Madison County Mental Health Issues Continue To Grow, Schumer Calls For Support

Senator Charles Schumer made a stop in Madison County today.

Schumer was joined by members of Madison County’s Mental Health Task Force to call on the Federal Government to immediately release $5 billion for mental health services secured in the American Rescue Plan.

Schumer says the Madison County Health Department saw a 250 percent increase in mental health-related crisis calls between 2019 and 2020, and has seen even more already in 2021.

He says that makes getting the federal funding out the door all the more critical for Madison County residents struggling with mental health issues.

Madison County will also receive a portion of the following funds:

• K-12 schools: $9 billion for New York
• New Covid-19 Vaccine Procurement and Testing: $4 billion for New York
• Emergency Rental & Homelessness Assistance: $1 billion for New York
• Nutrition assistance: $1.07 billion for New York
• Earned Income Tax Credit: $786 million for New York
• Broadband Connectivity: $632 million for New York
• Airports:$418 million for New York
• Head Start: $59 million for New York
• Rural Transit:$12 million for New York
• Small Business, Restaurant, and Live Venue Relief: $57.8 million nationwide

Schumer says that the Department of Health and Human Services and New York State must set up the appropriate programs to get the aid out the door to Central New York providers so they can meet rising demand.

“This is a critical moment where we must acknowledge the lasting mental effects of the pandemic and work to combat them before the crisis deepens,” Schumer added. “HHS and New York State must stand up their programs ASAP and begin the hard, but important, work of getting these funds out to support our most vulnerable New Yorkers.”