Congress must stop blocking mental health clinics from needed money – Cheryl Roberts NYDN Op Ed
Newly elected Congressman Dan Goldman’s announcement about reintroducing the Michelle Alyssa Go Act is welcomed news. The Act, named after Michelle Go, the young woman pushed to her death in front of a subway train by Martial Simon, a homeless man with serious mental illness, would amend the decades old federal rule at the root of […]
Billie Boggs, mental health and homelessness – Read Cheryl Roberts’ Op Ed in today’s NYDN about Mayor’s mental health plan
Joyce Brown, also known as Billie Boggs, is released from Bellevue Hospital in January 1988, after she was taken off the street under Mayor Ed Koch’s plan to remove mentally ill homeless people. Also shown, attorneys Norman Siegel and Robert Levy.
We’re Taking a Break
The Greenburger Center is pushing pause and taking a break from Twitter. We try not to judge people by the worst thing they have done in their lives because there is always HOPE that they will change, but avoiding judgment does not mean avoiding responsibility. We hope Elon Musk will change and we won’t be […]
From Sexual Health to Sexual Harm (Weekly Zoom Series starting 9/9/22)
The Greenburger Center for Social and Criminal Justice From Sexual Health to Sexual Harm an 8-part, weekly Zoom series beginning Friday, September 9, 2022 – through Friday, October 28, 2022 11:30 AM – 1:00 PM (ET) From Sexual Health to Sexual Harm is an 8-Part, weekly zoom series presented by the Greenburger Center for Social […]
Roberts, Aquila NYDN Op Ed on Kendra’s Law
This time, three people died. NYPD Detectives Jason Rivera and Wilbert Mora were murdered by Lashawn McNeil — who, according to his mother, lived with mental illness and believed he was “God.” McNeil also lost his life during what may have been a mental health crisis.These deaths come only weeks after the killing of Michelle […]
JOIN US! NYC Defenders talk about Bail Reform & Decriminalizing Mental Illness March 28th via zoom!
Join Us and John Jay College of Criminal Jusitce on March 28th from 12:00 – 1:00 (EST) via zoom when we present NYC’s Defenders in conversation about bail reform and decriminalizing mental illness. We will hear from: Stan German, New York Defenders Joyce Kendrick, Brooklyn Defenders Justince Olderman, Bronx Defenders Lori Zeno, Queens Defenders With […]
Roberts NYDN Op Ed on Gov’s 10 Point Plan
Gov. Hochul is right to push for a budget amendment to increase funding for mental health treatment, pretrial and employment programs, and alternatives to incarceration and diversion services as part of her 10-point public safety plan.
The governor’s leadership and commitment to increased funding for these services and emergency and supportive housing is long overdue and desperately needed. It seems we may finally have a governor willing to play hardball on behalf of the most forgotten, the ones we barely notice and even step over or try to ignore, at least until they push someone off a subway platform or rub feces in a woman’s face.
Watch: Paraphilic and Compulsive Sexual Disorders: Separating Fact from Fiction
On November 17th, Cheryl Roberts, Executive Director of the Greenburger Center moderated a conversation with three experts in compulsive sexual and paraphilic disorders: Dr. Ken Rosenberg, MD, Dr. Richard Krueger, MD and Dr. Meg Kaplan PhD. The panelist explored issues including, what is paraphilic vs a compulsive sexual disorder? Is either disorder considered a mental […]
Governor, free him in time for Christmas. Cheryl Roberts NYDN Op Ed about Reggie Randolph
On December 23rd, the NYDN published Greenburger Center Executive Director Cheryl Roberts’ Op Ed seeking clemency for Reggie Randolph. Governor, free him in time for Christmas: A clemency plea to Gov. Hochul By CHERYL ROBERTSNEW YORK DAILY NEWS | DEC 23, 2021 AT 5:00 AM It’s that time of the year, when governors grant clemency […]
What needs to be said about the Rittenhouse case: Let’s talk about Joseph Rosenbaum NYDN Op Ed by Cheryl Roberts
Today, the NY Daily News published an Op Ed by Greenburger Center Ex. Director Cheryl Roberts about the Rittenhouse case which focused on Joseph Rosenbaum. Rosenbaum, killed by Rittenhouse, lived with bi-polar disorder and was convicted of sexual offenses involving preteen boys. Roberts draws on her personal experience and calls on us all to listen […]
In Memory of John R. Dunne
John Dunne’s death would have been difficult to absorb at any time, but his loss is particularly hard now, at a time when we need more people, more politicians, and more public servants like John on both sides of the aisle, and on every side of an issue. John Dunne stood up for what he […]
Aaron Garcia has serious mental illness, not a mental health challenge NYDN Op Ed by Cheryl Roberts
Bill’s happy talk on mental illness By CHERYL ROBERTS NEW YORK DAILY NEWS AUGUST 21, 2021 Mayor de Blasio’s recent characterization of Aaron Garcia as having a “mentalhealth challenge”downplays the realities of the disease and is unfortunatelyemblematic of his approach to people living with serious, untreated mentalillness. The next mayor must make a change.Garcia is […]
The evil twins harming our mental health NYDN Op Ed by Cheryl Roberts
Ex. Director Cheryl Roberts’ Op Ed in the NY Daily News: The Evil Twins Harming our Mental Health In 1965, Medicaid was enacted to ensure that at least some low-income people had access to health care. From the start, incarcerated low-income people were flatly excluded from coverage. A bipartisan bill re-introduced by Reps. Annie Kuster […]
The Greenburger Center is at Work in Upstate NY!
