Nearly 90% of New York City voters support expanding involuntary commitment and care of mentally ill residents roaming the streets or the subway, according to a new poll.
The findings from the Association for a Better New York showed a staggering 88% of voters supported expanded treatment — as Gov. Kathy Hochul’s bid to expand the involuntary commitment laws is facing some resistance in the legislature.
“Do you strongly support, somewhat support, somewhat oppose, or strongly oppose expanding the state eligibility standard for involuntary treatment and care to include individuals who are unable to care for themselves and meet their basic needs?” the survey asked.
Of the 600 voters polled only 4% said they were opposed and 8% were undecided as support for change was overwhelming in all parts of the city and demographic groups.
More than nine in 10 voters (91%) also agreed with the statement that “it is more compassionate to provide involuntary treatment and care for people with severe mental illness than it is to leave them on the streets” — including a majority (53%) who strongly agree with that statement.
Similarly, 91% of voters agree that “people struggling with severe mental illness should not be denied life-saving psychiatric care because their illness prevents them from recognizing that they need help” — including 59% who strongly agree.
The poll — conducted by Tulchin Research for ABNY — also found that 73% of voters said that the number of public safety incidents in New York involving individuals with untreated severe mental illness has increased in recent years. Some 18% said the number has stayed the same, and just 4% said it has decreased.
“New Yorkers are rightfully concerned about their safety,” said Steven Rubenstein, chairman of ABNY. “This isn’t just from watching the news. It is rooted in the firsthand experiences that New Yorkers are having in the transit system every single day.
“There is an overwhelming consensus spanning every borough and every political party that we have a problem and there are compassionate ways to fix it,” Rubenstein added. “The proposed laws to better care for people who cannot care for themselves have the solid support of New Yorkers.”
Some 86% of Big Apple residents said they’ve seen a person wandering on the street or in the subway who appears to be struggling with severe mental illness and unable to care for themselves.
About nine in 10 voters believe it should be a top or high priority of New York State lawmakers to address untreated severe mental illness, the poll showed.
Nearly-two thirds of respondents said they have felt endangered while riding the subway or bus due to the actions of someone grappling with severe mental illness.
A Hochul rep said she and the voters are in sync on wanting common sense solutions to help mentally ill residents get care while bolstering public safety.
“Providing care to people facing significant health risks due to mental illness is a compassionate and humane approach that all New Yorkers can recognize. This is why there is overwhelming public support for Governor Hochul’s proposal,” spokesperson Avery Cohen said.
“We look forward to working with the Legislature to enact these statutory changes and align New York with 43 other states that already have this in their laws. The cost of inaction is far too high.”
In its analysis, Tulchin Research said voters widely see involuntary care as “compassionate and necessary” to help those who can’t help themselves and believe that expanding the eligibility standard for involuntary care also protects public safety.
Despite overwhelming public support, Hochul is facing some headwinds in Albany.
The state Assembly and Senate either entirely omitted or scrapped parts of Hochul’s bid to expand involuntary commitment laws in separate counter proposals to the governor’s budget plan released last week.
The lower chamber’s one-house budget proposal omits Hochul’s proposal around expanding the necessary criteria to compel mentally ill people into psychiatric care.
But it includes provisions for strengthening hospital discharge planning and requiring review panels after serious incidents where mentally ill people fall through the cracks or harm others.
Many mental health care advocates and civil activists also oppose forced treatment, but others including Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie said there could be room for acceptable compromise.
“We want people to feel safe on the subways. Subways should not become temporary living places for people who have mental health issues,” Heastie said last week.
Tulchin Research conducted the ABNY survey among 600 voters in New York City from Feb. 4-10. It has a margin of error of+/- 4 percentage points.
