Full Media Blackout: Bill de Blasio's Wife Can't Account For $850 That is, nobody appears to have kept receipts; the subways and street corners are still overrun with crazy people, and nobody in charge knows whats to happen next. Think Stockholm syndrome, rolled into a big ball with the United Federation of Teachers. The new focus for the program is the second time the city has attempted to retrain Thrives focus. With opaque budget and elusive metrics, $850M ThriveNYC program Questions have mounted in recent days over McCrays expansive role in high-level City Hall decisions, despite having no official title other than wife of the mayor. We've received your submission. But there are other mysteries out there, too. How about the Hurricane Sandy recovery effort six years, uncountable delays and billions of dollars later? . Things happen. In the three years it has been running, organizers at ThriveNYC have largely failed to keep records of the initiative's achievements - and data that has been collected shows it lagging well behind targets. 19:12 GMT 01 Mar 2019. Both City Hall and IBO suspect the Office of Management and Budget included fewer programs in the City Hall version, accounting for the difference. McCray is the proprietress of ThriveNYC, a mental-health-related something-or-other created four-plus years ago to give a little heft to the conceit that Bill and Chirlane were elected as co-mayors which is nonsense on stilts. It's gone. His wife, Chirlane McCray, was given $850 million for a mental health program she was spearheading, The Daily Mail reported. Fast-forward to Wednesday, when the City Council was startled to discover that McCray and Team Thrive are closing in on havingspent an eye-popping $900 millionsince the programs inception and nobody seems to have a clue on what. Bill de Blasio's wife Chirlane McCray cannot explain where $850million given to the mental health program she champions has gone, according to reports. But now, that money cannot be accounted for, and . Legal Statement. One, fromCity Hall, showed $594million in spending, but a second, from the Independent Budget Office, showed $816milion. Folks, let me tell you something, if there truly is a "scheme" here and the money was intentionally "misused" or funnelled somewhere, that is criminal. But weve built the structure that can get us there.. Borderline socialist New York City Mayor Bill DeBlasio's wife has lost a staggering amount of money and now people are demanding answers. Get the latest news delivered straight to your inbox for free every day by signing up below. And while it sounds good to spend heavily on a mental health initiative, it appears that nobody has noticed any real benefits from that investment. It is not, in the end, just about money. Bill de Blasio's wife Chirlane McCray cannot explain where $850million given to the mental health program she champions has gone, according to reports. NYC Mayor De Blasio's wife spent $900 million in taxpayer - TheBlaze That the co-mayors could fly under the radar to burn through $1.6 billion to no obvious good effect is an embarrassment but understandable in the abstract. City officials, for example, could not say how many people have been connected to treatment after calling the citys new mental health hotline, because fewer than 10 percent agree to a follow-up. The Thrive program budgeted millions to create diversion centers, a place other than jail for officers to bring those experiencing a mental health crisis. Right up there with co-Mayor Bill, who started the week on his own sour note announcing that his signature Renewal school program was closing up shop after pounding $773 million down a rathole. The City Council was shocked when they learned that McCray and Team Thrive have spent about $900 million since the programs inception, and no one appears to know why. Only 28,560 new mothers were screened between September 2016 and October 2018, according to Thrives data. or redistributed. The wife of New York Mayor Bill de Blasio "can't account for" $850 million in missing taxpayer money that was granted to her mental health project, according to reports. But the co-mayor made performance promises when he initiated the Renewal program, few of which even remotely were met, and presently gravity prevailed: The program caved in on itself. The plan, which includes dozens of discrete programs across 15 city agencies, has undergone two leadership changes in the last year; the most recent saw a top official from the Police Department, Susan Herman, taking charge last month. As the Worst Mayor In History Mayor Bill DeBlasio gets set to leave office, we thought it might be a good time to revisit an old question: I bet youre never seen this story reported on the nightly newsbut dont worry, well show it to you! Im not sure anybody does.. De Blasio and 'co-mayor' wife have wasted $1.8B of taxpayer money And even some experienced in mental health services have been surprised at what the service does not offer. Hajia4Real tops Twitter trends following U.S. jail reports, Sulley Muntari, Agyeman Badu, Asamoah Gyan, others visit Christian Atsus family home, VIDEO: Government will be fully involved in providing Christian Atsu a befitting burial Dr. Bawumia, Christian Atsus mortal remains arrive in Ghana via Turkish Airlines, Maybe I created enemies along the line Kofi Amoabeng on UT Banks collapse, Christian Atsu was one of Ghanas finest personnel Akufo-Addo. Does anybody know how well more likely, how poorly the co-mayors hugely expensive pre-K program is working, especially that portion consigned to the citys notoriously problematic not-for-profit sector? Susan Herman does the day-to-day management and makes the decisions, Ms. McCray said when asked about her role, adding that her role was to amplify ThriveNYCs message to the public., Pressed on how much of the programs budget went to the seriously mentally ill, Ms. McCray responded by questioning how that category is defined. If you love what we do, please consider a $1/month donation to keep us live! Again, though, no data was available on the number of people referred or the outcomes of the treatment. Despite the worrying misuse of taxpayermoney highlighted by the revelations, the government has granted a huge increasein the project's budget going forward. ", Sometimes you look at a headline like this and think: "that can't possibly be true.". Its safe again and were having a lot of fun over there. In fact, the mayor said Wednesday, McCray should get paid, but for widely accepted nepotism rules forbidding such an arrangement. I'm not sure anybody does.'