Distinguished Visiting Urbanist Richard Buery in Conversation with NYC First Lady Chirlane McCray

By Amanda Goorin (MPA-HPAM) 

On Wednesday, February 13, NYU Wagner Distinguished Visiting Urbanist Richard Buery sat down with First Lady of New York City Chirlane McCray to discuss the creation and implementation of ThriveNYC, the city’s comprehensive mental health plan. During the event, Ms. McCray explained how ThriveNYC evolved as a new approach to accessing mental healthcare with a central hub called NYC Well, “a connection to free, confidential mental health support.” ThriveNYC is reimagining healthcare by providing support services where people live, learn, worship, or play.

When asked how ThriveNYC manages its 54 initiatives, Ms. McCray discussed, “There is no silver bullet. Everyone owns this. It’s not just a problem for the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, but it’s work for every single agency. Collaboration is the hallmark of this administration. I believe that by having so many different ways for people to be involved, we are reaching more success and change than if relegated to one agency. It’s a movement.”

Throughout the evening, Ms. McCray reiterated the importance of mental health and why it can be difficult to talk about. In particular, Ms. McCray stressed that most elected officials did not grow up learning about mental health, think about the issues through their own experiences, and do not have a common vocabulary.

She quoted her father saying, “If you have your health, you have everything,” and Ms. McCray added, “But there is no health without mental health.”

Ms. McCray was firm in stating that we need the political will to make policies and invest in mental health services that prevent or help tackle other often connected issues. Ms. McCray ended the evening with advice for students entering the health policy and management field. She encouraged, “Get out there and intern. Volunteer. Go out into the communities where the need is greatest and figure out what role you can play.”

Ms. McCray stressed how different it is to get people to come to you for services as opposed to going to where they are and helping them from where they sit.

She closed the evening saying, “There is so much sophisticated work going on, but this is just the beginning.”