1 [ THEME MUSIC ] >> ON THIS WEEK'S EDITION OF "NEW YORK NOW," A NEW LOOK AT THIS YEAR'S STATEWIDE ELECTIONS, INCLUDING THE RACE FOR GOVERNOR AFTER THE JUNE PRIMARY.

THEN, A FIRST IN THE NATION PROGRAM TO MEASURE AIR QUALITY IN NEW YORK AND LATER, A NEW STATEWIDE MENTAL HEALTH HOTLINE IS NOW ACTIVE.

I'M DAN CLARK AND THIS IS "NEW YORK NOW."

[ THEME MUSIC ] >> WELCOME TO THIS WEEK'S EDITION OF "NEW YORK NOW."

I'M DAN CLARK.

CRIME CONTINUES TO BE A TOP ISSUE IN THE NEW YORK NEWS CYCLE.

NEW YORK CITY MAYOR ERIC ADAMS HELD A PRESS CONFERENCE THIS WEEK HIGHLIGHTING A HANDFUL OF PEOPLE WHO HAVE BEEN REPEATEDLY ARRESTED IN THE FIVE BOROUGHS AND THAT PRESS CONFERENCE REIGNITED THE DEBATE OVER BAIL REFORM AND WHETHER IT'S DRIVING THE HIGHER CRIME RATE.

THE ISSUE IS ALMOST ENTIRELY POLITICAL.

REPUBLICANS HAVE FRAMED IT AS A MAIN DRIVER OF CRIME, AND WE KNOW FROM POLLING THAT CRIME IS A TOP ELECTION ISSUE.

AND DEMOCRATS HAVE SLAMMED REPUBLICANS FOR THAT.

SAYING THEY'RE SPREADING THIS INFORMATION TO SCORE POLITICAL POINTS.

BUT THE TRUTH IS, THERE HAS BEEN NO INDEPENDENT RESEARCH AND ANALYSIS OUTSIDE OF THE 2 MEDIA WITH A CLEAR ANSWER ON WHO'S RIGHT, AND THAT'S PUT GOVERNOR KATHY HOCHUL IN A TOUGH SPOT, TRYING TO LOWER CRIME RATES THROUGH WORK WITH LAW ENFORCEMENT WHILE DEFENDING THE STATE'S BAIL LAWS.

YOU'LL REMEMBER THAT SHE WORKED WITH LAWMAKERS TO AMEND THOSE LAWS IN APRIL.

HERE'S WHAT SHE TOLD REPORTERS THIS WEEK.

>> IT'S HARD TO DRAW CORRELATIONS BETWEEN WHAT'S GOING ON AND BAIL WHEN YOU SEE AN ESCALATION OF CRIME ALL OVER THE COUNTRY.

OTHER CITIES ARE IN FAR WORSE SHAPE THAN OUR MAJOR CITIES, BUT I DON'T TAKE COMFORT IN THAT.

THE JOB IS STILL NOT DONE.

I WANT TO BE THE FIRST STATE WHERE WE NOT JUST SLOWING DOWN THE INCREASE IN CRIME.

WE START GOING DOWN.

>> AND THOSE ISSUES OF CRIME AND BAIL REFORM COULD HAVE A BIG IMPACT ON THE THIS YEAR'S ELECTIONS.

WE SAW THE FIRST POLLS RELEASED THIS WEEK ON NEW YORK STATEWIDE RACES AFTER THE JUNE PRIMARY.

LET'S GIVE INTO THE NUMBERS WITH MICHAEL GORMLEY FROM NEWSDAY.

THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE.

>> GOOD TO BE HERE.

>> IT'S ALWAYS FASCINATING WHEN WE GET THE FIRST LOOK AFTER A PRIMARY.

NOW WE KNOW AFTER A BASELINE WHERE WE ARE GOING INTO THE GENERAL ELECTION.

LET'S START WITH THE RACE THAT 3 MOST PEOPLE WILL KNOW ABOUT, THE GOVERNOR'S RACE, HOCHUL VERSUS ZELDIN.

SHE HAS 53% COMPARED TO ZELDIN'S 39%.

WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT THAT LEAD, MIKE?

MY FIRST IMPRESSION IS I DON'T KNOW IF 14 POINTS IS A BIG ENOUGH GAP THAT HOCHUL SHOULD BE CELEBRATING RIGHT NOW.

YOU TELL ME.

>> I THINK THAT'S AN HOPEFULLY GOOD POINT.

THE SIENNA POLL GAVE IT A 14-POINT LEAD FOR GOVERNOR HOCHUL, THE DEMOCRAT.

I GUESS I EXPECTED MORE.

YOU HAVE TO PREFACE THIS PEOPLE I RESPECT THINK THAT'S A SOLID LEAD AND IT WILL ONLY GET BIGGER FOR HOCHUL.

ME LOOKING AT THIS.

SHE'S THE FIRST WOMAN RUNNING-- TO BE ELECTED GOVERNOR WE HAD THE ROE V. WADE DECISION BY THE REPUBLICAN SUPREME COURT THAT STRUCK IT DOWN.

IT SEEMS LIKE-- AND LEE ZELDIN, THE CONGRESSMAN FROM LONG ISLAND WHO IS RUNNING AGAINST HER AS A REPUBLICAN, HE WOULDN'T VOTE TO CERTIFY THE 2020 ELECTION LOSS BY TRUMP.

