Local officials across New York state want legislative leaders to have a change of heart as the Senate and Assembly hold the line against Gov. Kathy Hochul’s budget priority to expand forced treatment for people suffering from mental health issues who pose a danger to themselves or others.
Several Democratic lawmakers are against the proposal, which they argue would criminalize homelessness or be difficult to implement. But mayors and county executives say state lawmakers fighting Hochul’s plan don’t know what local governments have been dealing with.
“We see individuals who go into Albany Medical Center because it’s the trauma center for an entire region and they are determined not to be a danger to themselves or others,” Albany Mayor Kathy Sheehan told Spectrum News 1. “And they are put right out onto our sidewalks and our streets, and these are individuals who clearly need help.”…