CM Brewer Q&A: Chokshi on physician role, animals, drugs, and mental health

And I would like to now pass it off to Council Member Brewer.

Thank you very much.

I too remember the ads.

So you are famous for the taxi radio television thing, whatever it was.

I have a few questions.

First is just to get, I think there are obviously other doctors from health and H&H on the board, but I believe you would be the doctor appointed physician.

That would be one of your roles.

So my question would be kind of what would be some of your focus points that you would like to achieve?

Number two, unfortunately, animals are often under your purview, Board of Health.

I have been to the Board of Health so many times, animal issues, the nine to nine even in the parks comes under the Board of Health.

So I just wanted to think, because unfortunately there are so many challenges in terms of the animal world that we're dealing with.

So I want to know your comments on that.

And also drug.

challenges.

We have too many people dying of drugs, different types, coming somewhat under the board, maybe in terms of policies that could be changed.

And then just Linda Lee and I all often focus on the mental health.

I have to say, I've called 988 a couple of times recently, has been not helpful at all.

And so mental health is just not working.

So those would be my three questions.

Thank you, Councilmember Brewer.

Thank you for all the ways that you have supported and uplifted the health of New Yorkers over the years.

Too many.

You covered a lot of ground there.

Let me try to get briefly to each of them.

With respect to the physicians on the Board of Health, as you likely know, statutorily there are specific slots for physicians.

The chair, of course, is the current commissioner, Commissioner Martin, who is a doctor.

Dr.

Katz is also a member of the Board of Health, the current CEO of Health and Hospitals, and I would be another one of the physician members.

I think it is important to have physicians, particularly practicing physicians, represented on the board.

With respect to animals, drugs, and mental health, you're absolutely right that animals,

the way in which veterinary medicine interacts with human health, but also some of the specific policy issues related to animals in New York City comes under the board's purview.

That is absolutely correct.

There aren't any specific sort of issues that I'm aware will be brought before the board in the near term.

So what I can say is that that is an area that as health commissioner, you know, I also had purview over, and so I have expertise in, and I also know where in the literature to look for the latest scientific evidence to help evaluate those questions.

For substance use, this is again an area where I am very concerned.

As you said, we lose too many of our fellow New Yorkers to overdose.

There are some things that have been done, particularly over the last several years, to try to change that.

I think the pillars of the approach are, number one, ensure that we do everything that we can to keep our fellow New Yorkers alive so that they can seek treatment and rehabilitation.

For example, making naloxone more accessible.

And then second, we have to expand our efforts around medication-assisted treatment to ensure that people actually get treated and can enter into rehabilitation.

And then number three, and I should say not all of these will intersect with the Board of Health, but number three is being very vigilant with respect to how the drug supply is changing.

This is something that nationally is causing huge problems because synthetic versions of various drugs are extremely dangerous for...

You know, for a, for a,

people and patients.

So that's another, you know, aspect of the approach.

And then finally, with respect to mental health, you know, I think there are two things that I have to say about that.

One is to arc back to the prior part of the conversation, focusing on young people in particular.

This is where so much of the groundwork is laid for our health in adulthood.

And the more that we can do to address mental health of young people, the more dividends it will pay over time.

And then second is to ensure greater access.

You know, we have NYC Well in addition to 988.

But I take your point that there are ways that we can continue to lower barriers to accessing mental health services.

I mean, not to push it, but 9 and 8 didn't help two individuals that I'm trying to help right now.

Not at all, didn't refer, didn't anything.

And also, just back to the animals for a second, I mean, it's overcrowding is a huge issue.

We could go on and on.

So I just think it pops up in the press even more than some of the other issues that might be more important.

But I think that more attention needs to be paid to that.

And then just in terms of the coordination, which is good, because I think the Board of Health is one of the few places where H&H and Health Department can work together on some of their policies.

Is that something that you think could be extended or could be dealt with better?

The short answer is yes, although I'll answer with

humility, you know, the current leaders of those agencies.

They're terrific.

They're wonderful.

They're primary.

I'm a big Dr.

Katz fan.

As am I.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Thank you.

And I'd like to pass it off to Minority Leader Carr.