ALBANY, NY — New York’s mental health crisis has escalated, according to a report released on March 27 by State Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli.

More than 3.2 million adults in New York were affected by any mental illness (AMI) in 2021-22, according to the report. AMI includes a spectrum of mental disorders, excluding developmental and substance use disorders. 

The number of public mental health service users increased 23 percent since 2013, the report says. Young adults ages 18 to 25 are particularly vulnerable, with 30 percent suffering an incidence of mental illness during this period.

At the same time, inpatient psychiatric beds decreased significantly: 11.2 percent in New York City and 9.8 percent elsewhere in the state, for a total of 990 beds lost. The COVID pandemic further reduced capacity when community hospitals transferred 20 percent of their psychiatric beds to medical needs. As of December, New York City had 3,999 psychiatric beds and the rest of the state had 4,458.

Twenty counties, including Sullivan County, have no state psychiatric facility at all. The nearest facility to Sullivan County is the Mid-Hudson Forensic Psychiatric Center in New Hampton. 

New York urgently needs better mental health services, DiNapoli said. He supports restoring the inpatient beds, efforts are underway to reopen approximately 850 of them. he also supports expanding telehealth.

DiNapoli said the state’s 2023-24 budget includes $1 billion for mental health care.

For the full report visit https://tinyurl.com/34v4tzmb.