Res 0874-2025

Whereas, An estimated 15.4 million adults in the United States (U.S.) suffer from Serious Mental Illness (SMI), according to a 2022 study by the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH); and Whereas, Per the New York City (NYC) Mayor's Office of Community Mental Health 2024 annual report, 4% of adult New Yorkers have an SMI diagnosis, and 39% of those with SMI are not receiving treatment; and Whereas, NIMH defines SMI as a mental, behavioral, or emotional disorder resulting in serious functional impairment, which substantially interferes with or limits one or more major life activities; and Whereas, According to the NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH), SMI encompasses conditions such as schizophrenia, mood disorders, including bipolar disorder and major depressive disorder (MDD), anxiety disorders, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD); and Whereas, Per DOHMH's latest State of Mental Health of New Yorkers report, an estimated 72,000 adult New Yorkers have been diagnosed with schizophrenia, schizoaffective disorder, or psychosis; 181,000 with bipolar disorder, mania, or manic depression; 366,000 with PTSD; 732,000 with MDD or severe depression; and 1,243,000 with anxiety; and Whereas, Among the adult New Yorkers diagnosed with a mental illness, 71% faced difficulties in performing daily tasks due to emotional or mental health issues in the past 30 days, and 34% reported an unmet need for mental health treatment within the past year; and Whereas, Medicaid is a critical source of healthcare for low-income residents, providing coverage for over 7 million New Yorkers and serving as the primary provider of mental health services for individuals affected by SMI; and Whereas, According to the New York State (NYS) Department of Health's State of Mental Health of New Yorkers report, in 2023, approximately 40% of Medicaid beneficiaries in New York with a diagnosed mental health condition reported difficulty accessing consistent treatment and follow-up care; and Whereas, Per the NYC Mayor's Office of Community Mental Health's 2024 annual report, individuals with SMI experience disproportionately higher rates of homelessness, incarceration, and emergency room visits, all of which could be reduced through improved access to preventive and consistent mental health treatment; and Whereas, A 2022 study by the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) found that 30% of adults with SMI who rely on Medicaid were unable to access essential services due to limitations in Medicaid mental health coverage; and Whereas, H.R.4331/S.2128, Strengthening Medicaid for Serious Mental Illness Act, introduced by U.S. Representative Daniel Goldman and U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, seeks to expand access to mental health resources by enhancing Medicaid coverage for individuals with SMI, ensuring continuity of care, and increasing resources for community-based mental health services; and Whereas, This legislation would allow state Medicaid programs to cover intensive community-based services for adults with SMI, including 24/7 treatment services involving multidisciplinary care teams designed to improve outcomes for individuals at high risk of homelessness, psychiatric crises, hospitalization, or involvement in the criminal justice system (i.e., assertive community treatment), as well as employment support, peer support, community-based mobile crisis intervention services, intensive case management, and housing support; and Whereas, The legislation also provides state planning grants to facilitate implementation of such coverage and offers an enhanced federal matching rate, known as the Federal Medical Assistance Percentage (FMAP), to support these critical services; and Whereas, Proposed in H.R.4331/S.2128 would expand Medicaid coverage for SMI, thereby reducing hospitalization rates, lowering healthcare costs, and improving the quality of life for New Yorkers with SMI by increasing access to outpatient and community-based care, thus reducing the need for emergency interventions; and Whereas, H.R.4331/S.2128 includes provisions for mobile crisis teams and peer support, which have been shown to reduce crisis episodes and improve treatment engagement, as demonstrated in a 2022 report by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), which found that mobile crisis teams reduce unnecessary emergency room visits by 60%; and Whereas, Supporting this legislation would strengthen NYC's various mental health crisis response programs and broaden NYC's ability to address its growing mental health crisis by improving access to essential services, reducing systemic barriers, and fostering healthier, more resilient communities, particularly for vulnerable populations disproportionately impacted by SMI; now, therefore, be it Resolved, That the Council of the City of New York calls on the United States Congress and Senate to pass, and the President to sign, H.R.4331/S.2128, also known as the Strengthening Medicaid for Serious Mental Illness Act. LS #18014 & 14163 1/9/2025 MB 2