New York Launches New Homeless Assistance Program, Attorneys Call It 'Mass Surveillance'

As part of the new program introduced on November 14 by Mayor Bill de Blasio, social workers in New York are required to report to a special hotline if they see a homeless person on the street. This publication writes abc7NY.

About the program

The initiative is called Outreach NYC. According to the mayor of New York, she is mobilizing thousands of employees of the city agency, who, as part of this program, must report to 311 if they see homeless people on the street.

To do this, the city trains 18 thousands of employees in five agencies, including the Department of Sanitation, the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, the Fire Department (FDNY), the Department of Buildings, and the Department of Parks. They are explained how to use the 311 application and other platforms to submit requests related to the homeless.

Requests will be redirected to the new joint command center, managed by the Homeless Department and New York City Police.

Based on the information received, interagency staff will analyze trends and sort requests, as well as prioritize problems in solving problems depending on their complexity.

The city also plans to hire 180 additional outreach workers, as a result of which their total number will be more than 550.

On the subject: New York has spent $ 89 million on sending homeless people to other states, but they are coming back

“We have made significant progress in overcoming the crisis of homelessness in our city through the Turning the Tide program, and with the help of Outreach NYC we are announcing new steps to move forward in this direction,” said de Blasio.

The mayor emphasized that it is impossible to overcome this problem, "being in a vacuum", and that "it is time for us all to wear one uniform."

Opponents of the initiative

A coalition in support of the homeless has criticized the plan, saying that it will harm the city’s population, which has no shelter.

“The mayor’s main plan is to massively monitor the homeless New Yorkers without the necessary additional investment in solving real problems, such as housing,” said Political Affairs Director Giselle Rotier.

He added that this initiative was not originally intended to help anyone. According to him, such a "counterproductive plan" is aimed at eliminating the problem itself.

New Deputy Mayor for Health

In addition, the new deputy mayor, whom de Blasio introduced this Thursday, will now be responsible for health issues in New York.

The new deputy for health and social services, Dr. Raul Perea-Henze, is a doctor with extensive experience in the public sector. He took up a post that had been vacant for almost five months, the newspaper notes.

Perea Hentze was previously an assistant to President Barack Obama for politics and planning at the Department of Veterans Affairs.

“During his three-year career at the highest government level and in the private sector, Dr. Perea-Hentze has established himself as a true creator of change, striving to improve the lives of vulnerable people around the world. I am proud to welcome him to the Department of Health and Social Services, ”said the mayor.

What will the deputy mayor do in his position

In his new position, Perea Hentze will focus on urban poverty, public health, including public health (for example, measles, overdose of opioids and smoking among adolescents).

"This is my house. The opportunity to serve New Yorkers as deputy mayor is a great honor, especially for this administration, formed on the basis of social justice, and which speaks of the values ​​that have motivated my work all my life, ”said Parea-Henze.

Who is Dr. Perea Henze

Parea Hentze is the son of medical workers. He grew up in Mexico, where he graduated from medical school at 21 year, and then completed his studies in public health at Yale. In his 28 years, he was one of the youngest fellows at the New York Medical Academy.

In 2010, the Senate approved him as the first openly gay Latino who became secretary of the Cabinet of Ministers in the history of our country.

Dr. Perea-Hentze has been a member of numerous boards for global and local organizations in the areas of healthcare, mental health, Latin American and veteran affairs, and national service.

He traveled and worked with doctors in 145 countries as a member of the World Medical Association and is fluent in four languages.