McCray Announces New Inclusive Mental Health System
New York City First Lady Chirlane McCray will be at Brooklyn Borough Hall this morning at the From Punishment to Public Health 2015 Conference to announce the creation of a roadmap for a more inclusive mental health system.
As Chair of the Mayor’s Fund to Advance New York City, McCray will oversee a partnership between the Mayor’s Fund, NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, and Fund for Public Health that aims for a more inclusive mental health system that meets the needs of every New Yorker, throughout the five boroughs.
The roadmap will describe the burden that depression, anxiety, addiction, and other all-too-common diseases inflict upon New York City’s communities. It will also lay out a series of actions that address the needs and disparities the team identifies.
“For too long, our society has tried to ignore the great emotional, social and economic costs of mental illness, even as so many of our neighbors suffer in silence,” said McCray. “I’m proud to announce that the Mayor’s Fund will play a leading role in the push to address the mental health crisis head-on.”
Abbate Vulnerability Seen In Growing Brooklyn Dem War
A growing war between two factions of Southern Brooklyn Democrats is leaving veteran Assemblyman Peter Abbate vulnerable to defeat, said one Democratic source.
The two factions pits forces loyal to Abbate and Sheepshead Bay Assemblyman Steve Cymbrowitz on one side to forces loyal to Assemblyman Bill Colton and Coney Island City Councilman Mark Treyger on the other side.
“Abbate’s got to be real careful because his district is 55 percent Chinese and his (Stars & Stripes Democratic) club is old time. It’s been there since the 80’s and they have no Chinese leadership,” said the source.
The source noted that while Abbate has several hundred thousand dollars in his campaign war chest, the money won’t be that important if he can’t muster the ground forces to get out the vote.
Abbate, who is known to tell reporters off the record that Chinese people don’t vote, has been in office since 1989 or for 29 years.
“Peter’s wrong,” said the source. “They will vote when one of their own run, and even if one doesn’t run there vote is being more mobilized every day.”
The borough’s only Asian-American Democratic District Leader, Nancy Tong comes out of Colton’s powerful and well-attended United Progressive Democratic Club. She doesn’t live in Abbate’s district and said it’s too early to comment on whether she will run for higher office or if someone is being groomed to challenge Abbate, but did say the growing Asian vote in Southern Brooklyn should not be taken for granted,
“I am sure more Asians will be voting. I explain to them their rights and urge them to come out and vote. And I’m not the only one. More and more leaders are explaining to them about voting,” Tong said.
