'CRY' FOR HELP
Bill’s tears amid addict-aid plan
Mayor de Blasio’s eyes welled with tears on Monday during an announcement of a major mentalhealth initiative as he spoke of the addiction challenges faced by both his late father and collegeage daughter.
Although he has been open about both their struggles previously, the mayor was overcome with emotion when he contrasted his frustration over not knowing how to help his alcoholic, warveteran dad — who committed suicide — and his familiarity with mentalhealth and substanceabuse services now that his daughter, Chiara, is on the mend.
“Chiara showed us and really educated all of us on what . . . good efforts could do that would change someone’s life,” the mayor said at Hunter College School of Social Work in East Harlem.
“And so I wished — I literally wished at times there was a time machine, and I could learn what I learned from Chiara and go back and try and reach my father.”
Both Chiara and Dante, the mayor’s son, at tended the event, as did his wife, Chirlane McCray, who is spearheading the effort.
The new programs include a hot line opening in 2016 — accessible 24/7 via phone, text and online — that will help connect people to mentalhealth and substanceabuse services for themselves or friends and family members.
The city will also dispatch a team of 400 doctors and other medical clinicians known as the NYC Mental Health Corps to provide mentalhealth services in the neediest neighborhoods.
These were among 23 new initiatives designed to fill gaps in knowledge and services and to end stigma over seeking help.
“Too many New Yorkers in every community are not getting the treatment they need — that’s the bad news,” McCray said. “The good news is that mental illness is treatable. We know what works. We have the tools — we just aren’t using them.”
Including 31 other programs that have been previously announced, the price tag for the entire plan was estimated at $850 million over the next four years.