Topic
Mental Health
√ NY Agencies
New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH)
DOHMH is actively involved in expanding community services and support for individuals with serious mental illness. The department offers guidance and information on mental health and substance use. It provides free and low-cost services for all New Yorkers, including resources for alcohol and drug use, children and adolescents’ mental health, adult mental health services, and mental health care related to COVID-19. Mayor’s Management Report
Mayor's Office of Community Mental Health
Established by executive order and local law, this office is dedicated to improving mental health outcomes for all New Yorkers. It coordinates citywide policies and strategies to fill gaps in mental healthcare, working with city agencies to reduce barriers to mental health care for underserved communities.
New York City Department of Education (DOE)
The DOE provides mental health services to students in New York City public schools, including counseling and support services. Mayor’s Management Report
New York City Department for the Aging (DFTA):
The DFTA provides mental health services to older adults in New York City, including counseling and support services.
Mayor’s Management Report
New York City Administration for Children’s Services:
This agency collaborates with other city departments on a comprehensive mental health plan, focusing especially on children, youth, and families. Mayor’s Management Report
Department of Social Services
This department is involved in the city’s mental health initiatives, emphasizing early prevention, access to affordable evidence-based intervention, and harm reduction for individuals at risk of drug overdose.
New York City Health + Hospitals (NYC H+H)
NYC H+H offers a wide array of mental health services, helping patients rediscover their strengths and overcome the stigma associated with mental illness. It offers specialized care for evaluating and treating psychiatric crises. Mayor’s Management Report
New York City Police Department (NYPD)
The NYPD has a Crisis Intervention Team (CIT) that works with mental health professionals to respond to crises involving individuals with mental illness and connect them to appropriate mental health services. Mayor’s Management Report
√ Reports
The Mayor’s Office of Community Mental Health 2023 Annual Report
Critical Gaps in the Mental Healthcare System in New York City. As part of a recent RAND Corporation study, commissioned by OCMH, a survey of mental health professionals identified accessibility and availability as the two main barriers to receiving mental health services.
Improving New York City’s Responses to Individuals in Mental Health Crisis
Improving New York City’s Responses to Individuals in Mental Health Crisis: 2022 Update: This report focuses on how the city responds to individuals experiencing mental health crises, including the impact on and treatment for NYPD officers involved in such situations.
Mayor's Office of Community Mental Health Reports
This office has published various reports, such as the 2023 Annual Report on Critical Gaps in the Mental Healthcare System, research on the availability and accessibility of mental health services, and updates on initiatives like ThriveNYC and Community Driven Innovation.
COVID-19 Impact on Mental Health and Substance Use
The NYC Health Department has addressed the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on mental health and substance use, offering resources and guidelines for coping with related challenges during the pandemic.
Mental Health Road Map - New York City Council
This document outlines the council’s plans and advocacy efforts in various areas, such as funding for mental health support in schools, initiatives for youth mental health, family support programs, and addressing the mental health workforce shortage.
Connections to Care (C2C) Reports
The Social Innovation Fund (SIF)’s Connections to Care (C2C) initiative integrates mental health support into the work of community-based organizations serving low-income New Yorkers. The program aims to improve the mental health of participants and increase their success with other social services.
NYS Office of Mental Health Reports
The New York State Office of Mental Health offers a wide range of reports, including statistical data on Assisted Outpatient Treatment, Child and Family indicators, Mental Health Needs Assessment, and Suicide Prevention Activities.
Young People Face a Mental Health Crisis
Young people across the country, particularly female and LGBQ+ students, are experiencing an alarming increase in poor mental health and suicidal thoughts and behavior. This data has been borne out in New York City, where 15.6 percent of adolescents report seriously considering suicide and 36 percent of high schoolers report persistent feelings of sadness and hopelessness.
A Vision for Mental Health Reform
This report discusses modern mental health policy and offers recommendations for financing and data sharing to develop a more comprehensive mental health system.