In July 2020, Hudson City Mayor Kamal Johnson asked the Greenburger Center to facilitate a Sequential Intercept Model (SIM) mapping Task Force in Columbia County to identify the County’s mental health and substance use disorder service gaps. The request was the result of an Executive Order issued by the Mayor in response to the murder […]
We’re Teaming Up for Sane Change with NY Giants Isaac Yiadom
On Sunday, December 13th, NY Giants cornerback Isaac Yiadom will bring attention to criminal justice and mental health reform during this year’s My Cause, My Cleats Game by highlighting the Greenburger Center’s work. We are honored that he has made the Greenburger Center his cause for 2020. We are also honored that Isaac’s cleats were […]
AMNY Op Ed by Francis Greenburger and Cheryl Roberts: Is There Any Justice Left in America?
BY FRANCIS GREENBURGER AND CHERYL ROBERTS As riots rage across the nation, it may be tempting for some, or expedient for the President, to rail against the rioters and to view these events as a failure of the rule of law. We don’t agree. The riots in Minneapolis are fueled by the desperation of African-Americans […]
NYDN Op Ed on Daniel Prude by Cheryl Roberts
“Daniel Prude represents the most at-risk group of Americans to be killed in an encounter with police: a Black male living with a serious mental illness. When police are summoned to so-called Emotionally Disturbed Person (EDP) calls, the results are often deadly. Nationwide, at least a quarter and maybe as high as half of those […]
In Memory of Mental Health Advocate DJ Jaffe
Sometimes, there really is not enough time. About a month ago, DJ and I began working on an Op Ed about why defunding the police and spending money on “feel good wellness social services rather than long term treatment for SMI” was not going to reduce police shootings, help the SMI (seriously mentally ill) population, […]
NYDN Op Ed by Sen. Luis Sepulveda and Cheryl Roberts: A Tale About Mental Health, Not Bail
Tiffany Harris, a woman living with what appears to be a serious mental illness, has become a poster child for the push to roll back new bail reform laws in New York. Harris was charged with slapping three Orthodox Jewish women in Brooklyn. Rather than ordering mental-health counseling as a condition of release, something provided […]
NYDN Op Ed by Cheryl Roberts: The Jail Rethink We Really Need
Dear Members and Friends, Today the New York Daily News printed an Op Ed by Greenburger Center Executive Director Cheryl Roberts about the need to rethink the jail closure plan. There are better ways to provide treatment and rehabilitation to people living with serious mental illnesses and substance use disorders and to end the cycle of homelessness […]
Past Time To Bring Back The Asylum
When the New York Times and the Manhattan Institute are on the same social reform page, it’s time to pay attention. For people with untreated serious mental illness and their families, it’s past time. The question is no longer whether to bring back the asylum; it’s how to fund it, ensure that treatment and care is therapeutic, humane and […]
DAs Hold Key to Diverting Defendants & Closing Rikers
The New York Daily News featured an Op Ed by Len Elmore, retired basketball player, lawyer, sports commentator and Greenburger Center Board of Advisor. Elmore’s Op Ed follows: It was a striking sight: Four of New York City’s five district attorneys gathered earlier this month at a forum sponsored by the Daily News, Greenburger Center […]
NYDN Editoral: A jail is not a hospital
A jail is not a hospital EDITORIALSNEW YORK DAILY NEWSSaturday, October 7, 2017, 4:05 AM Council Speaker Melissa Mark-Viverito and retired Chief Judge Jonathan Lippman, architects of the plan to close Rikers Island within 10 years, got a crash course on how to move one of the mountains in their way — lessons that need […]