SO ALL OF THAT, I GUESS IS EXPECTED 20 POINTS OR MORE BUT YOU KNOW, IT'S EARLY.

AND AS YOU SAID, IT'S A BASELINE.

YOU AND I BOTH KNOW THAT JUST A LITTLE OVER A YEAR AGO PEOPLE THOUGHT ANDREW CUOMO WOULD WIN RE-ELECTION.

SO ANYTHING CAN HAPPEN IN ALBANY.

>> I'M INTERESTED TO SEE WHAT ZELDIN'S FINAL STRATEGY IS GOING INTO NOVEMBER.

AS OF NOW, HE'S REALLY HAMMERED 4 HOCHUL ON COST OF LIVING.

OBVIOUSLY, HE'S PRO-LIFE AND SO SHE HAS THAT ADVANTAGE OF MOST NEW YORKERS FAVORING ROE V. WADE INSTEAD OF OPPOSING IT.

SO SHE HAS THAT ADVANTAGE.

I'M INTERESTED TO SEE WHAT HE DOES TO CUT AWAY AT THAT LEAD.

IT LOOKS LIKE NOW, IT'S A GAP CERTAINLY.

BUT IF HE WORKED HARD ENOUGH, MAYBE HE CAN GET CLOSER, BUT I DON'T KNOW WHAT HE DOES.

>> WELL, MIND YOU AND THE PUBLIC DOESN'T HAVE TO DO THIS, BUT AS REPORTERS, YOU AND I DO THIS, WE LOOK AT THE CROSS TABS OF THESE POLLS.

THAT GIVES YOU AN INDICATION DEEPER IN THE POLL.

IN THAT LEE ZELDIN, THE REPUBLICAN, HE'S DOING REALLY WELL UPSTATE.

HE'S DOING REALLY WELL IN THE SUBURBS.

FRANKLY, THE SUBURBS HAVE BEEN THE KEY TO STATEWIDE ELECTIONS IN THE LAST BUNCH OF YEARS.

>> ALWAYS.

>> AND GOVERNOR HOCHUL, SHE'S FROM THE SUBURBS.

SHE'S FROM THE UPSTATE SUBURB OUTSIDE OF BUFFALO.

YOU WOULD HAVE THOUGHT SHE'D DO BETTER THAN THAT.

AS YOU SAY, LEE ZELDIN HAS SOME POWERFUL ISSUES.

THE ECONOMY'S NOT GOOD.

CRIME IS RISING.

HE'S TALKING ABOUT CHANGES.

THIS ALMOST-- THE CROSS TABS ALMOST LOOK LIKE A FEW YEARS AGO, IF YOU REMEMBER, WHEN THERE WAS JUST ANTI-DEMOCRAT OR ANTI-INCUMBENT FEELING OUT THERE.

5 >> YES.

>> THAT'S WHAT IT'S LOOKING LIKE.

WE'LL HAVE TO SEE.

GOVERNOR HOCHUL COULD GET CAUGHT UP IN THAT.

ALTHOUGH GIVEN THAT, DEMOCRAT DOES HAVE A BETTER THAN 2-TO-1 ADVANTAGE STATEWIDE.

>> LET'S CIRCLE BACK TO WHAT YOU THINK THE TOP ISSUES WILL BE FOR VOTERS IN THIS ELECTION IN NOVEMBER.

I THINK A LOT OF THINGS CAN CHANGE BETWEEN NOW AND THEN.

IT'S ONLY A FEW MONTHS.

>> RIGHT.

>> YOU KNOW, ISSUES COME UP ALL THE TIME.

I DON'T KNOW IF ABORTION WOULD HAVE NECESSARILY BEEN A BIG ISSUE THIS YEAR, IN THIS YEAR'S ELECTIONS IF THE SUPREME COURT HADN'T OVERTURNED ROE V. WADE.

WHEN WE'RE LOOKING AT WHAT'S GOING TO MATTER IN NOVEMBER, DO YOU THINK IT'S COST OF LIVING AND CRIME, THAT SEEMS TO BE THE CONSENSUS, THAT WILL BE THE ISSUE YOUS THAT VOTERS WILL SPEAK TO IN THE POLLS?

>> GOING BACK DECADES, VOTERS HAVE BEEN SHOWN TO BE MOST FOCUSED ON ECONOMICS.

HOW IS THEIR FAMILY BUDGET FARING?

HOW IS IT DOING?

ESPECIALLY JUDGING AN INCUMBENT BY THAT STANDARD.

UP THERE ALWAYS AND OFTEN AS A TOP FIGURE IS CRIME.

SO LEE ZELDIN, THE REPUBLICAN, HE MIGHT HAVE A SHOT HERE BECAUSE THAT'S 6 REALLY HIS SWEET SPOT, WHICH YOU BRING UP A REALLY GOOD POINT, THE U.S. SUPREME COURT'S DECISION LED BY THE REPUBLICAN MAJORITY TO STRIKE DOWN ROE V. WADE ABORTION RIGHTS THAT IS RESONATING THOUGH.

WE'LL HAVE TO SEE WHAT HAPPENS.

IN KANSAS, WHERE THERE WAS AN OVERWHELMING OPPOSITION TO A REFERENDUM THAT WOULD HAVE ALLOWED THE LEGISLATURE OUT THERE TO MAKE ABORTION ILLEGAL.

SO IT SEEMS TO BE RESONATING WITH VOTERS.

WE'LL HAVE TO SEE WHAT HAPPENS IN NEW YORK.

