New York City Councilmember Erik Bottcher has partnered with WIN – the largest provider of shelter and supportive services for homeless families in the city – to expand mental healthcare for families in shelters.
The bill, introduced June 16, will require the city to fund mental health clinicians at every family shelter who will provide parents and children with the support they need.
Nearly two-thirds of homeless New Yorkers are families with children, with an average of 8,400 families with over 14,000 children sleeping in shelters each night this year.
“If a homeless mother had a broken leg, we would all agree she needs care immediately — the city needs to treat mental health the same way,” said Christine C. Quinn, President & CEO of WIN. “From addressing mental health challenges to treating substance abuse, the city has an obligation to step up with the resources our families need and deserve. In and of itself, becoming homeless is a traumatic experience, and with this bill we can improve New Yorkers’ lives while they’re in shelter and help them find the stability they need to move into permanent housing.”
In 2016, NYC deployed social workers to family shelters which provided some help to individuals who were struggling.
However, the high volume of caseloads and some contractual restrictions prevented social workers from providing mental healthcare services on site which stranded parents and children and made it difficult for many to receive reliable care.
Many homeless mothers and children struggle with trauma from domestic violence and eviction and often need mental health support following these events. Parents – women in particular – are also overburdened with trying to find jobs while also managing and maintaining their children’s welfare.
“Mothers in the shelter system must balance their family’s immediate needs — like getting their kids to school and putting food on the table — with longer-term priorities like obtaining mental health care,” Council Member Bottcher said. “Mental health clinics’ long wait times and operating hours that fail to accommodate their schedules further increase roadblocks to appropriate care. Our bill will reduce barriers to care, improve outcomes for families, and support families with children experiencing homelessness in accessing services that meet them where they are.”
In a statement released today, 20 groups urged the city to make providing clinical mental health services at family shelters a priority.
“Families in shelter have all experienced trauma and many also struggle with mental health challenges,” the June 16 statement read. “In our work as shelter providers, mental health providers, and advocates, we see every day that this significant need is going unmet because of the lack of resources. We call on the City Council and the Mayor to remedy this by providing funding for clinical mental health services for adults and children on-site in all shelters serving families with children.”
