do not need medical care from . . .