. Click here to log out. Some have closed their doors; others have chosen to stop providing mental health services. I think it's safe to say that Bill DeBlasio's presidential prospects are dead in the water before they even started. Market data provided by Factset. Zelensky Exposed (Literally): This Is The Guy We Are Sending Billions To? To serve that population, the city is spending $12 million a year on the NYC-WELL hotline not including nearly $11 million spent on advertising in 2017, mostly to promote the service. @NYCMayor and 'co-mayor' wife @NYCFirstLady have wasted $1.8B of taxpayer money https://t.co/gT7Lb67zI0, Brooklyn Republicans (@KingsCountyGOP) March 1, 2019, https://twitter.com/CGasparino/status/1101548456999616512, "Caesar's wife must be above suspicion." Read our full Disclosure. https://t.co/vQU2PxB7dg. Press Esc to cancel. Well, he didnt actually say rathole, and the price tag has doubtless been lowballed but he also had no credible explanation for the debacle, nor did he apologize for it. There is a program NYC Safe that is embedded into the criminal justice and homeless services agencies to connect high-risk individuals to outpatient treatment, according to a 2015 city announcement. Meanwhile, the same number either closed or were merged with other schools while under the initiative. She took a mental health first aid course in October 2014. The site said it had tried and failed to acquire a line-item budget from Thrive, and the two budget breakdowns it had seen showed wildly different numbers. But she cant get paid, so she is doing it as a volunteer.. Social media ads promoting Thrive have reached millions of people, according to the metrics, but the data doesnt show how many people actually used the program after learning about it. The data comes from aPoliticoreport that shows those running the scheme have largely failed to measure its impact or keep track of spending. We value your opinions, and would love to see you add to the discussion! I think that would be the difference: not simply how many people youre screening or youre training, but what impact that actually has on their life.. The program, ThriveNYC, has fallen far behind its goals and appears to be a massive failure for the city. Representatives from four advocacy and service organizations said that Thrive does not fund greater access to inpatient treatment or intensive outpatient services for those with serious mental illnesses, further burdening the social safety net. .hustle-ui.hustle_module_id_1[data-id="1"] .hustle-layout .hustle-button-cta {width:100%!important;font-size:18px!important;}.hustle-ui.module_id_1 .hustle-popup-content {max-width: 400px!important;}.hustle-group-content p {font-size:18px!important;margin: 24px 0 0!important;}.hustle-content-wrap{padding-bottom:0!important;}, We may receive compensation from affiliate partners for some links on this site. 2023 Ghanafuo.com & DM Network. However, according to current and former employees in the Mayors office -- and public records --McCrays staff makes closer to $2 million. De Blasio and co-mayor wife have wasted $1.8B of taxpayer money, Frankly Im surprised its not much more considering these two incompetent lazy stoners are at the helm. Tap below and Follow @DailyNoahNewsthats me! The city comptroller is also investigating. But there is no corresponding data on how many were used or how effective the outreach was. As a result, the program reached just 570 women who had been diagnosed with postpartum depression a sliver of the 12,000 to 15,000 McCray estimated are affected each year. We invite you to become a WeLoveTrump insider. The data also showed almost 190,000 Narcan kits were handed out to hospital where opioid use is common, but there is no evidence of how many were used. We did not say everything would be perfect, burbled the co-mayor as if anybody outside his immediate orbit expected an outcome even close to competent. TheNY Postreports that among multiple failed programs and bad accounting, the figure is actually not $850 millionbut rather $1.8 billion. So its a mater of choosing your poison do you choose the additional income or keeping your credibility with the public?. But even in spite of that the city has decided to increase the budget of the program which is expected to spend $5 billion in the next five years. In the three years it has been running, organizers at ThriveNYC have largely failed to keep records of the initiative's achievements - and data that has been collected shows it lagging . . Does anybody know how well more likely, how poorly the co-mayors hugely expensive pre-K program is working, especially that portion consigned to the citys notoriously problematic not-for-profit sector? Some requested anonymity for fear of retaliation while others were more vocal in their critiques. Officials are also collecting survey data. The programs at issue ostensibly are meant to assist particularly challenged people the helpless, often homeless, mentally ill and small children whose futures are forfeited because they landed in shamefully nonfunctional schools, an experience from which they will never recover. At least one stat the program tracks showed underperformance in an area of particular importance to McCray. Dr. Anitha Iyer, right, who helps