Comptroller DiNapoli audit reveals NYC homeless not being placed in appropriate shelters led to deaths, suicides

ALBANY — Homeless New Yorkers struggling with mental health issues are not getting the help they need at city shelters, according to an audit released Thursday by state Comptroller Tom DiNapoli.

The analysis found more than a quarter of clients diagnosed with a serious mental illness were not placed in a shelter equipped to meet their needs by the NYC Department of Homeless Services, leading to violent incidents, deaths and suicides at a number of facilities.

“The Department of Social Services must do a better job helping some of the city’s most vulnerable people,” DiNapoli said. “DHS’ shortcomings can have serious implications. It’s my hope that DHS uses the audit findings and recommendations to improve its operations.”

The audit examined the assessment and placement of clients over a three-year period and found that the process lacks standardization and often fails to flag mental illness or substance abuse issues.

Auditors looked at the background information of 17,244 homeless individuals who were in DHS’ Client Demographic Report and examined their current shelter assignment, length of stay, assessment screening scores and medical diagnosis.

DiNapoli’s team found that out of 3,022 people who were diagnosed with serious mental illnesses that should have qualified them for a specialized mental health shelter, roughly 26% were sent to facilities not equipped to handle their needs.

That led to several violent incidents at general population shelters, according to the audit. In one case, a client who was diagnosed with schizophrenia was found dead from probable suicide months after being placed in a general shelter.

Another individual with schizophrenia and bipolar disorder was recommended for a mental health shelter, but still placed in a general health facility and subsequently transferred to three other non-mental health shelters following violent incidents.

After “multiple psychotic and violent incidents,” the client left a shelter and was charged with murdering a person in a robbery.

In response to the audit, the city DHS accused the comptroller’s office of cherry-picking cases to highlight and argued that the intake process “is highly complex” and “cannot be reduced to data points.”

“The report assumes that the DHS assessment and placement process was the causal factor of the incidents that occurred with these clients, even though that causal link cannot be established,” the agency wrote. “Such assumptions are dangerous and can give a negative public image to both our clients and to the hard work done daily by DHS staff.”

The audit comes as Mayor Adams faces growing backlash over his directive to more aggressively enforce a state law allowing police officers to involuntarily place homeless New Yorkers with mental issues into care.

Many advocacy groups and civil rights organizations have panned the plan and argue it could worsen the homeless crisis the city is facing.

“As the City looks to address increased mental health crises on its streets, involuntary hospitalization of those who do not pose a threat to themselves or others is not the solution,” the Supportive Housing Network of New York said in a statement Thursday. “The resources dedicated to this ill-conceived approach would be far better spent on expanding supportive services, programs, and permanent affordable and supportive housing — all proven tools to reduce chronic homelessness.”

Adams is also calling on Albany lawmakers to amend state law when the legislative session begins in January to clarify that his plan is legal, and also to require mental health evaluators consider a patient’s history when deciding whether they should be committed.

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