Testimony of Zachary Katznelson, Executive Director re: Mental Health Treatment at Rikers
I am Zachary Katznelson, Executive Director of the Independent Rikers Commission. Thank you for the opportunity to testify.
I wanted to share some ideas to improve care and safety in the jails and in the community. Hopefully, each of these will be in the Administration’s soon-to-be-released plan to close Rikers.
To ensure deadlocking is never used again, DOC needs to install real oversight and verify regularly that the practice has been eliminated.
Equally, DOC has to take action so staff have adequate training and support to work with people with serious mental illness – and therefore won’t resort to deadlocking.
To help, DOC and CHS should restart joint Crisis Intervention Training. CIT and Rikers’ team approach to treatment was a national model. Let’s sort out the problems and get back to it.
DOC should also re-open CAPS units for people with serious mental illness who commit serious disciplinary infractions. Today, we have nothing. That sends the wrong message, and hurts treatment and safety.
DOC must get people to medical appointments. Whatever staffing challenges, other jail systems with many fewer staff find a way. Maybe instead of escorts for all, people with lower security levels walk themselves, with COs posted along the way to supervise?
When it comes to re-entry, two ideas.
1. Place every single person at Rikers who is approved for supportive housing in either appropriate emergency transitional housing or supportive housing. None of these people should end up in shelters, the subway, or the street. Today, almost all do.
2. Create a system so community-based providers meet with people before they are released. Then tell the providers immediately when the person leaves Rikers.
Lastly, the Admin should name a lead agency to track what happens with people with mental illness when they leave Rikers – maybe MOCJ – and ensure the Interagency Task Force to close Rikers addresses any service gaps.
Thank you.
