A Call for Care

New York City Mayor Eric Adams has launched new initiatives to address mental health crises as a part of his administration's public safety plan. This approach has included mobile crisis teams, as well as an expansion of involuntary hospitalization practices.

But is this an effective response to mental health crises? What role can communities play in mental health crisis intervention? And what barriers do New Yorkers face in accessing mental health support?

In the fall of 2024, CUP Teaching Artist Asa Mendelsohn collaborated with students from the High School for Climate Justice to investigate how our communities can respond to mental health crises.

To explore this question, students talked to community members, interviewed stakeholders working on the issue, and explored photography and multimedia collage.

They gathered what they learned to create a booklet about community-led mental health crisis intervention.

Students

Laura Amadou

Hadikatul Ambia

Binta Mintah

Chirstabel Okoso

Naziah Rahman

Special Thanks

Loren Dent, Psychologist at Greene Clinic

Matthew Oyer, Psychologist at Greene Clinic

Evelyn Graham, Independent Peer Advocate at Correct Crisis Intervention Today- NYC (CCIT-NYC)

Sheina Banatte, Independent Peer Advocate at Correct Crisis Intervention Today- NYC (CCIT-NYC)

Jim Bohovich, Independent Peer Advocate at Correct Crisis Intervention Today- NYC (CCIT-NYC)

Ambrosia Elder, Director of Operations and Clinic Programs at The Bridge

Frank Martinez, Mental Health Services Operations Manager at The Door

Fundraising Support

This program is supported, in part, by public funds from the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs in partnership with the City Council and Council Member Julie Menin.