NYC Councilmember declares humanitarian crisis on Manhattan's west side

New York City Councilmember Erik Bottcher has declared a humanitarian crisis on the west side of Manhattan, urging Mayor Eric Adams to expand the B-HEARD program to provide mental health services to the homeless and mentally ill population.

NEW YORK (PIX11) -- A New York City Council member is declaring a humanitarian crisis on the west side of Manhattan.

The number of mentally ill people on the street has prompted Councilmember Erik Bottcher to appeal to New York City Mayor Eric Adams to fulfill a promise made last year that has seemingly stalled.

Signs of despair in Midtown West are hard to miss. Within the first 10 minutes of being on West 30th Street, a PIX11 News crew spotted a man removed by EMS off the sidewalk, another exposing himself, and a third suffering from an apparent mental episode.

“There’s a humanitarian crisis unfolding on our streets,” said Bottcher.

Last week, he wrote to Adams, appealing for more mental health services in District 3.

“We spend millions of dollars every year churning people in and out of station houses, ERs, Rikers Island instead of treating the conditions in front of their eyes,” Bottcher said.

The behavioral health pilot program, "B-HEARD,” launched in 2021, is currently operating in 31 precincts across the city. It aims to connect those in distress with care, but it is available only in upper Manhattan, Queens, and Brooklyn. 

Bottcher wants B-HEARD to expand to the Village and up through Times Square. Last year, Mayor Adams pledged it would operate citywide, but that plan has stalled.

“We need to elevate it, make it a priority for our city, and do it as soon as possible,” Bottcher said.

Since B-HEARD began, some responsibilities have shifted away from police, utilizing a team of EMTs and mental health experts for non-violent 911 calls. 

According to the latest city data, B-HEARD teams answered 5,000 calls in just six months. In the last two years, it's around 9,000. In Bottcher’s district, 29 people have been placed in transitional housing so far this year, according to the city.

FDNY EMS Lt. Anthony Alomojera believes the program has led to mostly positive patient outcomes.

“I’ve done jobs with B-HEARD; they have a good outcome. The social workers assigned seem to enjoy it,” Alomojera said. 

However, he has seen firsthand why the program hasn’t grown as promised.

“Guess what’s stopping it? The staffing, the vehicles, the budget,” he said.

A mayor’s spokesperson said they are committed to improving the crisis, stating,

“There is more work to be done to help people accept services and keep our neighborhoods and public spaces safe.”

Sources said no decisions have been made regarding the next phase of expansion, including which additional neighborhoods would be covered next. 

Meanwhile, Bottcher has introduced a bill to staff a social worker in each of the NYPD's 77 precinct station houses.