>> I THINK FOR SURE BUT I DO THINK THE REPUBLICANS HAVE BEEN VERY, VERY EFFECTIVE WITH THEIR CRIME MESSAGING SINCE BAIL REFORM WENT INTO EFFECT, HONESTLY.

IT'S BEEN ALMOST EVERY DAY, IT'S THE ISSUE THAT WE HEAR ABOUT.

AND AS WE SAW AT THE TOP OF THE SHOW THIS WEEK, THAT'S THE BIG ISSUE THIS WEEK.

WE DO HAVE TO LEAVE IT THERE.

MICHAEL GORMLEY, THANK YOU SO MUCH.

>> THANK YOU.

>> ALL RIGHT.

SWITCHEL GEARS NOW TO SOME ENVIRONMENTAL NEWS.

YOU MIGHT REMEMBER THREE YEARS AGO WHEN NEW YORK PASSED A LANDMARK LAW CALLED THE CLIMATE LEADERSHIP AND COMMUNITY PROTECTION ACT.

IT'S CONSIDERED THE MOST AMBITIOUS CLIMATE LAW IN THE COUNTRY AND A BIG PART OF IT WAS ABOUT IMPROVING AIR QUALITY.

NOW FOR SOME OF YOU THAT MIGHT NOT BE A 7 PROBLEM.

AND FOR OTHERS, IT COULD BE A PROBLEM AND YOU JUST DON'T KNOW IT.

BUT FOR OTHER COMMUNITIES IN NEW YORK, AIR POLLUTION IS A HUGE ISSUE.

AND THE RESIDENTS OF THOSE COMMUNITIES HAVE BORN THE BRUNT OF THAT DAMAGE.

SO THE STATE IS NOW LAUNCHING A FIRST-IN-THE-NATION PROJECT TO MEASURE AND MONITOR AIR QUALITY STATEWIDE.

THIS WEEK, WE TAKE YOU TO THE START OF THAT PROJECT ACROSS THE STATE.

TAKE A LOOK.

[ THEME MUSIC ] GOVERNOR KATHY HOCHUL FIRST ANNOUNCED THE STATEWIDE COMMUNITY AIR MONITORING INITIATIVE DURING THE SEPTEMBER 2021 CLIMATE WEEK.

IT'S THE FIRST STATEWIDE AIR QUALITY MONITORING EFFORT IN THE UNITED STATES, AND LAST MONTH, THE WORK BEGAN, TO MAP HYPERLOCAL AIR POLLUTION AND GREENHOUSE GASES ACROSS THE STATE OF NEW YORK.

MONITORING IS UNDERWAY IN THE BRONX, BUFFALO NIAGRA FALSE AREA, THE CAPITAL REGION AND MANHATTAN AND SIX ADDITIONAL COMMUNITIES WILL START MONITORING THIS FALL.

THE INITIATIVE IS USING MOBILE MAPPING TECHNOLOGY AND PROFESSIONAL ANALYTICS FROM A PRIVATE COMPANY CALLED ACLIMA, NEW YORK STATE'S DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL CONSERVATION HOPES THE DATA WILL DRIVE STRATEGIES TO ADDRESS AIR QUALITY ISSUES IN NEW YORK'S MOST VULNERABLE COMMUNITIES WHILE CONTRIBUTING TO THE STATE'S NATION-LEADING CLIMATE GOALS.

8 >> SO THIS IS THE BEGINNING OF THIS REALLY INCREDIBLE INITIATIVE THAT NO OTHER STATE HAS DONE AND WE'RE DOING IT IN ORDER TO APPROVE LIVES AND HEALTH ALL ACROSS NEW YORK.

>> THE USE OF DATA TO MONITOR AIR QUALITY IS NOT NEW, BUT WHERE THAT DATA COMES FROM AND HOW IT'S COLLECTED IS UNIQUE.

>> WE IN NEW YORK WANT TO FIND OUT WHAT AIR PEOPLE ARE BREATHING, AND THAT MEANS USING THE BEST AVAILABLE TECHNOLOGY.

WE'VE BEEN DOING THAT FOR YEARS WITH STATIONARY MONITORING SOURCES ALL AROUND THE STATE, BUT TIMES HAVE CHANGED.

THERE'S NOW NEW TECHNOLOGIES THAT ARE AVAILABLE, AND WE KNEW THAT WE COULD GO TO THE NEXT LEVEL, WHICH IS ACTUALLY BRINGING OUR MONITORING DOWN TO THE GROUND LEVEL.

>> ACLIMA AND THE COMPANY'S CEO, DAVIDA HERZL, ARE PIONEERING AN ENTIRELY NEW WAY TO DIAGNOSE THE HEALTH OF OUR AIR AND TRACK CLIMATE-CHANGING POLLUTION POWER BID THEIR NETWORK OF ROVING AND STATIONARY SENSORS, ACLIMA MEASURES AIR POLLUTION AND GREENHOUSE GASES AT UNPRECEDENTED SCALES AND WITH BLOCK-BY-BLOCK RESOLUTION.

>> WE'VE DEVELOPED SPECIALIZED SENSORS, SO IT'S A SMALL DEVICE THAT SITS IN THE BACK OF A VEHICLE OR ON 9 A VEHICLE, AND THOSE SENSORS ARE COLLECTING DATA ONCE PER SECOND THROUGH A TUBE THAT IS GATHERING AIR OUTSIDE THE VEHICLE AND THEN IT COMES INTO THE SENSOR.

