New York’s mental health system is facing a concerning trend, as revealed in a recent report by state Comptroller Tom DiNapoli. Over the past decade, there has been a 23% increase in the number of individuals utilizing the state’s public mental health services, totaling nearly 900,000 New Yorkers. However, despite this rise in demand, the capacity of inpatient psychiatric facilities has decreased by 10.5% statewide from April 2014 to December 2023.
The decrease in psychiatric beds is even more pronounced outside of New York City, where there has been a 9.8% reduction. This decline has been attributed in part to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, as individuals turned to telehealth services or avoided seeking inpatient care. As a result, many inpatient psychiatric facilities were not being utilized adequately, leading to their closure.
In response to the decreased capacity, the state Department of Health and Office of Mental Health directed community hospitals to reopen around 850 beds in January 2023. However, as of December, only about 500 of these beds have returned to operations. This initiative aims to address the immediate need for psychiatric beds, but it also highlights a long-term decline in inpatient facilities that DiNapoli attributes to policy decisions made decades ago.
Despite efforts to increase capacity and ensure adequate care for individuals with mental illness