MENTAL HEALTH AND DRUG TREATMENT COURTS IN NEW YORK STATE: ASSESSMENT AND THE CASE FOR EXPANSION
Mental health courts are an alternative that can treat underlying conditions and break the cycle of incarceration.
Mental Health Impact of the Coronavirus Pandemic in New York State
This report reviews survey data related to mental health in New York State during the coronavirus pandemic. It presents self-reported symptoms of anxiety and depression by race and ethnicity, age, and household income, and compares symptoms among New Yorkers who did and did not experience a loss in household employment income during the pandemic.
The Mayor’s Office of Community Mental Health 2023 Annual Report
Critical Gaps in the Mental Healthcare System in New York City. As part of a recent RAND Corporation study, commissioned by OCMH, a survey of mental health professionals identified accessibility and availability as the two main barriers to receiving mental health services.
Improving New York City’s Responses to Individuals in Mental Health Crisis
Improving New York City’s Responses to Individuals in Mental Health Crisis: 2022 Update: This report focuses on how the city responds to individuals experiencing mental health crises, including the impact on and treatment for NYPD officers involved in such situations.
Mayor's Office of Community Mental Health Reports
This office has published various reports, such as the 2023 Annual Report on Critical Gaps in the Mental Healthcare System, research on the availability and accessibility of mental health services, and updates on initiatives like ThriveNYC and Community Driven Innovation.
MENTAL HEALTH AND DRUG TREATMENT COURTS IN NEW YORK STATE: ASSESSMENT AND THE CASE FOR EXPANSION
Mental health courts are an alternative that can treat underlying conditions and break the cycle of incarceration.
COVID-19 Impact on Mental Health and Substance Use
The NYC Health Department has addressed the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on mental health and substance use, offering resources and guidelines for coping with related challenges during the pandemic.
Mental Health Road Map - New York City Council
This document outlines the council’s plans and advocacy efforts in various areas, such as funding for mental health support in schools, initiatives for youth mental health, family support programs, and addressing the mental health workforce shortage.
Connections to Care (C2C) Reports
The Social Innovation Fund (SIF)’s Connections to Care (C2C) initiative integrates mental health support into the work of community-based organizations serving low-income New Yorkers. The program aims to improve the mental health of participants and increase their success with other social services.
NYS Office of Mental Health Reports
The New York State Office of Mental Health offers a wide range of reports, including statistical data on Assisted Outpatient Treatment, Child and Family indicators, Mental Health Needs Assessment, and Suicide Prevention Activities.
Young People Face a Mental Health Crisis
Young people across the country, particularly female and LGBQ+ students, are experiencing an alarming increase in poor mental health and suicidal thoughts and behavior. This data has been borne out in New York City, where 15.6 percent of adolescents report seriously considering suicide and 36 percent of high schoolers report persistent feelings of sadness and hopelessness.
Mental Health Impact of the Coronavirus Pandemic in New York State
This report reviews survey data related to mental health in New York State during the coronavirus pandemic. It presents self-reported symptoms of anxiety and depression by race and ethnicity, age, and household income, and compares symptoms among New Yorkers who did and did not experience a loss in household employment income during the pandemic.
√ Data sets
DOHMH Community Mental Health Survey
Available on NYC Open Data, this survey offers detailed information about the mental health of the community in New York City.
NYS Office of Mental Health Statistics and Reports
This site has detailed reports on various aspects of mental health in New York State, including Assertive Community Treatment (ACT) Reports, Consumer Assessment of Care Survey (CACS), County Planning Reports, and more.
New York City Community Health Profiles
The New York City Community Health Profiles capture the health of 59 community districts across the city. They contain over 50 measures of neighborhood health, emphasizing that our health starts where we live, work and play.
EpiQuery
EpiQuery is a web-based database designed to provide users with health data from a variety of sources. Mental health related topics include: Drug and Alcohol Use, Mental Health Conditions and Mental Health Counseling and Treatment.
Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS)
The BRFSS is a national survey conducted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) that includes questions about mental health status, treatment, and service utilization. Data from the BRFSS is available for New York City and can be used to compare mental health indicators to other cities and states.
