As New York looks for innovative ways to close the proposed budget deficit, MHANYS is calling for a right sizing commission for psychiatric hospitals much like the Prison Redevelopment Commission.
With 24 psychiatric hospitals with less than 3000 people, there is a need to reevaluate these hospitals and use funding for alternative usage. Any formula developed would provide much of the right sizing funding to community mental health services much like the original Reinvestment program. We want to make it clear that we are not calling for more bed closures…that is a clinical call from OMH, but what we are saying is that these facilities need to be right sized especially in this budget environment
Earlier this week I was on with Susan Arbetter on Capital Tonight, discussing these plans. The interview is linked below.
Capital Tonight:
Mental Health Association of New York recommends
‘right-sizing’ number of state psychiatric hospitals
BY Susan Arbetter
New York State
PUBLISHED 7:30 PM ET Sep. 09, 2025
Mental Health Association of N.Y. recommends ‘right-sizing’ number of state psychiatric hospitalsCap
According to the New York Budget Division, the state is preparing for a growing structural budget deficit with a cumulative three-year budget gap of over $34 billion. That means the state needs to either find new revenues, like raising taxes, or cut expenses.
The Mental Health Association of New York State has some ideas on where to trim.
Glenn Liebman, chief executive officer of the Mental Health Association of New York State, says the organization is recommending the creation of a State Psychiatric Hospital Closure commission like the federal base closure commissions of the 1990s and 2000s.
Liebman discussed the idea with Capital Tonight’s Susan Arbetter.
https://spectrumlocalnews.com/nys/central-ny/politics/2025/09/09/n-y–mental-health-association-on-psychiatric-hospitals
