FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

CONTACT:
Kristia Winter, Communications Director
KWinter@council.nyc.gov, 718-629-2900

(NEW YORK, NY) – Today, Council Member Farah N. Louis (D-Brooklyn), Co-Chair of New York City Council Women’s Caucus and Vice Co-Chair of the Black, Latino, and Asian Caucus, was appointed as Chair of the Committee on Mental Health, Disabilities, and Addictions after a Council vote.  

“Over the past year as a new Council Member, it has been my honor and privilege to serve and support members in their committees. Together, we enacted legislation to help end discrepancies and bureaucracies, while expanding protections for New Yorkers. Now, as the new Chair of the Committee on Mental Health, Disabilities, and Addictions, I look forward to working with my colleagues and the administration to ensure efficiency, effectiveness, and accountability in city agencies that oversee the delivery of services in mental health throughout our communities. I will proudly continue the work of my predecessor, Council Member Diana Ayala, and I want to thank Speaker Corey Johnson for affording me the opportunity to serve in this new role,” said Council Member Farah N. Louis.

The Committee on Mental Health, Disabilities, and Addictions has jurisdiction over New York City’s Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (on matters limited to mental health, developmental disability, and addiction services) and the Mayor’s Office for People with Disabilities.

“The decision to serve as Chair of the Committee on Mental Health, Disabilities, and Addictions was a personal one,” said Council Member Farah N. Louis. “As a former healthcare professional, I know firsthand how stigmas and racial disparities in care can deter New Yorkers in crisis from seeking help. During the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, I lost a dear childhood friend who suffered from depression then had to adapt to social isolation during the stay at home order. He tragically took his own life.”

Following that incident, Council Member Louis sponsored Intro 2005, which would require the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH) to track and issue a report on the aggregate number of mental health-related cases in the city during the public health crisis resulting from the new coronavirus, COVID-19. The bill would also require DOHMH to issue the report no later than six months after enactment, and every six months thereafter. It also mandates a breakdown of the aggregate numbers by age, race, and gender, as well as the identification of any disparities in those numbers. 

“As we approach the one-year mark, the road to recovery and the devastating toll of COVID-19 remains unknown. We need a holistic approach to break the cycle for millions of New Yorkers suffering in silence and those still awaiting the critical services and resources that they were prescribed. I look forward to being a part of the change that will deconstruct the taboo around mental health and our continued fight for people with disabilities and those suffering from addiction as well as their families to receive the support that they need.”

In her new capacity as Chair of the Committee on Mental Health, Disabilities, and Addictions, Council Member Louis plans to work with advocates, affected families, her colleagues, and the mayoral administration to heighten the importance of mental health for all.

New York City Council Member Farah N. Louis represents the 45th Council District, which comprises Flatbush, East Flatbush, Midwood, Marine Park, Flatlands, & Kensington in Brooklyn, NY. She is a member of the committees on Civil Service and Labor; Economic Development; Education; Finance; Housing and Buildings; Youth Services; and Justice System. Council Member Louis is the Co-Chair of the Women’s Caucus and Vice Co-Chair of the Black, Latino/a, and Asian Caucus.

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