Correctional Health Services
This dataset details mental health access by prisoners.
Incarceration and Mental Health
Individuals with mental illness and substance use disorders are significantly overrepresented in American jails and prisons, a development that has attracted the concern of clinicians, researchers, policymakers, and corrections personnel.
Mental Health Service Finder Data
This dataset, also available on NYC Open Data, can be useful for locating mental health services across New York City
National Institute of Mental Health
The data presented here are from the 2021 National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH) by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA).
√ Data visualizations
Mayor's Office of Community Mental Health Data Dashboard
This resource provides data on mental health in NYC. It’s a useful tool for exploring a range of mental health-related data within the city.
NYS Vital Signs Dashboard
This dashboard presents the public mental health system’s performance in select mental health programs. Reports focus on disparities in access, quality, and treatment outcomes among Medicaid individuals with mental health needs.
The State of New York City Jails
The Office of the New York City Comptroller reported that one in five people detained have serious mental health illness, and half have some kind of mental health diagnosis. The number and share of people detained and diagnosed with serious mental illness have risen significantly.
New York City Community Health Survey
This interactive data visualization tool allows users to explore data from the New York City Community Health Survey (CHS). The tool allows users to compare data across different demographic groups and to explore trends over time.
Opioid Overdose Deaths in New York City
These data visualization, created by the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, provides information on opioid overdose deaths in New York City. The visualization includes data on the number of overdose deaths by year, age group, and race/ethnicity, as well as information on the neighborhoods with the highest rates of overdose deaths.
CDC: Data and Statistics on Children’s Mental Health
The CDC uses surveys, like the National Survey of Children’s Health, to describe the presence of positive indicators of children’s mental health and to understand the number of children with diagnosed mental disorders and whether they received treatment.
YOUTH RISK BEHAVIOR SURVEY
The Youth Risk Behavior Survey Data Summary
& Trends Report: 2011–2021 provides the most
recent surveillance data, as well as 10-year
trends, on health behaviors and experiences
among high school students in the United
States (U S ) related to adolescent health and
well-being.
& Trends Report: 2011–2021 provides the most
recent surveillance data, as well as 10-year
trends, on health behaviors and experiences
among high school students in the United
States (U S ) related to adolescent health and
well-being.
√ STATISTICS
Adults in NY experiencing a mental health disorder each year.
%
NYS DOH
Monthly average of Inmates with serious mental illness in NYC jail population.
2023, NYC Comptroller
New Yorkers age 12–17 with depression
NAMI
Prevalence
According to the New York State Department of Health, approximately 1 in 5 adults in New York experiences a mental health disorder in any given year. Source: NYS DOH
COVID-19 Impact
More than half of Americans report that COVID-19 has had a negative impact on their mental health. In February 2021, 35.8% of adults in New York reported symptoms of anxiety or depression. Source: NAMI
Teen Depression
1 in 6 U.S. youth aged 6–17 experience
a mental health disorder each year. 145,000 New Yorkers age 12–17 have depression. Source: NAMI Fact Sheet
Incarceration
The number of individuals with a serious mental illness reached a three-year peak in May 2023, climbing to a monthly average of 1,207 individuals, or 20% of the jail population. Source: NYC Controller
Adults in NY experiencing a mental health disorder each year.
%
NYS DOH
Monthly average of Inmates with serious mental illness in NYC jail population.
