🔴 LIVE: Hearing on Mental Health Care in NYC Jails

The New York City Council Committee on Criminal Justice held a hearing on September 23, 2026, focused on mental health care in NYC jails, particularly at Rikers Island. The hearing included discussions on legislation requiring the Department of Correction (DOC) to improve procedures for returning institutional funds to incarcerated individuals and bills aimed at extending and strengthening a task force addressing the treatment and housing of transgender, gender non-conforming, non-binary, and intersex (TGNCBI) individuals in custody. Testimony from DOC, Correctional Health Services (CHS), and independent bodies highlighted challenges such as missed mental health appointments, staffing shortages, and the need for better housing and care for people with serious mental illness. Advocates and community organizations urged the council to increase investments in community-based mental health services, improve transparency and accountability in DOC practices, and support legislation to protect vulnerable populations in custody. The hearing also addressed the impact of incarceration on children visiting jails and the importance of trauma-informed care. Several votes were taken, including the adoption of proposed introduction 246A related to institutional funds. The hearing underscored ongoing concerns about mental health care quality, housing appropriateness, and re-entry support for incarcerated individuals, with calls for enhanced oversight and funding to address systemic issues.