New York is transforming its mental health system, making care more accessible. With a historic $1 billion investment, New Yorkers of all ages are getting the mental health care they need when and where they need it.
Helping youth, young adults, and families address mental health issues earlier in life, so they achieve the best possible future.
Youth Services
Young people struggling with their mental health have better outcomes when they get help early. New York State is building programs to promote early identification and bringing mental health care to the places where youth spend most of their time.
The HealthySteps program, for instance, partners pediatricians with child development specialists. The goal is to identify issues in children up to the age of 3 during normal office visits, so they can provide support to parents and caregivers.
Home-Based Crisis Intervention
New York State is ensuring that families with children in crisis get access to home-based intensive services. Intensive Care Coordination is helping families pull together the supports they need when their child has mental health and other concerns.
The state is helping schools to partner with licensed clinics so they can offer care in their buildings. Wraparound care that connects students within the community is becoming more accessible. The state is also making sure that insurers pay for these services.
Prevention Services
Prevention is a crucial component of the state's effort to strengthen its system of care. The programs are often focused on people most at risk of experiencing a mental health issue including the LGBTQ+ community marginalized and underserved communities. These efforts are bringing help to people before they reach a crisis point.
Expanding mental health services and supportive housing to help New Yorkers live meaningful and productive lives.
People living with mental illness need a safe, stable place to call home. Connections to supports help these individuals thrive in their community. This is why New York State is investing into community-based programs and specialized housing. This includes community-style apartments that offer varying levels mental health services.
Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinics
The state is taking steps to help New Yorkers navigate the mental health care system. Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinics coordinate care for people of all ages. Anyone can use these clinics, regardless of whether they have insurance.
Expanding Capacity
New York is increasing capacity at its psychiatric hospitals. State-operated psychiatric centers have had the largest increase in inpatient beds in decades. The state is also working with community-based hospitals to add more beds for psychiatric patients.
New regulations are in place to help people when they leave a hospital emergency service or inpatient unit. Dedicated teams help them get care in their community instead of at an emergency department.
New York State continues to expand capacity of the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline.
The state is improving insurance coverage. Carriers are now required to provide the same level of benefits for mental health care as they do for medical and surgical care.
Workforce Development
New York recognizes that mental health care starts with its workers. The state is encouraging students into the workforce by offering to pay their college expenses. Those enrolled in mental health programs can get this financial aid if they work in the state afterward.
Bringing stability to individuals often disconnected from traditional mental health supports.
Often people needing the most mental health support are also the ones that have trouble accessing this care. For some people, serious mental illness has resulted in homelessness. The Safe Options Support program engages with these people and helps them find stable housing. SOS Teams continue to help individuals stay housed and get the care they need.
CTI Teams help individuals with behavioral health needs, and their families, get the support they need to transition from the hospital back into the community.
New York is expanding intensive mental health services outside of traditional settings. Those enrolled with an Assertive Community Treatment or ACT team can receive this care in their community. ACT teams help recipients stay out of the hospital and live independently in the community.
Intensive and Sustained Engagement
Intensive and Sustained Engagement teams are helping those reluctant to use traditional forms of care. Peer-led teams use their own experience living with mental illness to help others realize that recovery is possible
Transition-to-Home
The state has created a unique psychiatric center program in New York City to help stabilize individuals with complex needs. The Transition-to-Home program provides intensive services to people who experience chronic homelessness. The program helps them achieve lasting stability, so they can move back to the community.