THE SENSOR-- WE ANALYZE THE DATA ONBOARD AND THEN IT GOES TO THE CLOUD WHERE ALL OF THE MEASUREMENTS GETS STITCHED TOGETHER INTO THESE MAPS, BUT WE'RE MEASURING MULTIPLE DIFFERENT POLLUTANTS AT THE SAME TIME.

SO ALL OF THE POLLUTANTS WHO IMPACT HUMAN HEALTH, ALL THE GREENHOUSE GASES AS WELL AS TOXICS SO THE KINDS OF TOXIC POLLUTANTS THAT ARE ASSOCIATED WITH PETRA CHEMICAL PRODUCTION AND OTHER USES OF FOSSIL FUELS.

>> SO BY PUTTING THIS TECHNOLOGY INTO THE BACK OF THESE VEHICLES THAT ARE TRAVELING AROUND CONSTANTLY ON LOOPS OVER THE COURSE OF A YEAR, WE'RE THEN GETTING DOWN TO THE LOT LEVEL WHAT PEOPLE ARE BREATHING AT THE STREET LEVEL.

THAT'S INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT BECAUSE THAT ENABLES US TO THEN MAKE POLICY DECISIONS BASED ON THE STUFF THAT WE'RE FINDING AND WHAT PEOPLE ARE BREATHING VERY LOCALLY.

NOT JUST REGIONALLY.

>> THE SCIENCE HAS SHOWN THAT AIR POLLUTION VARIES BY UP TO 800% FROM ONE BLOCK TO THE NEXT, AND SO IN ORDER TO REALLY UNDERSTAND WHERE THOSE EMISSIONS THAT ARE CHANGING THE CLIMATE AND ARE IMPACTING PEOPLE, TO UNDERSTAND WHERE THEY'RE COMING FROM AND TO 10 UNDERSTAND WHO THEY'RE IMPACTING, YOU NEED TO BE ABLE TO MEASURE THEM AT THIS REALLY HIGH RESOLUTION BECAUSE POLLUTION VARIES SO MUCH FROM ONE ADDRESS, FROM ONE BLOCK TO THE NEXT.

>> THE TEN COMMUNITIES SELECTED FOR MONITORING WERE IDENTIFIED AS HAVING A DISPROPORTIONATE AIR POLLUTION BURDEN BASED ON CRITERIA DEVELOPED BY THE STATE'S CLIMATE JUSTICE WORKING GROUP.

THE BOUNDARIES FOR MONITORING IN EACH AREA WERE DETERMINED USING COMMUNITY INPUT AND CURRENT UNDERSTANDING OF POLLUTION SOURCES.

>> IT WAS INTENTIONAL.

WE WERE VERY INTENTIONAL ABOUT SELECTING DISADVANTAGED COMMUNITIES FOR THIS PURPOSE.

AND PARTICULARLY IN COMMUNITIES OF COLOR, DISADVANTAGED COMMUNITIES THAT WERE IN THE BRUNT OF POLLUTION FOR YEARS.

>> THE CLIMATE LEADERSHIP AND COMMUNITY PROTECTION ACT PASSED IN NEW YORK IN 2019 RECOGNIZES THAT CLIMATE CHANGE DOESN'T AFFECT ALL COMMUNITIES EQUALLY.

THE LOT TASKED THE CLIMATE JUSTICE WORKING GROUP WITH A DEVELOPMENT OF CRITERIA TO IDENTIFY DISADVANTAGED COMMUNITIES TO ENSURE THAT FRONTLINE AND OTHERWISE UNDERSERVED COMMUNITIES BENEFIT FROM THE STATE'S HISTORIC TRANSITION TO CLEANER, GREENER SOURCES OF ENERGY, REDUCED POLLUTION AND CLEANER AIR AND ECONOMIC 11 OPPORTUNITIES.

ARIF ULLAH IS THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF SOUTH BRONX UNITE.

>> I THINK THAT IT'S SAFE TO SAY THAT COMMUNITIES LIKE OURS, PARTICULARLY BLACK, BROWN AND LOW-INCOME COMMUNITIES HAVE ENDURED THE RACIST LEGACY OF RED LINING, WHICH SAW IT ENTIRELY APPROPRIATE TO BURDEN US WITH ONE POLLUTING FACILITY AFTER ANOTHER, AND WE'VE SHOULDERED THIS HEAVY CONSEQUENCE OF THE FOSSIL FUEL ECONOMY, OF POLLUTION, OF CLIMATE CHANGE, AND MANY OTHER ENVIRONMENTAL INJUSTICES FOR DECADES, AND SO WITH THIS INITIATIVE THAT THE DEC HAS ANNOUNCED TO DOCUMENT AIR POLLUTION, WE'LL BE ABLE TO HAVE THE HARD DATA WE NEED TO BE ABLE TO STRENGTHEN OUR ADVOCACY.

WE KNOW-- PEOPLE IN OUR COMMUNITY ALREADY KNOW THE AIR IS TOXIC.

WE HAVE BEEN SAYING THAT FOR MANY YEARS.

NOW THAT WILL BE BACKED UP BY DATA THAT SUPPORTS WHAT WE'VE BEEN SAYING AND THAT WILL STRENGTHEN OUR ADVOCACY.

>> THERE ARE HOT SPOTS WITHIN DISADVANTAGED COMMUNITIES.

