It’s not our collective imagination: Large numbers of deeply unstable New Yorkers are inhabiting the streets and subways. A small fraction of those beset with psychosis — Simon Martial, Peter Zisopoulos, Alexander Wright and Frank James come to mind — present a danger to others.
Chronically, such individuals fall through gaping cracks in the mental health infrastructure. Police and the jails remain frontline responders to their complex conditions, which frequently include a symptom called anosognosia, which means they are unaware of their own illness and therefore uninterested in seeking treatment.
At long last, after glaring failures by Bill de Blasio and Chirlane McCray and adjustments in fits and starts by Mayor Eric Adams, the city points toward a better way. It’ll depend in no small part on finding willing partners in Albany. We’re looking at you, Gov. Kathy Hochul.
