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IBO: BeHEARD eligibility and response times declined as the program expanded
Summary
An Independent Budget Office analysis presented at the hearing found eligible BeHEARD calls rose sharply while assignment rates and median response times worsened, prompting calls for staffing and data investments if the city expands the pilot.
At the hearing the New York City Independent Budget Office (IBO) summarized its January 29 report on the BeHEARD mobile behavioral‑health response pilot. Cassandra Stewart and Ed Dolan told the committee that as the program expanded to additional precincts, the workload outpaced staffing and performance declined: eligible calls rose ninefold from early operations to the most recent quarter available in the report, while the share of eligible calls assigned to a BeHEARD unit dropped from nearly 80% to roughly 37%.
IBO reported the median response time for BeHEARD units lengthened from about 12 minutes at the program’s start to 21 minutes in the most recent period, and that BeHEARD teams spend longer on scene (median 33 minutes) than other non‑BeHEARD responders (median 19 minutes). The office noted the program covers roughly 40% of New Yorkers but operates fewer teams per shift than would be proportionate to the area now included.
IBO staff and council members framed the problem as one of scale: expanding geographic coverage without commensurate increases in teams, staff pay and vehicles can reduce the effectiveness of a response model that relies on timely in‑person contact. IBO recommended officials consider optimal staffing levels to meet current demand and the operational consequences of any further citywide expansion or a transfer of program control between agencies.
Council members and advocates pressed the administration for quicker publication of key performance metrics and for a plan that ties expansion to measurable staffing and vehicle commitments. The committee asked IBO and DOHMH for further data and recommended a follow‑up about how many teams would be required for broader coverage and what budget resources are necessary to sustain that capacity.
