Mayor Eric Adams of New York City announced an update to the city’s 911 mental health response program. The B-HEARD initiative, which addresses nonviolent mental health calls, will now be fully managed by NYC Health + Hospitals, moving away from its previous oversight by the FDNY, according to a statement from the Mayor's office.
This change is part of a plan to improve ambulance response times for other emergencies. EMTs who were previously assigned to B-HEARD will move to other units, allowing them to respond to urgent medical calls. Mayor Adams described the move as one that will harness resources “more efficiently,” in the official announcement.
Since it started in 2021, B-HEARD has responded to nearly 35,000 calls. NYC Health + Hospitals reported that almost half of those helped did not need to go to the emergency room, showing the program’s focus on community-based care. Patient satisfaction has been high, with 96 percent of survey respondents saying B-HEARD made a difference when they needed help.
The Adams administration’s mental health plan goes beyond B-HEARD, with the city launching several programs under the banner of "Care, Community, Action," according to the Mayor’s office. These include free tele-mental health services for teens and efforts to improve quality of life through increased NYPD staffing. With the latest version of B-HEARD set to launch in spring 2026, the city aims to set a new standard for public health innovation.
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