New York City Comptroller Brad Lander released an audit that uncovered several deficiencies with the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene’s (DOHMH) Intensive Mobile Treatment (IMT) program.
Established by the city in 2016, the IMT initiative was created to help New Yorkers with severe mental health challenges, histories of homelessness, substance abuse issues, and frequent interactions with the criminal justice system by providing various treatments and services.
According to the comptroller’s report, though, the program has endured several shortcomings in its monitoring and oversight amidst its time serving the public.
The first issue highlighted in the audit was a declining rate of housing stability for New Yorkers enlisted in the program, with housing numbers reportedly dropping from 47% to 30% over the past couple of years.
The next problem brought to light was a lack of consistent reporting in critical areas like substance abuse intervention and vocational services, making it challenging for DOHMH to assess the overall effectiveness of the IMT program.
Inconsistent treatment was another red flag raised, with the report citing the program’s failure to consistently track psychiatric services, needs, and whereabouts of its participants, leading to individuals not receiving the necessary care that they require.
Finally, the audit made note of inadequate coordination between DOHMH and the city’s Department of Correction (DOC) when it came to exchanging information regarding incarceration rates, with the last analysis reportedly taking place over two years ago.
As a result, the comptroller said that the IMT program is unable to know whether imprisonment numbers are decreasing, which is a core goal of the initiative.
"We need the IMT program to work — to help mentally-ill and homeless New Yorkers get the treatment they urgently need,” said Lander. “Unfortunately, poor management and coordination mean the program is increasingly failing to help participants get off the street into stable housing — and we don’t know whether or not it’s working to keep IMT clients and other New Yorkers safe.”
In response to his findings, the comptroller recommended several actions, including the development of reasonable treatment targets and identifying dedicated housing vouchers for IMT participants, among others.