DIESEL TRUCKS, LOCALIZED SOURCES OF AIR POLLUTION THAT ARE VERY SIGNIFICANT, BEING ABLE TO GET IT DOWN ON THE STREET IN THOSE COMMUNITIES AND SELECT THOSE TEN COMMUNITIES TO FIND OUT WHERE THOSE PROBLEMS ARE ENABLES TO US THEN PUT THOSE SOLUTIONS IN PLACE.

12 >> RESOURCES THAT WILL COME INTO OUR COMMUNITY AS A RESULT OF THE DOCUMENTATION OF AIR POLLUTION THAT THE DC IS DOING AS A RESULT OF THE POLICIES THAT WE'LL HOPEFULLY BE ABLE TO BRING ABOUT, THESE ARE EXACTLY THE TYPES OF RESOURCES THAT OUR COMMUNITY NEEDS TO BE ABLE TO REALLY MITIGATE THE AIR POLLUTION AND IMPROVE THE AIR QUALITY IN OUR COMMUNITY.

>> DEPLOYING RESOURCES WHERE THEY ARE NEEDED MOST IS PARAMOUNT TO COMBAT THE CHANGING CLIMATE OF THE WORLD AND HERE IN NEW YORK STATE, AND THAT'S JUST IMPOSSIBLE WITHOUT THE DATA >> NONE OF US CAN SURVIVE WITHOUT BREATHING FOR A FEW MINUTES AND YET WE DON'T HAVE THE DATA TO ENSURE THAT, YOU KNOW WE ARE AS HUMAN BEINGS REALLY LIVING AND CREATING THE MOST HEALTHY ENVIRONMENTS FOR EACH AND TWO, THAT WE'RE CREATING A LONG-TERM, SUSTAINABLE PLANET SO WE FIGURED OUT HOW TO GENERATE THOSE MEASUREMENTS SO THAT NOW WE HAVE THE DATA TO UNDERSTAND THE PROBLEM, REALLY THAT GRANULAR SCALE AND DRIVE ACTION AND THAT'S WHY I'M JUST SO IMPRESSED WITH WHAT THE STATE IS DOING WITH THE GOVERNOR'S LEADERSHIP, WITH BASIL'S LEADERSHIP TO SAY THAT WE'RE COMMITTING TO MEASUREMENT TO MAXIMIZE ACCOUNTABILITY, MAXIMIZE TRANSPARENCY AND TAKE ACTION AND MEASURE AND KNOW ARE THE INVESTMENTS 13 WE'RE MAKING ACTUALLY HAVING A BENEFIT.

SO IT'S A HUGE DEAL.

>> WE SEE INCREDIBLE CHANGE THROUGH THE CLIMATE CRISIS THAT WE'RE NOW SUBJECT TO.

WE SEE IT HERE IN NEW YORK.

WE FELT IT IN 2012 WITH SUPERSTORM SANDY, HURRICANE IDA LAST YEAR FLOODING PARTS OF NEW YORK CITY, DRAMATIC DAMAGE.

JUST A FEW MONTHS BEFORE THAT, I WAS UP IN STEUBEN COUNTY, YOU KNOW, RURAL NEW YORK WITH A FLOOD THAT WIPED OUT A COUPLE OF VILLAGES.

AND THIS IS AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY CRISIS.

IT IS REALLY HITTING EVERYBODY AT THE SAME TIME, AND WE MAY NOT ALWAYS SEE IT, BUT WE NEED TO-- WE FEED TO ACT.

WE NEED TO REACT AND ACT AND GET PROACTIVE, AND THAT'S REALLY FUNDAMENTALLY WHY NEW YORK IS TAKING THIS ACTION WITH THIS-- WITH THIS MOBILE AIR MONITORING PROGRAM SO THAT WE CAN ACT EFFECTIVELY AND MAKE CHANGE.

[ THEME MUSIC ] >> AND THE STATE EXPECTS TO GET SOME INITIAL DATA BACK IN THE NEXT FEW MONTHS BUT OFFICIALS SAY IT'S GOING TO TAKE LONGER UNTIL THEY ANALYZE THAT DATA AND SEE RESULTS.

SO THAT'S SOMETHING WE'LL KEEP AN EYE ON.

MOVING ON NOW, NEW YORK IS TAKING A NEW STEP TOWARD BOLSTERING THE STATE'S SERVICES RELATED TO MENTAL HEALTH.

YOU CAN NOW DIAL 988 IF YOU'RE EXPERIENCING A MENTAL HEALTH CRISIS IN NEW 14 YORK AND YOU'LL BE CONNECTED TO TRAINED COUNSELORS WHO CAN HELP YOU THROUGH THAT CRISIS.

AND IF YOU STILL NEED HELP AFTER THAT CALL, THOSE COUNSELORS CAN CONNECT YOU WITH MORE SERVICES.

IT'S KIND OF LIKE 911 BUT FOR YOUR MENTAL HEALTH.

FOR MORE ON THAT, WCNY'S DAVE LOMBARDO SPOKE WITH THE COMMISSIONER OF THE STATE OFFICE OF MENTAL HEALTH, DR. ANNE MARIE SULLIVAN.

[ THEME MUSIC ] >> WELL, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR JOINING US, COMMISSIONER.

I REALLY APPRECIATE IT.

>> WELL, THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME.

THANK YOU FOR BRINGING THIS ISSUE FORWARD.

>> WELL SO, FOR STARTERS, IF SOMEONE IS GOING TO CALL OR TEXT THE 988 HOTLINE MOVING FORWARD, WHAT SHOULD THEY EXPECT?

