NYC Mayor Adams expands involuntary confinement of more mentally ill after violent subway attacks

New York City Mayor Eric Adams has expanded the city’s ability to address the problem of mentally unstable residents, expanding the guidelines for what behaviors justify involuntary commitment.

"If severe mental illness is causing someone to be unsheltered and a danger to themselves, we have a moral obligation to help them get the treatment and care they need," Adams said Tuesday in announcing the change. 

City workers had previously been instructed to limit the involuntary commitment program, known as Kendra’s Law, only to people who presented an imminent threat to themselves or to others.

City workers can now immediately hospitalize people who refuse treatment, even if they pose no clear and present danger to themselves or others, according to the New York Post.

The move follows a series of attacks of subway passengers by people who serve mental illness, drawing attention to the problem.