Raul de la Cruz, 42, was shot by police in the Bronx during a mental health crisis, despite his family initially calling the 311 non-emergency line in an effort to avoid police intervention.

Marinda van Dalen, NYLPI senior staff attorney, Disability and Health Justice, was featured in the story, commenting on Behavioral Health Emergency Assistance Response Division (B-HEARD):

“The program is “deeply flawed” and “continues the long history in New York City of criminalizing mental health,” said Marinda van Dalen, a senior staff attorney with New York Lawyers for the Public Interest, who is representing Mr. de la Cruz’s family.

Read more at NY Times.

Read more about why NYLPI urges Gov. Hochul to fund the CCIT-NYC non-police mental health crisis response system here.

Read more about how NYLPI is transforming mental health crisis response.