FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: January 26, 2023
JCCA Statement on the Mayor’s State of the City and Proposed Mental Health Program
Ronald E. Richter, Chief Executive Officer of JCCA, one of New York’s oldest child and family services organizations providing child welfare and mental health services, issued the following statement in response to Mayor Adams’ State of the City address:
“JCCA would like to thank Mayor Adams for taking the time to address the city’s mental health crisis in his state of the city today and for the creation of a three-part mental health plan that would include both child and family mental health.
We applaud his efforts to create the biggest school mental health program in the city’s history and highlight the need for establishing a whole-child approach to education that includes social-emotional learning, mental health programs and telehealth care for every public high school student.
JCCA agrees with the plan to create community-based counseling for those who urgently need access to additional support. Every day, JCCA staff sees the vital need for services for the children and families that are currently underserved and either already in the child welfare and juvenile legal systems or at risk of entering due to current psychological health issues. Access to high-quality mental health services is of utmost importance.
A comprehensive package of investments and policy changes that support this specific population is vital to ensuring every New Yorker gets the help they need.”