AND WHO ARE THE NEW YORKERS THAT YOU ENVISION UTILIZING THIS HOTLINE?

>> WHEN YOU CONTACT 988, YOU'RE GOING TO GET-- YOU'RE GOING TO SPEAK DIRECTLY TO A CRISIS COUNSELOR, AND THAT COUNSELOR IS THERE REALLY TO HEAR WHATEVER YOUR ISSUES ARE, LARGE OR SMALL.

SO PEOPLE CONTACT A CRISIS LINE LIKE THIS BECAUSE THEY MAY FEEL ACUTELY LIKE THEY WANT TO HARM THEMSELVES OR THEY MAY BE A PARENT WHO'S WORRIED ABOUT A CHILD WHO IS IN SCHOOL AND ACTING DIFFERENTLY, AND THEY'RE CONCERNED THEY'RE NOT SO 15 INTERESTED IN SCHOOL ANYMORE ALL THE WAY TO AN ELDERLY PERSON WHO MAY BE FEELING SOMEWHAT DEPRESSED AND ISOLATED.

SO IT'S A CRISIS SUPPORT LINE.

IT'S THERE FOR YOU TO CALL ABOUT A CRISIS, LARGE OR SMALL AND TO HAVE SOMEONE TO TALK TO.

THE AVERAGE TIME THAT SOMEONE'S ON THE PHONE WITH SOMEONE IS 20 MINUTES.

SO THIS IS REALLY A CRISIS SUPPORT LINE.

NOW IF AFTER THE TIME WITH THE CRISIS SUPPORT COUNSELOR YOU FEEL MORE SERVICES ARE NEEDED OR REFERRAL, THEY WILL MAKE THAT HAPPEN AND IT WILL BE A VERY-- WHAT WE LIKE TO CALL A WARM HANDOFF.

TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU HAVE SOMEONE TO MAKE THAT APPOINTMENT WITH AND SOMEONE TO SEE, AND SOMETIMES IF THE PROBLEM IS SERIOUS ENOUGH AND YOU FEEL LIKE YOU NEED SOMEONE ACTUALLY THERE, THEN WE CAN DEPLOY SOME OF OUR OTHER SERVICES BUT THE VAST MAJORITY OF TIMES ABOUT 80 TO 85% ARE FOR SUPPORT COUNSELOR AND MAYBE A WARM REFERRAL AFTER THAT.

SO YOU CAN REALLY EXPECT TO TALK TO A LIVE PERSON WHO WILL LISTEN AND HELP YOU DEAL WITH WHATEVER YOUR CRISIS IS.

>> SO THIS PROJECT DID NOT GET SET UP OVERNIGHT.

SO WHAT SORT OF TIME, ENERGY AND MONEY WENT INTO GETTING TO THIS MOMENT WHERE THE SERVICES LIE STATEWIDE?

>> WELL, IT'S-- ABOUT TWO YEARS AGO, THE NATIONAL SUICIDE PREVENTION LIFE LINE 16 NATIONALLY, IT WAS AN ACT PASSED BY CONGRESS THAT SAID NOW THAT IT HAD TO BE THE NUMBER 988 FOR EASY ACCESS AND QUICK ACCESS, BUT WHAT THAT MEANT FOR THE STATES WAS THAT WE HAD TO HAVE-- ENHANCE OUR CALL CENTERS SO WE CAN DEAL WITH INCREASED VOLUME AND MOST OF THOSE CALLS, THE VAST MAJORITY BEING ANSWERED WITHIN NEW YORK STATE.

SO REALLY THE STATE IS UNDERSTANDING THE BULK OF THIS AND THE STATE WILL BE FUNDING IT ON AN ONGOING BASIS.

IT ALSO MEANT THAT WE HAD TO GET A WHOLE HOST OF STAKEHOLDERS, INDIVIDUALS WHO WILL BE USING THE HOTLINE, PROVIDERS, POLICE, INDIVIDUALS FROM 911, TO TALK WITH US AND UNDERSTAND WHAT 988 WAS.

SO FOR TWO YEARS, WE'VE BEEN HAVING STAKEHOLDER MEETINGS AND THEN WE'VE BEEN DEALING WITH THE TECHNOLOGY OF GETTING OUR CRISIS CALL CENTERS.

WE HAVE 13 CRISIS CALL CENTERS ACROSS THE STATE AND THEY'RE UP AND OPERATIONAL AND HAVE BEEN ANSWERING CALLS SOMETIMES BEFORE THAT BUT NOW EVERYBODY IS UP AND OPERATING AS OF JULY 16th WITH 988.

>> SO YOU MENTION THAT IDEA OF ONGOING FUNDING.

DO YOU THINK AT SOME POINT THERE WILL NEED TO BE SOME KIND OF DEDICATED REVENUE STRUCTURE LIKE THE WAY THERE IS WITH 911 WHICH HAS A FEE ON PEOPLE'S PHONE BILLS?

>> THAT'S ONE WAY TO GO AND SOME STATES HAVE CHOSEN 17 THAT, BUT THE OTHER WAY IS TO EMBED, WHICH NEW YORK SO FAR IS DOING, IS A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF DOLLARS IN THE BUDGET ON AN ONGOING BASIS AND THE COMMITMENT THAT WE HAVE FROM THE GOVERNOR'S INITIAL BUDGET IS THAT 60 MILLION WILL CONTINUE SO THAT WE CAN HAVE THE CRISIS HOTLINE GOING.

