ALBANY, N.Y. — Governor Kathy Hochul of New York is seeking to modify the state’s involuntary commitment laws to enable hospitals to mandate treatment for a greater number of individuals suffering from mental illness. This initiative comes in the wake of a troubling series of violent incidents occurring in the subway system of New York City.
On Friday, Hochul, representing the Democratic Party, announced her intention to advocate for changes in mental health care legislation during the next session of the legislature. She cited what she perceives as an increase in crime within the subway system as a compelling reason for this legislative push. “Many of these horrific incidents have involved individuals with severe untreated mental illnesses, resulting from a failure to connect these individuals with the treatment they require,” she stated.
Hochul emphasized the responsibility to safeguard the public from unforeseen acts of violence, arguing that the compassionate course of action is to provide necessary support and treatment to those in need. It’s important to note, as highlighted by mental health experts, that the majority of individuals with mental health conditions are not violent; in fact, they are more prone to being victims of violence themselves.
While the governor has expressed her plans, she has not yet detailed the specific changes her legislation would propose. She did mention that current laws allow hospitals to commit individuals considered a risk to themselves or others, and her proposed legislation aims to broaden this definition to increase the number of individuals who can receive required care.
In addition to her primary proposal, Hochul indicated that she would also enhance the process that enables courts to mandate assisted outpatient treatments for those with mental illnesses. This would also include measures to simplify the voluntary enrollment in such services.
Under existing state laws, police have the authority to take individuals to hospitals for evaluations if they exhibit signs of mental illness that endanger themselves or others. A psychiatrist must subsequently assess whether these patients require involuntary hospitalization, a process that involves various intricate considerations.
However, concerns have been raised regarding the implications of increasing involuntary commitments. Donna Lieberman, the executive director of the New York Civil Liberties Union, argued that such measures do not enhance safety and detract from efforts to address the core issues contributing to these problems while potentially infringing on citizens’ rights.
The likelihood of the governor’s proposals gaining traction in the state Legislature remains uncertain. The Legislature, controlled by Democrats, will convene for its annual session later this month. Carl Heastie, the speaker of the state Assembly, noted that while there is a mutual acknowledgment of the need to bolster mental health initiatives, he would require more insight into Hochul’s specific proposals. A spokesperson for Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins echoed this sentiment, emphasizing that public safety is a priority and expressing anticipation for the detailed plan from Hochul for further discussion.
Hochul’s announcement follows a series of violent subway incidents that have intensified safety concerns in the nation’s busiest transit system. Recent cases include a man being pushed onto subway tracks before an oncoming train, an attack in which a sleeping person was set on fire, and a man using a knife to injure two individuals in Manhattan’s Grand Central station.
Details regarding the mental health backgrounds of those involved in these incidents have yet to be fully unveiled. However, New York City Mayor Eric Adams has pointed out that the suspect in the Grand Central attack had a documented history of mental health issues, while the father of the individual accused of the subway push expressed prior concerns regarding his son’s mental well-being.
While violent incidents are infrequent in the subway system, which served over 1 billion passengers in 2024, the occurrence of random attacks has raised alarm among riders and online audiences alike. Although major crimes in the subways have decreased compared to the same period last year, homicide rates have increased, with police statistics indicating a rise from five to nine. Some have noted a surge in assaults since the onset of the pandemic, noting the figures for assaults rising from 326 in 2019 to 521 in 2024 by November.
In response to the ongoing mental health crisis, Mayor Adams has advocated for expanded mental health care laws, previously supporting a policy that would permit hospitals to involuntarily commit those unable to meet fundamental needs such as food, clothing, or medical care due to their mental health conditions. “We must not neglect our moral obligation to provide life-saving psychiatric support to those unable to acknowledge their urgent need for it,” he remarked following Hochul’s announcement.
