Council presses H+H on mental health funding, maternal services and school-based continuum
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Summary
Council members and H+H discussed proposed additions for mental health and maternal services in the FY26 executive plan, including a one-time $3.6 million for the school-based mental health continuum, a council request to baseline $5 million, maternal health peer specialists and pilots for women's trauma-informed care.
Council members used the executive budget hearing to press New York City Health and Hospitals about mental-health investments, maternal supports and school-based services.
The executive plan included a one-time $3.6 million allocation for the mental health continuum — a collaboration between H+H, the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH) and the Department of Education to provide school-based mental health services — and the council's preliminary response urged baselining $5 million for the program. Dr. Katz said the school-based centers provide individual, family and group therapy and also embed staff to work with teachers to manage classroom behavioral issues; he invited members to visit existing centers and argued baseline funding would allow program growth beyond one-year appropriations.
On maternal health, the council's preliminary budget asked for $5 million for expanded mental-health support for new mothers and $4.5 million to hire 60 maternal health peer specialists to integrate with multi-agency crisis response teams. Katz said H+H would prioritize new mothers and expand mental-health personnel if funds were provided, and that maternal mortality often reflects complications manifesting long after delivery.
Council members also raised potential new pilots: the preliminary response recommended $300,000 for a women’s concussion clinic to provide trauma-informed care to domestic-violence survivors; Katz said H+H is open to piloting such a program with existing specialty clinics (King’s County cited as an example). The council also asked about a proposed $5 million request for additional cancer navigation staff — two nurse practitioners — and H+H replied it has requested funding and awaits OMB decisions.
Ending: The council called for baselining funding for the mental health continuum and for continued discussions with OMB about maternal mental health, new clinic pilots and cancer navigation funding, and asked H+H to return with implementation plans if funds are made available.