Overwhelming number of New Yorkers support changes to take mentally ill off streets, subways: poll

Nearly 90% of New York City voters support expanding involuntary commitment and care of mentally ill residents roaming the streets or the subway, according to a recent poll conducted by the Association for a Better New York.

The survey found that a staggering 88% of voters supported expanded treatment, even as Governor Kathy Hochul faced resistance in the legislature regarding her bid to expand involuntary commitment laws.

The survey asked voters if they supported expanding the state eligibility standard for involuntary treatment and care to include individuals unable to care for themselves and meet their basic needs. Of the 600 voters polled, only 4% were opposed, and 8% were undecided, with overwhelming support for change across all parts of the city and demographic groups.

More than 9 in 10 voters agreed that providing involuntary treatment and care for people with severe mental illness is more compassionate than leaving them on the streets, with a majority strongly agreeing with this statement.

Similarly, 91% of voters agreed that people struggling with severe mental illness should not be denied life-saving psychiatric care, even if their illness prevents them from recognizing their need for help.

The poll also revealed that 73% of voters believed the number of public safety incidents involving individuals with untreated severe mental illness had increased in recent years, with only 4% saying it had decreased.

Steven Rubenstein, chairman of ABNY, stated, “New Yorkers are rightfully concerned about their safety, rooted in firsthand experiences in the transit system. There is an overwhelming consensus that we have a problem and compassionate ways to fix it.”

86% of residents reported seeing individuals struggling with severe mental illness on the streets or in the subway, and the majority believed it should be a priority for lawmakers to address untreated severe mental illness.

Despite strong public support, Hochul faced challenges in Albany as parts of her proposal to expand involuntary commitment laws were omitted or altered in separate counter proposals.

Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie expressed openness to compromise, stating, “We want people to feel safe on the subways. Subways should not become temporary living places for people with mental health issues.”

The ABNY survey conducted by Tulchin Research among 600 New York City voters from Feb. 4-10 had a margin of error of +/- 4 percentage points.