Mayor Zohran Mamdani appointed a longtime behavioral well being chief on Tuesday to function commissioner of his newly created Workplace of Neighborhood Security, filling a key put up in an workplace already going through strain from advocates over its authority, funding and construction.
Dr. Ayesha Delany-Brumsey will report back to Deputy Mayor for Neighborhood Security Renita Francois, whom Mamdani appointed in March when he created the workplace by govt order.
The workplace has been solid as an preliminary step towards Mamdani’s marketing campaign pledge of making a $1.1 billion metropolis company, however for now could be supposed to coordinate a number of present metropolis features, together with crime sufferer companies, gun violence prevention, home and gender-based violence prevention, hate crime prevention, group psychological well being and disaster response packages comparable to B-HEARD.
Delany-Brumsey at present serves as senior advisor and director of community-based companies within the Workplace of Behavioral Well being at NYC Well being + Hospitals. Metropolis Corridor mentioned she has overseen citywide behavioral well being programming, together with cell disaster groups and B-HEARD. She beforehand labored at Fountain Home, the Mayor’s Workplace of Prison Justice beneath Invoice de Blasio, the Council of State Governments Justice Heart and the Vera Institute of Justice.
Dr. Ayesha Delany-Brumsey, newly appointed commissioner of the Mayor’s Workplace of Neighborhood Security. Photograph courtesy of Dr. Ayesha Delany-Brumsey
The appointment comes a day after a coalition of 47 organizations despatched Mamdani and Francois a letter calling for the brand new workplace to obtain investments in companies, significant authority over the NYPD and binding commitments for change.
The coalition mentioned the mayor’s govt price range, due Might 12, may provide a clearer image of the workplace’s course after it was disregarded of the preliminary price range in February.
The teams urged the administration to construct non-police disaster response groups, change 911, 311 and 988 triage and dispatch techniques, and put money into companies together with Intensive Cellular Remedy groups, disaster stabilization facilities, respite facilities, community-based behavioral well being companies and low-barrier housing.
The Authorized Assist Society welcomed Delany-Brumsey’s appointment, saying her background in behavioral well being, disaster response and prison authorized system reform positions her to assist advance a mannequin rooted in care and prevention quite than criminalization.
“For too long, New Yorkers experiencing homelessness, mental health crises, and substance abuse have been met first by law enforcement, often with tragic outcomes — particularly in low-income communities and communities of color. The work ahead for the Office of Community Safety must focus on changing that reality by building robust, community-based responses that de-escalate crises, connect people to services, and reduce harm,” the group mentioned in an announcement.
The workplace has additionally just lately drawn concern from some home violence advocates after The New York Occasions reported that the brand new construction may diminish the standing of the Mayor’s Workplace to Finish Home and Gender-Based mostly Violence.
Requested Monday about these issues, Mamdani mentioned that work is “critically important” to his administration and argued that the Workplace of Neighborhood Security is supposed to carry beforehand fragmented elements of metropolis authorities into one coordinated construction, together with home and gender-based violence work, psychological well being disaster response and gun violence prevention.
