NEW YORK, NY — State Senator Kristen Gonzalez and several of her colleagues visited New York Health and Hospital Bellevue to tour their Psychiatric Care Department. During the visit, hospital administrators and staff showcased their comprehensive behavioral health services including emergency, adult inpatient, and children and adolescent inpatient services. They also highlighted the need for an over $110 million capital investment to upgrade and renovate their behavioral health units, improving and expanding care for New Yorkers.

Senator Gonzalez was joined by Senators Gustavo Rivera, Chair of the Senate Health Committee, Nathalia Fernandez, Chair of the Senate Alcoholism and Substance Use Disorders Committee,  Erik Bottcher, and representatives from Senator Liz Krueger’s and Assemblymember Keith Powers’s office. 

Mayor Zohran Mamdani included $48.2 million in the New York City preliminary budget to fund Bellevue’s Comprehensive Psychiatric Emergency Program (CPEP). This program provides 24/7 emergency mental health services, including immediate evaluation, crisis intervention, and referrals to in- and outpatient care. Bellevue’s CPEP department is one of the few remaining psychiatric emergency rooms in lower Manhattan following the closure of Mount Sinai Beth Israel. They accept all patients regardless of insurance coverage, immigration status, or ability to pay. 

Bellevue Hospital also has the only children and adolescent comprehensive psychiatric emergency program in all of New York City, and maintains age-appropriate inpatient units for children aged 4-12 and adolescents aged 12-18. Last year, Bellevue saw over 2,000 emergency visits in their pediatric psychiatry unit, and admitted  519 patients to their inpatient care units. 168 patients were transferred from other hospitals, demonstrating Bellevue’s citywide reach and unique services. $40 million would be dedicated to the Child and Adolescents Inpatient Unit.

The funding promised by Mayor Mamdani would be used to renovate and create a single location psychiatric emergency department with a centralized entry point, minimizing the risk of patients leaving before receiving care by eliminating transfer points. This change is necessary to improve care while increasing patient capacity. The remaining $70 million in needed funding would go toward renovating and upgrading the inpatient units. $30 million in funding is needed for the adult psychiatric inpatient unit, and $40 million would be dedicated to the children and adolescent inpatient units.  

The additional funding would increase capacity by 50 beds, enabling more people to receive the care they need. This critical funding would modernize the units to provide a safer environment for both patients and staff. Updated layouts will create more privacy, and refreshed furniture and windows will improve patient comfort and dignity. The renovations are anticipated to decrease the risk of violence, improve patient outcomes, and expand the number of people who can be served.

Last year, Senator Gonzalez published her Manhattan Community Safety Plan which outlines the steps New York legislators must take for the overall safety of Manhattan. The plan emphasizes the connection between behavioral health and community safety, and calls for the prioritization of allocating funds for safety net hospitals like Bellevue to ensure all New Yorkers who need it, have access to behavioral health treatments.

Senator Kristen Gonzalez said, “New Yorkers deserve safety. They deserve access to mental healthcare, they deserve programs in place to help people in crisis, and they deserve a government that puts their needs first. Bellevue hospital is an institution in my district, and in New York City as a whole. From their status as a safety net hospital, accepting patients regardless of their insurance coverage, housing, age, or immigration status, to their work as one of the only comprehensive psychiatric emergency programs in Lower Manhattan, their operations are essential. I’m proud to work with NYC Health and Hospitals, and my colleagues to advocate for their funding in this year’s state budget.”

Senator Nathalia Fernandez said, “NYC Health + Hospitals/Bellevue stands as one of the great institutions in American public health. For generations, New Yorkers have walked through its doors in moments of crisis and found care, dignity, and compassion. Visiting the Children’s Psychiatry Unit was a powerful reminder of how essential these services are for young people and their families. Supporting this work with the resources it needs will help ensure that every child facing a mental health crisis can receive the care, stability, and hope they deserve.”

Senator Erik Bottcher said, “Bellevue Hospital plays an essential role in New York City’s public health system, particularly in providing critical mental health care to residents across Manhattan and the entire city. I’m grateful to join my colleagues Senator Kristen Gonzalez and Senator Gustavo Rivera to learn more about the services Bellevue provides and the challenges frontline providers face. Strengthening mental health care — from crisis response to long-term treatment — must remain a top priority as we work to ensure every New Yorker can access the care and support they need.”