oversee the call center for the citys mental health hotline, speaks to Dr. Gary Belkin, left, chief of policy and strategy at ThriveNYC. De Blasio's wife can't account for $850m given to mental health scheme https://t.co/gTEJcrCeob via @MailOnline, NYC Mayor De Blasio's wife spent $900 million in taxpayer moneywith no record of how it was used https://t.co/UGe8liu6L0, De Blasio and co-mayor wife have wasted $1.8B of taxpayer moneyFrankly Im surprised its not much more considering these two incompetent lazy stoners are at the helm. How about the Hurricane Sandy recovery effort six years, uncountable delays and billions of dollars later? Mental health advocates have been pressing the city to overhaul how emergency personnel respond to situations involving people experiencing the effects of severe mental health issues. Murdaugh is heckled as he leaves court, Ukrainian soldier takes out five tanks with Javelin missiles, Isabel Oakeshott receives 'menacing' message from Matt Hancock, Alex Murdaugh unanimously found GUILTY of murder of wife and son, Isabel Oakeshott clashes with Nick Robinson over Hancock texts, Family of a 10-month-old baby filmed vaping open up, Missing hiker buried under snow forces arm out to wave to helicopter, Moment teenager crashes into back of lorry after 100mph police race. David Woodlock, president of the Institute for Community Living and a former top state health official, praised Ms. McCray for her courage in taking on mental health issues. Speaking to the Post,Queens Councilman Robert Holden told the New York Post: 'I like the fact that money is going toward mental health, but when they say we're seeing a benefit in all areas, I take exception to that, because I don't see it everywhere. Chirlane McCray is the face of ThriveNYC an $850 million dollar administration initiative she helped design to improve the citys mental health and substance abuse services. ThriveNYC has led to an expansion of mental health first aid training. You're logged in to Facebook. How many other big-bucks initiatives are in similar straits is unknowable mostly because bureaucrats never blow the whistle on themselves and also because Gothams formal watchdog, city Comptroller Scott Stringer, is among the most incurious individuals ever to hold the office. Its wrong, and it needs to stop, Reynoso said. But this is 2019, and the general feeling at least in the deBlasio administration is that if theres not a lot of dough attached to the spousal sinecure, it doesnt really matter enough. Were US Rail Workers Instructed to Bypass Railcar Safety Inspections? The city invested heavily on mental health before the de Blasio administration: For example, the Health Department spent $243 million in the 2014 fiscal year on mental health contracts. Bill de Blasio's wife can't account for staggering amount of taxpayer money that the NY Mayor gave her for mental health project Bill de Blasio's wife Chirlane McCray cannot explain where $850million given to the mental health program she champions has gone, according to reports. | Demetrius Freeman/Mayoral Photography Office. The mayor and first lady have falsely declared stigma rather than lack of services as being the major barrier faced by the seriously mentally ill thereby justifying the diversion of funds to public relations campaigns rather than services, DJ Jaffe, executive director of Mental Illness Policy Organization, an advocacy group, wrote in an email. This story has been shared 121,909 times. McCray, who is reportedly looking torun for Brooklyn borough president, has a staff of 14 people,sources told The CIty. Mr. de Blasios wife, Chirlane McCray, has done the same, presenting the effort as a national model to audiences from Atlanta to Seattle. It was honorable work, it didnt cost very much and it filled up the spouses free time. Completing this poll entitles you to our news updates free of charge. This news comes as the mayor is consideringlaying off up to 22,000 municipal workers in the falldue to budget constraints related to COVID-19. You should choose to work on something that you would do without pay, she said. Since its inception in 2015, ThriveNYC the citys sprawling $850 million initiative to address a variety of mental health issues has operated without much scrutiny or accountability. That visibility has led to questions this week by Errol Louis of NY1s Inside City Hall over her role. New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio's (D) wife backed a "mental health scheme" that has now cost taxpayers $850 million. (Hes kind of busy, she said.). He was told a team like that could not come for at least a day, maybe two; for immediate help, call 911. She has traveled the city urging New Yorkers, particularly in black and Hispanic communities, to open up and to erase the stigma around mental health. For example, 29 hospitals had agreed to screen almost 78,000 new mothers for post-natal depression each year as part of the scheme. New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio's wife, Chirlane McCray, was given $900 million to start a mental health initiative focusing on helping the homeless in the city. Of the 78,000 newborn deliveries in the city annually, only 28,560 new mothers have been screened by the Thrive program. Fast-forward to Wednesday, when the City Council was startled to discover that McCray and Team Thrive are closing in on having spent an eye-popping $900 million since the programs inception and nobody seems to have a clue on what. (VIDEO) Donald Trump Pitches Agenda 47: Create Freedom Cities. Thrive said it has developed a list of 417 metrics to measure how effective the program is moving forward, but asked to assess its impact so far, Politico said the data was piecemeal and showed a largely failing picture. Well, he didnt actually say rathole, and the price tag has doubtless been lowballed but he also had no credible explanation for the debacle, nor did he apologize for it.