New York City Announces "Forced Hospitalization of Homeless Individuals Exhibiting Mental Illness Symptoms"

Sharp Increase in Homeless People on Streets and Subway Stations Since COVID-19
Crimes by Homeless Mentally Ill Individuals Continue ... Asian Woman Dies Early This Year

New York Police Department (NYPD) officers are patrolling inside a subway station in Brooklyn, New York City. Photo by Reuters·Yonhap News

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Sung-wook] In the future, homeless individuals showing signs of mental illness on the streets and subways of New York will be forcibly hospitalized. On the 29th (local time), New York City announced this measure to address the increasing number of homeless people and crime issues.

According to The New York Times (NYT) and others, on this day, New York City Mayor Eric Adams stated, "New York City has a moral obligation to resolve crises commonly seen around us," and announced that homeless individuals exhibiting symptoms of mental illness on the streets or subways will be hospitalized regardless of their consent. Mayor Adams added, "It is a misconception that forced assistance can only be provided when someone is violent, suicidal, or poses an imminent threat," and said, "Such myths must be dispelled."

He also said, "From now on, we will make every effort to help those suffering from mental illness or whose illness prevents them from meeting their basic human needs, putting themselves at risk," and "We will continue to do our best to persuade those in need of help to voluntarily accept services." However, he emphasized, "If despite these efforts they do not recognize their illness, we will not abandon them."

New York City and the New York Police Department (NYPD) have been struggling with the increasing homeless population since the COVID-19 pandemic. In particular, there have been repeated criticisms of insufficient management as mentally ill homeless individuals with criminal records repeatedly become suspects in crimes. According to a survey conducted earlier this year, 74% of New Yorkers responded that "public transportation safety has worsened since the COVID-19 pandemic," and 94% said "the city government's measures to address homeless and mentally ill individuals are inadequate."

In fact, in January, there was an incident near Times Square subway station where a man in his 60s pushed an Asian woman onto the tracks, causing her death. This man had been arrested three times by the police since 1998 and was on parole after serving two years for robbery at the time of the crime. He had been homeless for nearly 20 years and was reportedly receiving medication for mental illness. Regarding this incident, Mayor Adams said, "A woman lost her life to ruthless violence."

New York City has launched a large-scale crackdown on homeless individuals. Mayor Adams announced measures such as support for homeless shelters, deployment of professionals, and provision of medical services, saying, "We will solve the mental health issues of homeless people that cause fear among citizens and make New York a well-being city." Since March, the NYPD has been deployed to dismantle homeless encampments, move them to 'Safe Haven' beds within homeless shelters, and relocate them to permanent housing.

However, civic groups have evaluated that "homeless people only move to other areas to avoid crackdowns," and fundamental problems remain unresolved. Harvey Rosenthal, president of the New York Association of Psychiatric Rehabilitation Services, told the NYT, "Mayor Adams' approach to homeless individuals with mental illness is a method that has failed in the past and cannot properly solve the problem."