IT BASICALLY VARIES BY STATE WHETHER THEY DO A TAX SOMEWHAT SIMILAR TO 911, OR THEY USE STATE FUNDS.

>> SO ASIDE FROM TALKING WITH HANSON TELEVISION PERSONALITIES, WHAT ARE YOU DOING TO SPREAD AWARENESS OF THE 988 HOTLINE SO PEOPLE DON'T AUTOMATICALLY DEFAULT TO THE 911 OPTION WHEN THEY'RE HAVING A CRISIS?

>> WELL, WE'RE PUTTING THE WORD OUT THERE IN TERMS OF SOCIAL MEDIA.

WE'RE PUTTING THE WORD OUT TO ALL OF OUR PROVIDER TOES TALK WITH THEIR CLIENTS AND PEOPLE THAT THEY WORK WITH ABOUT IT AND DOING ANNOUNCEMENTS AND INTERVIEWS LIKE THAT WITH INDIVIDUALS LIKE YOU THAT ARE INTERESTED IN 988 TO MAKE SURE INDIVIDUALS USE IT.

IT'S CATCHING ON.

THE WEEK BEFORE, WE HAD 450-- PERHAPS 450 CALLS A DAY THAT WENT TO THE NATIONAL SUICIDE PREVENTION.

SINCE JULY 16th, IT'S BEEN ABOUT 650 TO 700 A DAY.

IT'S STEADILY CATCHING ON AND BEING USED MORE AND MORE BECAUSE 988 IS SIMPLE TO REMEMBER AND ALSO IT SOUNDS EASY FOR PEOPLE TO USE.

IT CAN ALSO TEXT AND CHAT.

18 >> OBVIOUSLY, YOU WANT PEOPLE TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THIS, BUT IF YOU POTENTIALLY HAVE NEW PEOPLE TRYING TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES, IT'S GOING TO MEAN MORE DEMAND ON OUR EXISTING MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES NETWORK, WHICH IS STRESSED, YOU KNOW, TO SAY THE LEAST.

SO ARE YOU CONCERNED AT ALL ABOUT OVEREXERTING THE SYSTEM BY BRINGING SO MANY MORE PATIENTS POTENTIALLY ONLINE?

>> WELL, THERE IS A CONCERN THAT WE MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE ALL THE SERVICES THAT ARE NEEDED AND I THINK THAT WE'VE GOT GREAT SUPPORT AT THIS POINT IN TIME TO ESTABLISH INCREASED SERVICES AND IN PARTICULAR WHAT WE'RE CALLING CRISIS STABILIZATION CENTERS THAT WILL BE COMING UP HOPEFULLY BY EARLY NEXT YEAR AND WE'VE ALREADY AWARDED NINE GRANTS AND THOSE WILL PROVIDE A COMPREHENSIVE SERVICES, BOTH MENTAL HEALTH AND SUBSTANCE USE, FOR ANYONE WHO WALKS IN THE DOOR.

AND THOSE STABILIZATION CENTERS WILL WORK WITH PEOPLE FOR UP TO 23 HOURS.

THEY CAN ALSO BE REFERRALS FROM THE 988 LINE TO THE STABILIZATION CENTERS.

WE ARE ALSO GROWING OUR MOBILE CRISIS CAPACITY AND EXPECTING THAT TO BE SIGNIFICANTLY INCREASED OVER THE NEXT YEAR OR SO.

AND WE ARE WORKING WITH ALL OF OUR CLINICS AND ALL OF OUR CURRENT SYSTEMS TO BE ABLE TO TAKE REFERRALS FROM 988, IF THAT'S 19 NECESSARY.

THE IMPORTANT THING, THOUGH, ABOUT 988 IS ALSO THAT IT PROVIDES A LOT OF SERVICE JUST RIGHT THERE ON THE PHONE.

SO WHEN PEOPLE CALL OFTEN THEY FIND THAT 20-MINUTE TALK OR THAT CONVERSATION IS SOMETHING THAT HELPS THEM A GREAT DEAL AND ABOUT 80% OF CALLS ARE DEALT WITH ON THE PHONE.

SO I THINK WHILE THERE WILL BE AN INCREASED NEED FOR SERVICES WE ARE BUILDING A SERVICE SYSTEM.

WE ARE CONCERNED BECAUSE WE ALL KNOW THERE'S A NATIONAL WORKFORCE CRISIS AND WE ARE ALSO WORKING TO TRY TO ENGAGE MORE AND MORE PEOPLE IN THE SOCIAL SERVICES FIELD.

>> DO YOU HAVE A GOAL FOR WAIT TIMES WHEN PEOPLE DO CALL THE 988 HOTLINE?

BECAUSE FOR SOME PEOPLE, MAKING THAT-- MAKING THAT OUTREACH CAN BE SORT OF A TENTATIVE THING WHERE IF THEY DON'T IMMEDIATELY GET THAT HELP, THEY MIGHT GIVE UP.

>> WE LOOK FOR THREE TO FOUR RINGS.

IT SHOULDN'T GO LONGER THAN THAT.

IT SHOULDN'T.

BY IN LARGE, WE'RE VERY GOOD AT PICKING UP VERY QUICKLY ON THE PHONE.

BECAUSE YOU'RE ABSOLUTELY RIGHT.

IT'S VERY IMPORTANT THAT PEOPLE DON'T SIT THERE AND WAIT OR GET CALL WAITING AND SAYS WE'LL BE ON THE PHONE.

