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State AG organizes public hearing to gauge if mental health care is accessible

New York State Attorney General's Office
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Vimeo.com

State attorney general Tish James wants to hear from New Yorkers and others about the accessibility of mental health care across the state. She’s holding a public hearing next Wednesday, and is urging the public, advocacy groups, healthcare providers, and government agencies to testify. James says in a release, people are struggling to access mental health facilities, partly a result of the pandemic. About 400 inpatient psychiatric beds have been eliminated since the pandemic began, and there are only 274 psychiatric beds for children and adolescents in the entire state. James says the lack of access to care has led to increased homelessness, incarceration, and more frequent hospital visits. Information on how to submit testimony and view the hearing from New York city is at the Attorney General’s website.