Morano Q&A: incarcerated veterans and mental health needs

Thank you.

And as an agency, as we continue having many roundtables at DVS, I've heard from many veteran groups that perhaps that this is one of the first times when the agency itself has really engaged many of the groups.

First, let me also thank the members of the public that are going to be testifying.

I'm very much looking forward to hearing from you in a minute or two.

And I appreciate your patience on a Friday afternoon.

So that's an example.

So at DVS, we are meeting with our providers to hear from them directly to let us know what has been working, what hasn't been working.

Part of the reason that my colleagues and I have put so much effort into asking informed questions is because we're hoping that you'll benefit from some of the answers that we're getting as well.

And as an agency, as we continue having many roundtables at DVS, I've heard from many veteran groups that perhaps that this is one of the first times when the agency itself has really engaged many of the groups.

So thank you.

For that.

So that's an example.

So at DVS, we are meeting with our providers to hear from them directly to let us know what has been working, what hasn't been working.

Just to follow up on what Chair Caban was alluding to earlier on the issue of incarcerated veterans,

And as an agency, as we continue having many roundtables at DVS, I've heard from many veteran groups that perhaps that this is one of the first times when the agency itself has really engaged many of the groups.

maybe you mentioned this, perhaps I missed it, but Commissioner, how many veterans currently incarcerated in our city jails have identified mental health needs?

So that's an example.

So at DVS, we are meeting with our providers to hear from them directly to let us know what has been working, what hasn't been working.

And as an agency, as we continue having many roundtables at DVS, I've heard from many veteran groups that perhaps that this is one of the first times when the agency itself has really engaged many of the groups.

Thank you for that question.

And while we would have to follow up with the exact number from what we see in terms of veterans who come to us post-incarceration, it's our collaboration with our duals program.

So that's an example.

So at DVS, we are meeting with our providers to hear from them directly to let us know what has been working, what hasn't been working.

But to speak more towards the internal, that is something we would have to follow up on.

And just to put it into context, somewhere up to two-thirds of people who are incarcerated on Rikers Island have some sort of mental health.

And as an agency, as we continue having many roundtables at DVS, I've heard from many veteran groups that perhaps that this is one of the first times when the agency itself has really engaged many of the groups.

Right.

The overlap, I would imagine, is pretty high there.

So that's an example.

So at DVS, we are meeting with our providers to hear from them directly to let us know what has been working, what hasn't been working.

Chair Caban alluded to how differently people would be treated if they were in this clean, crisp military uniform.

And as an agency, as we continue having many roundtables at DVS, I've heard from many veteran groups that perhaps that this is one of the first times when the agency itself has really engaged many of the groups.

Is veteran status routinely identified when someone enters custody?

And what procedures ensure that veterans don't experience interruptions in treatment when they're incarcerated or released?

So that's an example.

So at DVS, we are meeting with our providers to hear from them directly to let us know what has been working, what hasn't been working.

And as an agency, as we continue having many roundtables at DVS, I've heard from many veteran groups that perhaps that this is one of the first times when the agency itself has really engaged many of the groups.

Thank you for the question.

And just to follow up also, that's what we're hoping to also do with the increased participation in Local Law 37, is to be able to have this information and also the nuanced information about those veterans that are also interacting with mental health issues as well.

So that's an example.

So at DVS, we are meeting with our providers to hear from them directly to let us know what has been working, what hasn't been working.

I think to your follow-up point, Chair, about what was done.

And as an agency, as we continue having many roundtables at DVS, I've heard from many veteran groups that perhaps that this is one of the first times when the agency itself has really engaged many of the groups.

And what questions are asked.

That is something that, as Commissioner mentioned, with our visit to Rikers Island and our collaboration with the Corrections Commissioner, is something that we're working on building out that feedback loop for to ensure that we know exactly who is there and how we can provide our services.

So that's an example.

So at DVS, we are meeting with our providers to hear from them directly to let us know what has been working, what hasn't been working.

And as an agency, as we continue having many roundtables at DVS, I've heard from many veteran groups that perhaps that this is one of the first times when the agency itself has really engaged many of the groups.