YOU GET PICKED UP RIGHT AWAY.

DO YOU HAVE AN OPTION OF ASKING FOR SPANISH IF YOU ARE SPANISH-SPEAKING, OTHERWISE 20 WE HAVE A LANGUAGE LINE OR YOU CAN GO DIRECTLY TO A VETERANS LINE.

OTHER THAN THAT, YOU GET RIGHT ON WITH A PERSON.

THERE'S NO WAITING.

AND WE MONITOR THAT VERY CLOSELY ACROSS THE STATE.

OF COURSE, ACROSS THE NATION.

>> AND ASSUMING THERE IS DEMAND, GROWING DEMAND FOR THIS HOTLINE, DO YOU FEEL LIKE YOU HAVE THE FLEXIBILITY WITH THE INFRASTRUCTURE RIGHT NOW OR THE AVAILABILITY TO GROW MOVING FORWARD SO THAT YOU CAN HANDLE ANY SORT OF INFLUX OF CALLS?

>> I THINK WE DO.

YOU KNOW, THERE ARE VARIOUS PROJECTIONS.

WE'RE ABOUT 650 CALLS OR MORE A DAY NOW.

SOME PEOPLE THINK PROBABLY BY THE END OF THE YEAR MAYBE WE'LL BE UP TO, YOU KNOW, 800 SOMETHING LIKE THAT, WE'RE PLANNED FOR THIS.

I REALLY DO THINK THAT WE'LL BE ABLE TO ACCOMMODATE.

AND WE DO HAVE THE FLEXIBILITY TO EXPAND IF WE NEED TO HIRE NEW CRISIS COUNSELORS.

WE'VE TRAINED A LOT OF NEW CRISIS COUNSELORS.

THE TRAINING IS VERY INTENSE AND BASICALLY INDIVIDUALS FOR TWO MONTHS ARE KIND OF COACHED TO MAKE SURE THEY KNOW HOW TO DO THIS WORK.

SO I THINK THAT-- I THINK WE'RE PREPARED.

NOW IF IT WERE A HUGE BURST, WE WOULD HAVE TO GET A LITTLE MORE FLEXIBLE AND PUSH, BUT I THINK IT'S BEEN PROJECTED OUT THAT WE SHOULD BE ABLE 21 TO COVER THE INCREASE IN CALL DEMAND.

>> WELL, WE'VE BEEN SPEAKING WITH DR. ANNE SULLIVAN.

SHE'S THE COMMISSIONER OF THE STATE OFFICE OF MENTAL HEALTH.

COMMISSIONER, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR MAKING THE TIME.

I REALLY APPRECIATE IT.

>> AND THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR GIVING ME THE OPPORTUNITY TO TALK ABOUT 988 AND GET ALL OUR NEW YORKERS TO FEEL COMFORTABLE ASKING FOR HELP.

[ THEME MUSIC ] >> AS THE COMMISSIONER SAID, THE 988 NUMBER IS NOW ACTIVE STATEWIDE, AND WE'LL PUT SOME OTHER MENTAL HEALTH RESOURCES UP ON OUR WEBSITE.

AS ALWAYS, THAT'S AT NYNOW.ORG, BUT BEFORE WE LET YOU GO, A SHORT TRIP BACK IN TIME.

IT WAS THIS WEEK LAST YEAR THAT ANDREW CUOMO'S POLITICAL CAREER WAS PUT TO THE TEST.

THAT WAS AFTER SEVERAL WOMEN ACCUSED CUOMO OF SEXUAL MISCONDUCT.

THOSE ALLOCATIONS RANGED FROM INAPPROPRIATE REMARKS TO ONE WOMAN WHO CLAIMED CUOMO GROPED HER IN THE EXECUTIVE MANSION IN ALBANY, AND AT THE TIME, WE WERE IN A WAITING GAME.

CUOMO HAD ASKED THE STATE A.G., TISH JAMES, TO LOOK INTO THOSE CLAIMS HOPING TO BE CLEARED OF ANY WRONGDOING, BUT THE RESULT OF THAT PROBE WAS VERY DIFFERENT.

THIS WAS A.G. JAMES LAST YEAR.

>> THE INDEPENDENT 22 INVESTIGATION HAS CONCLUDED THAT GOVERNOR ANDREW CUOMO SEXUALLY HARASSED MULTIPLE WOMEN AND IN DOING SO VIOLATED FEDERAL AND STATE LAW.

>> THAT WAS THE DAY THE A.G.'S OFFICE ISSUED THE FINDINGS OF THE INVESTIGATION IN A BOMBSHELL REPORT THAT ULTIMATELY LED TO CUOMO'S DOWNFALL.

HE'S DENIED THE CLAIMS WHICH NEVER MADE IT TO COURT BUT HE RESIGNED A WEEK LATER ANYWAY.

SINCE THEN, HE'S MOSTLY BEEN LAYING LOW PUTTING OUT THE OCCASIONALLY STATEMENTS AND FIGURING OUT WHAT'S NEXT.

AND THAT'S SOMETHING WE WILL CERTAINLY BE WATCHING.

BUT WE'LL LEAVE IT THERE FOR THE WEEK.

THANKS FOR WATCHING THIS WEEK'S "NEW YORK NOW."

HAVE A GREAT WEEK AND BE WELL.

[ THEME MUSIC ] >>Announcer: FUNDING FOR "NEW YORK NOW" IS PROVIDED BY WNET.