New York City Mayor Eric Adams has announced an ambitious legislative push to expand involuntary treatment laws to include individuals struggling with serious addiction, building on his controversial but increasingly supported mental health reforms.

Speaking at the Manhattan Institute, Adams said the proposed Compassionate Intervention Act would “end the culture of anything goes” and provide targeted care to the city’s most vulnerable residents.

“We are ending the culture of ‘anything goes’ and providing care to New Yorkers in need,” Adams declared. “Most importantly, we must stop leaving behind the New Yorkers most in need, because when anything goes, nothing is possible.”

The event opened with remarks from the Manhattan Institute highlighting the city’s history of reform in law enforcement, welfare, and education, and framing the discussion around New York’s affordability crisis and public safety concerns. Introducing the mayor, the host praised Adams’ decades of service—from NYPD captain to Brooklyn Borough President—and his pledge to make the city safer, fairer, and more affordable.

From Subway Safety to Legislative Victories

Adams reflected on the turning point early in his administration following the tragic killing of Michelle Go, who was pushed to her death by a man with untreated severe mental illness. “We betrayed New Yorkers,” he said. “We pretended as though we didn’t see it, and we allowed them to live in inhumane environments.”

Within weeks, Adams launched the Subway Safety Plan, connecting thousands of homeless individuals to shelter and permanent housing. According to the mayor, more than 8,600 New Yorkers have been moved into shelter, with over 3,500 now in permanent housing. Programs such as SCOUT and PATH have facilitated over 13,500 contacts with unhoused individuals in the past nine months alone.

The city’s approach expanded in 2022 to include involuntary removal of people with severe mental illness who could not meet their basic needs. Though initially controversial, recent legislative changes in Albany—backed by Governor Kathy Hochul—have lowered the threshold for involuntary commitments and empowered hospitals, families, and psychiatric nurse practitioners to intervene more effectively.

“This legislation ended the debate,” Adams said, calling it “a huge step in the right direction.”

A New Push Against Public Drug Use

The proposed Compassionate Intervention Act would extend the same involuntary treatment framework to those with serious addiction. Medical professionals could transport individuals for evaluation, and courts could mandate treatment even without the patient’s consent.

“This authority will belong solely to the doctors and nurses responding to people in need,” Adams emphasized. “It would be the single most effective tool in helping end the drug abuse crisis we see all around us.”

The plan includes expanded outreach in drug-use hotspots, investments in contingency management programs that incentivize sobriety, and strategies proven in other cities and at U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs facilities.

Tackling Quality of Life and Crime Perception
Adams also spoke about his administration’s broader quality-of-life initiatives, including citywide deployment of “Q teams” to address noise, illegal parking, outdoor drug use, aggressive panhandling, and other urban disorder. Since taking office, he said, shootings, homicides, and major crime categories have dropped to “record lows,” aided by the removal of 23,000 illegal guns and 130,000 illegal vehicles.

“Public safety is a prerequisite to prosperity and the foundation of urban life,” he said. “It’s not only about stats, but about feeling confident that you and your family can go to work, to school, or get on the subway in a safe and orderly city.”

Housing, Economic Growth, and Youth Support

Addressing the housing crisis, Adams touted his City of Yes for Housing Opportunity plan, projecting 426,000 new units over the next decade—the most comprehensive housing reform since 1961. Projects include the 2,400-unit affordable housing development at Willets Point, redevelopment of dormant sites like the Flushing Airport, and rezoning in every community board.

On the economy, Adams cited record employment—4.6 million jobs—and a boom in small business creation. He credited falling crime and improved public school performance for attracting investment and job growth, and stressed the need to prepare young New Yorkers for future careers through both academic and emotional skills development.

Message to Young New Yorkers

To young residents feeling priced out of the city, Adams pointed to measures like cutting childcare costs by 90%, eliminating city income tax for low-income earners, raising the Earned Income Tax Credit, and offering homeownership assistance. But he also issued a warning against political radicalization.

“Our young people are being radicalized right under our eyes,” he said. “We have to have them love the team again. This is the greatest country on the globe, and they should be proud of being part of it.”

Pushing Against Political Resistance

When asked about persuading Albany lawmakers, Adams criticized “far-left extremists” for blocking progress on quality-of-life measures. “The first thing I did when I became mayor, I went out and purchased a bunch of earplugs so I could ignore their noise and get stuff done,” he quipped.

In closing, Adams urged support for the Compassionate Intervention Act: “Anything goes is worse than nothing. It’s an admission of failure. New Yorkers deserve more than that.”