Thursday, October 10, 2019

Council Member Holden gets blown off inquiring officials about Thrive program's ineffectiveness


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NY Post


A Queens lawmaker accused the head of first lady Chirlane McCray’s embattled “ThriveNYC” mental health initiative of refusing to explain why the city ignored so many warning signs surrounding the vagrant who bludgeoned four homeless men to death in Chinatown last weekend – because she has no answers.

Councilman Robert Holden (D-Queens) initially called out ThriveNYC Director Susan Herman and other city officials during a council hearing Tuesday. He was asking them how Randy Santos, 24, went under the city’s radar despite having a history of unprovoked violence – including a November arrest for allegedly biting a man on the chest.

“There were certainly a number of red flags over the years,” Holden said. “There was a trail of violence all involving random people.”

“These signs were here with this individual for years, and he was in and out of the system,” added Holden. “This is again happening all over the city – random attacks. Does this kind of thing red flag your agencies at all to say ‘we should step in’?”

Neither Herman nor Myla Harrison, assistant commissioner for the Department of Health, directly answered his questions during the hearing on mental health services for immigrants.

Instead, they tried to shift focus by insisting most homeless New Yorkers don’t suffer from mental illness and that they’re limited from discussing Santos’ treatment history.

“We were all horrified by what happened, and we are all looking at it, and we will learn from this incident, “ Herman said. “[But] I think you are aware of the fact that we can’t talk about specific services this particular individual accessed [by law].”

Holden tried to ask follow-up questions but was cut off by Councilman Carlos Menchaca (D-Brooklyn), chairman of the immigration committee, who claimed he wanted to give other legislators the chance ask questions.

Holden left the hearing fuming and later accused Herman of “dodging” his questions, adding McCray’s $250 million Thrive initiative “lacks a real plan to deal” with emotionally disturbed persons like Santos.
“[Herman] could have said, ‘I can’t speak about this case, but hypothetically we do this when this happens,’” Holden said. “But she didn’t want to because she couldn’t — and that’s the whole thing.”
“They are not helping the seriously mentally ill,” he added. “The city is not doing its job with all the money they are putting towards ThriveNYC.”

But let's focus on a few citizens saying inappropriate things about homeless people and not on what officials who are supposed to help them are not saying and are blatantly avoiding addressing the issue.

14 comments:

Anonymous said...

Not all homeless suffer from mental illness??? I’m sorry, but during the course of any day in NYC 9 out of 10 homeless people that I see ( and I see dozens) are mentally unstable.

Anonymous said...

The solution is for deBlasio to stop baiting all these people to come to New York with free stuff & sanctuary.
In Boston & Providence they now hand the homeless free Amtrak tickets and $20 bills to New York
It seems every dame city in the country that offers sanctuary and massive "come and get it handouts" has this homeless problem.
Worse mayor then Boss Tweed, worst mayor in HISTORY !!

Anonymous said...

good for Holden! he will be the only one to stand up to Superintendent Chan in school district 24 for all the special education suspensions going on! throughout the district and under her own roof! where is equity and justice for our students???

Anonymous said...

THE PRESS SHOULD SURROUND THE DIBLASSIO COMPOUND AND PESTER THEM WITH QUESTIONS UNTIL THEY GIVE US ANSWERS. ITS THE LEAST THAT WE DESERVE.

Anonymous said...

Chirlane McCray had no intention of using the $850 million for any purpose other than her hubby's presidential campaign. Any token efforts of THRIVE were just that: token, putting on a superficial show. Therefore, it's no surprise they didn't identify and confine this nut job. What's 4 lives to Dumblassio? They probably didn't contribute to his campaign or vote, so they're expendable.

Anonymous said...

"But let's focus on a few citizens saying inappropriate things about homeless people and not on what officials who are supposed to help them are not saying and are blatantly avoiding addressing the issue."

And this is exactly the problem. All media outlets have not posted a thing about the population of people going into these shelters. The homeless themselves are scared to be there. The media outlets are running with whatever gets the most eyeballs. Concerns for the hardworking taxpayers do not matter we - racists while note even talking about people but shelters. We are well on our way to being socialists. Everyone wants what everyone has but without putting in the work.
The new 20 somethings are upset that they can't all be artists and youtube stars but will actually have to afford the going rate for rent.

Where is the money that was given to the first lady, we can't call her out because it'd make us "racist" as well correct. Why isn't this mayor gone? We are all looking at trump but this mayor has sold out the working class. Why close rikers instead of fixing it? That land has been sold to the highest bidder and in his pocket. We are making like easier for those in jails and shelters while we continue to suffer to pay for the added speed cams, coned wage hikes, and so on. I cannot wait for the day the middle class wakes up and starts leaving. Waiting for the money to leave the city to NJ and CT.

Anonymous said...

Most homeless people I encounter are very mentally ill. Very. Re-open psychiatric hospitals so that these people can have a bed AND the services they need.

Also, Santos was bailed out by a not-for-profit group recently. We should know who they are and what/whom they are supporting....this is a public health issue.

Anonymous said...

Thats funny. Dissing Holden sounds like something Trump would do.

Anonymous said...

No, you’re exaggerating. Many are young people that own even dogs but decide to live a vagrant life.

Anonymous said...

Bus ticket therapy is badly needed here! Tickets to SF would probably be snapped up. The homeless get all the goodies there!

Anonymous said...

Almost 1 billion dollars for a 1-800 number. In the meantime Veteran's benefits are cut down to almost nothing. NYC sucks.

Anonymous said...

Almost 1 billion dollars for a 1-800 number. In the meantime Veteran's benefits are cut down to almost nothing. NYC sucks.

Anonymous said...

Serotonergic psychotropic drugs are implicated in mass shootings, mass homosexualization and mass liberalization of America

Anonymous said...

1-The city ignores it because it has no beds to place them.
2-No laws force these nuts to take their medication
3-No laws can force wearing a GPS ankle monitor when the issue is mental illness
4-The jackass judges letting the nuts kill kids have indemnification from prosecution.

All these things need to be fixed first.
The illegal Central American & Mexican family units with kids are getting priority to all the better shelters & services. Its an enormous drain on doctors and $$ resources.
All this shit is directly related to NYC Sanctuary City nonsense