2023, NYC Comptroller
New Yorkers age 12–17 with depression
NAMI
Prevalence
According to the New York State Department of Health, approximately 1 in 5 adults in New York experiences a mental health disorder in any given year. Source: NYS DOH
COVID-19 Impact
More than half of Americans report that COVID-19 has had a negative impact on their mental health. In February 2021, 35.8% of adults in New York reported symptoms of anxiety or depression. Source: NAMI
Teen Depression
1 in 6 U.S. youth aged 6–17 experience
a mental health disorder each year. 145,000 New Yorkers age 12–17 have depression. Source: NAMI Fact Sheet
a mental health disorder each year. 145,000 New Yorkers age 12–17 have depression. Source: NAMI Fact Sheet
Incarceration
The number of individuals with a serious mental illness reached a three-year peak in May 2023, climbing to a monthly average of 1,207 individuals, or 20% of the jail population. Source: NYC Controller
√ Census & American Community Survey
Disability Status
The ACS collects information on disability status, which can be used to estimate the prevalence of mental health conditions. According to the 2019 ACS, 10.3% of individuals in New York City reported having a disability, which can include mental health conditions.
Educational Attainment
The ACS collects information on educational attainment, which is a known social determinant of mental health. According to the 2019 ACS, 37.2% of individuals in New York City aged 25 and older had a bachelor’s degree or higher, while 21.5% did not have a high school diploma.
Health Insurance Coverage
The ACS collects information on health insurance coverage, which is important for understanding access to mental health services. According to the 2019 ACS, 82.6% of individuals in New York City had health insurance coverage, while 17.4% were uninsured.
Poverty Status
The ACS collects information on poverty status, which is a known social determinant of mental health. According to the 2019 ACS, 19.5% of individuals in New York City lived below the poverty level.
Race and Ethnicity
The ACS collects information on race and ethnicity, which is important for understanding disparities in mental health outcomes. According to the 2019 ACS, the population of New York City was 29.9% non-Hispanic white, 24.2% Hispanic or Latino, 13.4% non-Hispanic black or African American, 12.4% non-Hispanic Asian, and 20.1% of other races or two or more races.
Disability Status
The ACS collects information on disability status, which can be used to estimate the prevalence of mental health conditions. According to the 2019 ACS, 10.3% of individuals in New York City reported having a disability, which can include mental health conditions.
Educational Attainment
The ACS collects information on educational attainment, which is a known social determinant of mental health. According to the 2019 ACS, 37.2% of individuals in New York City aged 25 and older had a bachelor’s degree or higher, while 21.5% did not have a high school diploma.
Health Insurance Coverage
The ACS collects information on health insurance coverage, which is important for understanding access to mental health services. According to the 2019 ACS, 82.6% of individuals in New York City had health insurance coverage, while 17.4% were uninsured.
Poverty Status
The ACS collects information on poverty status, which is a known social determinant of mental health. According to the 2019 ACS, 19.5% of individuals in New York City lived below the poverty level.
Race and Ethnicity
The ACS collects information on race and ethnicity, which is important for understanding disparities in mental health outcomes. According to the 2019 ACS, the population of New York City was 29.9% non-Hispanic white, 24.2% Hispanic or Latino, 13.4% non-Hispanic black or African American, 12.4% non-Hispanic Asian, and 20.1% of other races or two or more races.
√ Non-Profits
NAMI-NYC Metro
The National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) is the largest grassroots mental health organization in the United States, and the NAMI-NYC Metro chapter provides support, education, and advocacy for individuals and families affected by mental illness.
Fountain House
This non-profit organization provides a community-based approach to mental health recovery, with programs and services focused on employment, education, and social support.
The Jed Foundation
This organization focuses on preventing suicide among young adults, with programs that promote mental health, prevent substance abuse, and provide crisis support.
Vibrant Emotional Health
This non-profit organization provides crisis intervention and suicide prevention services, as well as support and resources for individuals and families affected by mental illness.
Institute for the Development of Human Arts (IDHA)
IDHA offers training and education in mental health, focusing on innovative and alternative approaches. They also organize community events and cross-movement organizing, working at the intersection of mental health and various forms of social justice.
The Mental Health Association of New York State (MHANYS)
This organization focuses on advocating for policies and programs that promote mental health and support individuals with mental illness, and conducts research on mental health issues in New York State.
Public Health Solutions
This organization provides mental health services and advocacy, with a particular focus on improving access to care for underserved communities.
