New York – Assemblymember Tony Simone released his SUM NY report, outlining clear and actionable solutions to address the intersecting crises of addiction, homelessness, and mental health on our streets. As legislators return to Albany tomorrow, the mental health crisis and safety on the streets is a top priority for New Yorkers and it is critical that Albany take immediate action.

“I walk the streets of Manhattan every day,” said Assemblymember Simone. “I can see with my own eyes the devastation wrought by addiction, homelessness, and the mental health crises on our streets. This report lays out solutions we need to address this crisis that can be acted on this year. From expanding housing, to strengthening on the ground care, and re-examining our laws surrounding involuntary commitment and how mental health is handled in our courts, the time is now to right the course in New York, and deliver a safer, healthier, more liveable state for all.”

Senator Brad Hoylman-Sigal said: “As any New Yorker can tell you, we need to do more to address the mental health crisis on our streets and in our public transit system. I applaud Assemblymember Simone for putting together a comprehensive report that addresses our mental health crisis from a variety of angles and offers both short- and long-term solutions to ensure that all New Yorkers are able to access the resources they need. I appreciate that one of the recommendations in this report is a proposal that Assemblymember Lasher and I recently introduced called the H.E.L.P Act (S.254) which grants additional mental health experts, including psychiatric nurse practitioners, psychologists, and clinical social workers, the authority to clinically evaluate and require treatment for those experiencing severe mental health issues who may pose a threat to themselves or others.”

Manhattan Borough President Mark Levine said: "Decades of disinvestment have left us with a behavioral health system that fails New Yorkers with serious mental illness, and the result is that a mental health crisis is playing out on the streets of New York City. I commend Assemblymember Simone for calling for real solutions to this crisis, in particular the need to expand the number of Transition to Home (THU) beds that I called for in my Breaking the Cycle plan. While some funding was allocated in the last year's state budget for a small expansion in the number of these beds to care for some of the most vulnerable seriously mentally ill New Yorkers, we need much more investment from the state to fully realize the expansion of this program to 400 THU beds in New York City."

City Councilmember Erik Bottcher said: “I applaud Assemblymember Tony Simone for his leadership on this crucial issue and for pushing for progress in Albany. Only by every level of government working together and in concert with local communities, businesses and service providers can we truly tackle the crises of mental health, homelessness, substance abuse and public safety in an impactful way.”

Jessica Chait, Chair, Manhattan Community Board 4 said: “Manhattan Community Board 4 has been a steadfast advocate for increased resources to address the growing crises of mental health, substance abuse, and homelessness that affect New Yorkers every day. This report provides a roadmap for actionable solutions, emphasizing the need to expand supportive housing, improve accountability, and strengthen essential on-the-ground care. We are grateful to Assemblymember Simone for his leadership on this issue and hope this report galvanizes unified support and immediate action to build safer, healthier communities for all.”

Garment District Alliance President Barbara Blair said: “The Garment District Alliance commends Assemblymember Tony Simone for recognizing the human crisis on our streets and presenting practical solutions in the SUM-NY report. As we see daily in midtown Manhattan, the issues surrounding substance abuse, homelessness and mental illness, are complex and interconnected, and the current approach to address and assist individuals struggling with these conditions has been a complete failure.

In particular we applaud and encourage the Assemblyman’s call for accountability from social service providers, the need to provide more supportive housing, and the need to pass the SIA and HELP acts. The means to address this humanitarian and social crisis are available and SUM-NY provides the blueprint, weaving the critical policies, agencies, and NGOs together and calls for accountability in a unified plan. At no time should an individual be without having their basic needs met and I applaud Assembly Member Simone efforts.”

Times Square Alliance President Tom Harris said: “We applaud Assemblymember Simone for seeking effective strategies and solutions to the complex mental health and homeless crisis that exists on our streets. Our current system spends millions of dollars on programs that are often failing to help people and there is no accountability for the funds invested, allowing far too many of our most vulnerable to fall through the cracks. We look forward to working with the Assembly and Senate to develop effective strategies that focus on the individuals and hold all involved accountable for positive results.”

Midtown Community Improvement Coalition Co-Chair Brian Weber said: “Assemblymember Simone’s SUM NY report highlights critical conditions and existing obstacles —both legislative and operational— detrimental to the public health, safety, and well-being of our communities, while demonstrating equal consideration for those struggling with substance abuse, mental illness, and homelessness and communities, such as ours, impacted daily by these intersecting crises. While MCIC’s inter-agency HUB has seen positive results by bridging efforts, tools and resources across a range of city & state agencies and service provider partnership’s, we are cognizant of limitations and barriers that important legislative proposals such as the Supportive Intervention Act and H.E.L.P Act as well as operational recommendations presented in this report seek to address. I thank Tony and his office for their continued efforts and partnership engaging on these fraught issues on behalf of our community and the city at-large.”

Aleta LaFargue, Manhattan Plaza Tenant Association President said: "The Hell's Kitchen community has long been a focal point of the mental health crisis that plays out on our streets and subways every day. I am proud to see Assemblymember Simone call for new solutions to make our community safer and healthier for all through his SUM NY plan."

Leslie Boghosian Murphy, Member, West 55th Street Block Association said: “I support Assemblymember Simone’s efforts tackling this difficult and multifaceted challenge. Being and feeling safe is a fundamental necessity to community living. At the same time, we have to recognize that some who live on the streets are in an anguished and tormented state with no capacity for best-welfare decision making; those are the ones we have to wrap our wings around and usher them to a better place. The Assemblymember’s SUM NY report provides a framework to do that underscoring the need for financial accountability and interagency cooperation. I appreciate Tony's support of both the Supportive Intervention Act and the H.E.L.P. Act and his office's endeavor to get our neighborhood to a safe and healthy place.”