NYC's First Lady Announces a New Approach to Mental Health

New York City is taking a new approach to addressing mental health issues – and the first step is to diagnose the problem.

Speaking at a conference in Brooklyn on Wednesday, First Lady Chirlane McCray announced a new partnership between the Mayor’s Fund, where she serves as board chair, and the city’s Department of Health and Mental Hygiene to study the prevalence of mental health issues across the city, their associated economic and personal costs, and where the city needs to provide more support services.

McCray spoke personally about how her own life has been touched by mental health issues. She described the struggles of her parents, people in her professional life and most profoundly how her daughter Chiara battled with depression, anxiety and substance abuse.

“I felt everything you would expect a mother to feel,” said McCray.  “I mean love, first and foremost, but fear and a great deal of uncertainty.”

McCray said it was a challenge to find the right treatment for her daughter. But they did and now she wants to make sure that all New Yorkers have access to the services they need.

A roadmap documenting the scale of mental health issues in the city and what services are needed where is the first step toward a comprehensive program expected to be announced by summer, she said.

The city did not yet say how much the fund will spend on this program.