Homelessness, drug addiction and mental problems: one of the districts of Brooklyn faced a terrible crisis

Attacks on the subway, a record number of homeless people are outward signs of a deepening mental health crisis in New York. But the severity of this manifestation depends on the area. East New York is an area of ​​Brooklyn where more serious crime occurs than in any other area of ​​New York. A significant proportion of emergencies in this part of the city are related to mental health problems. According to the Department of Health, the admission rate of adults in psychiatric hospitals in East New York more than double the overall score for the city.

And while lawyers and officials can't find a solution to the rise in mental health problems, East New Yorkers say the streets are getting more and more unsafe. Multiple crises are stacked on top of each other: mental health, homelessness, and drug addiction.

Children can no longer play in some playgrounds. Elderly people use Uber instead of walking. Residents are increasingly crossing the street to avoid people they see as dangerous.

Charmaine, 30, works at a day care center across the street from the playground, where she says she often sees people peeing, walking around naked, muttering under their breath, or using hard drugs.

“It's a problem when kids can't use parks and playgrounds because of a homeless shelter nearby. People from the shelter go to the parks because they have to leave the shelter in the morning and can only return in the evening. But it affects everyone in the area. We can't let the children play in the playground... We try to keep them safe within the walls of the kindergarten," said Charmaine.

Malik Smith, 20, grew up in East New York. He says the area has changed a lot for the worse in the past few years.

“This area has fallen into disrepair and looks crazy now,” Smith said. He doesn't look like he used to. It is a fact."

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Larry Patterson, 40, said he faced daily poverty and homelessness in the area. But he sympathizes with people who annoy many. He knows that with a rapid change of circumstances he may find himself in a similar position.

“If I lose my job and stop paying my rent, how do I know I won’t end up in the same position? … If I now find myself in a situation where I have stopped working or not being able to provide for myself, I will find myself homeless, depressed, stressed,” the man said.

Homeless shelters create, not solve a problem

As the problem worsens, tensions arise between local authorities and human rights defenders. There are over 10 homeless shelters in the area and this may be part of the problem, not the solution.

Charles Barron, a city councilman for District 42, which includes East New York, says the crux of the problem lies in the large number of homeless shelters that take the city's most vulnerable residents, already suffering from poverty. East New York lacks the resources to fully meet the needs of its current residents, let alone those brought in from other areas, he said.

Melinda Perkins, district manager for Community District 5, says the large amount of subsidized housing may also be to blame. East New York is currently undergoing a lot of development, she said, and developers are happy to build subsidized housing for the poorest, because then the city will provide them with large benefits, including tax.

Perkins says the problem has intensified since the pandemic, which is not surprising, given that quarantine and isolation have a negative impact on the mental state of a person.

Little help for the homeless

Human rights activists see the problem differently. They view the surge in mental illness as a citywide problem exacerbated by the pandemic and insist the city should provide more help and services to the homeless.

“We definitely need more safe, affordable housing,” said human rights activist Brian Moriarty.

Moriarty runs various programs in East New York, including East New York SRO, a residential residence with support services for residents.

“If we can achieve stability, then we can break their cycle of homelessness. Part of the success of this challenge lies in working on their mental health — linking them to external resources, whether it be a hospital, a psychiatric clinic, an addiction treatment clinic, or just an employment program,” Moriarty said.

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Pascal Larosillier, program director for Good Shepherd Services, a youth development and family services agency, said the crux of the mental health problem is that the city's programs provide few services or simply lack funding.

“Existing support services are really depleted,” Larosillier said… I think a lot of the psychiatric clinics that exist in East New York would be helpful if there were some room for expansion so they could cover more areas in East New York. York, or so that they can extend their hours of operation, or so that they can form and send teams of specialists directly to communities to support them.”