√ Experts
Dr. Gary Belkin - NYU
Dr. Belkin is a psychiatrist and public health expert who served as the Deputy Commissioner for Mental Health at the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene. He has been a leader in efforts to improve mental health care access and outcomes in New York City.
Glenn Liebman - MHANYS
Liebman is the CEO of the Mental Health Association of New York State (MHANYS), which is a non-profit organization that advocates for policies and programs that promote mental health and support individuals with mental illness.
Dr. Samantha Meltzer-Brody - UNC
Dr. Samantha Meltzer-Brody, MD, MPH is the Assad Meymandi Distinguished Professor and Chair of the Department of Psychiatry at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. She also directs the UNC Center for Women’s Mood Disorders.
Dr. Ned Hallowell, MD
A psychiatrist and ADHD specialist, Dr. Hallowell is a leading voice in understanding and managing attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. His books, like “Driven to Distraction,” offer practical strategies and insights for individuals with ADHD and their loved ones.
Dr. Laurie Santos, PhD
A cognitive neuroscientist and psychology professor at Yale University, Dr. Santos teaches a popular online course called “The Science of Well-Being.” Her expertise lies in understanding happiness and applying psychological principles to everyday life for greater well-being.
√ Journal Articles
"Adolescent Total and Mental Health–Related Emergency Department Visits During the COVID-19 Pandemic "
The rebound of MH-related ED visits to 2019 levels was faster than the rebound of overall ED visits for the adolescent population, which suggests that careful attention should be paid to this population, as there appeared to be less flexibility in the demand for MH care in this age group following the COVID-19 public health emergency.
"A Public Health Approach to New York City’s Mental Health Crisis"
New York City (NYC), like much of the US, faces a mental health crisis exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. In response, NYC launched a mental health plan that takes a public health approach, targeting strategies based on need, balancing prevention and care.
"Mental Health Task-Shifting in Community-Based Organizations"
Mental health problems disproportionately affect low-income individuals, racial and ethnic minorities, and those with low English proficiency in comparison to other populations in the United States. Left unaddressed, mental health problems can profoundly affect people’s lives.
"Disparities in Mental Health Referral and Diagnosis in the New York City Jail Mental Health Service "
A study published on PubMed analyzed the timing of mental health service entry in relation to solitary confinement, diagnosis, age, and race/ethnicity in the New York City jail system.
"Improving Mental Health Care for Middle- Class Black Women"
For Black women in the US, achieving social and economic mobility continues to be especially precarious because of the continued lack of wealth-building opportunities. This study outlines the challenges faced by middle-class Black women, how these challenges intersect with women’s mental health, and solutions to address them
√ Key Issues
Accessibility and Availability of Services
Challenges in ensuring equitable distribution of mental health care across the diverse population of NYC.
Provider Shortages
There has been a notable shortage of mental health providers, particularly those from underserved communities. This issue was exacerbated during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Barriers to Care
Individuals have faced difficulties in navigating the mental health system, finding resources, and dealing with long wait times for appointments.
Integration of Services
The need for better integration among various agencies providing mental health services, such as schools, jails, and shelters, has been identified.
Impact of COVID-19
The pandemic disrupted established patterns of mental health care and increased the demand for services.
Stigma and Public Perception
Stigma surrounding mental health conditions remains a significant issue in New York City. Misunderstandings and stereotypes about mental illness can hinder individuals from seeking help, and affect the allocation of resources and support for mental health initiatives.
√ Social Media Accounts
NAMINYCMetro
The official Twitter account of the National Alliance on Mental Illness of New York City provides information, resources, and advocacy on mental illness in the city.
jedfoundation
This national nonprofit focuses on mental health among teens and young adults. They have a strong presence on social media, including in New York City.
MHAacrossNYS
Mental Health Association in New York State, Inc. (MHANYS) works to end stigma, advocates for system reforms, & promotes recovery and mental health wellness.
MentalHealthNYC
Committed to improving mental health outcomes for all NYers, so that more people can get the support they need to live healthy and content lives.epidemiology.