New York City's PATH program, tasked with removing homeless people with severe mental health needs from subway stations, faces an uncertain future after the front-runner in the mayoral race, Zohran Mamdani, has pledged to dismantle it. Instead of police officers, he wants to deploy "transit ambassadors" – trained civilians who can provide emergency assistance and other transit information.
The PATH program was launched last year as part of a larger effort to address homelessness in the city's subways. Since its inception, over 600 people with severe mental illness have been removed from the subway system and provided with treatment. However, critics argue that the presence of police officers undermines the efforts of outreach workers, who are trained to build trust with individuals struggling with homelessness.
Opponents claim that forcing someone into the hospital after a snap diagnosis violates their individual rights. Dave Giffen, head of the Coalition for the Homeless, believes that having a uniformed and armed police officer present is detrimental to the efforts of outreach workers, causing unsheltered people to be even less likely to interact with them.
Mamdani's campaign has agreed with this assessment, stating that deploying NYPD officers takes resources away from more pressing crimes. The former governor, Andrew Cuomo, who is running as an independent, proposes a heavier-handed approach – forcing homeless individuals out of the subways if they even loiter in stations.
Despite claims that softer approaches were ineffective and allowed people to remain in the transit system while their mental health deteriorated, critics argue that this approach ignores the root causes of homelessness. Stettin, the mayor's senior adviser on mental illness, believes that the police presence plays a crucial role by allowing an expert to decide whether someone needs to be involuntarily hospitalized or given treatment.
If Mamdani wins the mayoral election, it is unclear what will happen to the PATH program and NYPD involvement in homeless outreach. City data shows that most people with mental illness in the subway are not violent, but rather victims of violence themselves. The subways' persistent problem remains an intractable challenge for New York City officials.
The PATH program was launched last year as part of a larger effort to address homelessness in the city's subways. Since its inception, over 600 people with severe mental illness have been removed from the subway system and provided with treatment. However, critics argue that the presence of police officers undermines the efforts of outreach workers, who are trained to build trust with individuals struggling with homelessness.
Opponents claim that forcing someone into the hospital after a snap diagnosis violates their individual rights. Dave Giffen, head of the Coalition for the Homeless, believes that having a uniformed and armed police officer present is detrimental to the efforts of outreach workers, causing unsheltered people to be even less likely to interact with them.
Mamdani's campaign has agreed with this assessment, stating that deploying NYPD officers takes resources away from more pressing crimes. The former governor, Andrew Cuomo, who is running as an independent, proposes a heavier-handed approach – forcing homeless individuals out of the subways if they even loiter in stations.
Despite claims that softer approaches were ineffective and allowed people to remain in the transit system while their mental health deteriorated, critics argue that this approach ignores the root causes of homelessness. Stettin, the mayor's senior adviser on mental illness, believes that the police presence plays a crucial role by allowing an expert to decide whether someone needs to be involuntarily hospitalized or given treatment.
If Mamdani wins the mayoral election, it is unclear what will happen to the PATH program and NYPD involvement in homeless outreach. City data shows that most people with mental illness in the subway are not violent, but rather victims of violence themselves. The subways' persistent problem remains an intractable challenge for New York City officials.
Mamdani's idea of deploying "transit ambassadors" sounds like a good start, but it depends on how it's implemented 
. I think we need more support for outreach workers & mental health services rather than relying on cops alone 
We already know that 1 in 5 homeless ppl have severe mental illness, so we can't just sweep the problem under the rug 
The city needs a comprehensive plan to tackle homelessness & mental health crisis. Let's hope whoever wins the election knows what they're doing 
it's like u need help & support but some ppl are gonna try 2 push u away cos its easier dat way 
meanwhile, Mamdani's idea of 'transit ambassadors' sounds nice n all but what happens when u r in crisis mode & need someone who can just literally call the cops for u? 
. While I understand the concerns about police presence undermining outreach worker efforts, I'm not convinced that it's a zero-sum game. The PATH program has already shown promising results in providing treatment and support to individuals with severe mental illness. However, as Stettin pointed out, having an expert assess someone's needs is crucial.
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I'm literally living this 
I've been to Times Square on a Sunday night when you can barely walk without getting stepped on or cornered... it's like they're not even trying 
The PATH program is a lifeline, no doubt about it 
Removing people with severe mental health issues from the subway takes away that element of danger and allows them to get actual help 
I don't get why Zohran Mamdani would wanna scrap it... isn't that what he's supposed to be fighting for? 
it's like he thinks outreach workers aren't doing their job or smthn... I mean I get that critics think police officers are a hindrance but isn't there a way to make both worlds work? 
It's like they're trying to make homelessness a "crime" instead of addressing the root causes. I'm all for helping folks in need, but you can't just sweep it under the rug and expect everything to magically fix itself 
We'd have arrows pointing to things like lack of affordable housing, unemployment, and mental health services.
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. But seriously, folks, this is a real concern – I mean, who gets to decide whether someone needs help or not? The city data shows that most people with mental illness in the subways are victims themselves, but what's being done for them? 
. It's time for a more balanced approach, ya know? 
. And what about all those people with severe mental illness who need actual treatment? What's gonna happen to 'em now? It's all about short-term fixes vs. addressing the root causes of homelessness 
. On one hand, I get why we need to help people with severe mental health issues 
. But on the other hand, having cops everywhere might actually scare people away from talking to outreach workers, who are trained to connect with them in a more humane way 
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- maybe train more transit ambassadors and give 'em some basic emergency response skills so they can handle situations like this without having to call the cops 
. And what about providing more affordable housing options and mental health services that people can actually access 
? That's where I think we need to focus our energy, rather than just shuffling people around between different subway stations 
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. Stettin's all about getting a "expert" involved, but who gets to decide that? And what about the advocates for mental health care? They're gonna get left high and dry if this program falls apart 
I don't think it's a good idea to get rid of the PATH program just because some ppl think police presence is harshing the vibe for outreach workers. Like, what's wrong with having some extra help in the subway?