[NYAPRS Enews] WE NEED YOU: Send letters of support to legislators to Pass Daniel's Law this year!

[Luke Sikinyi]

NYAPRS Note: While the Senate approved $10 million dollars for a Daniel's Law pilot program, the assembly did not include it in their budget. We must make sure they hear from us while they continue to negotiate the final budget. WE NEED YOU to send letters to legislators to tell them to PASS DANIEL'S LAW THIS YEAR! See below for more information and the link to send letters to your legislators.

Urge your state representatives to vote this critical legislation favorably out of committee, with appropriate funding, so we can get it passed!

When our friends, neighbors, or community members are experiencing a mental health crisis, this is a public health issue-- not a criminal legal issue. They deserve to be treated with compassion, care, and understanding - not cops and the threat of jail. With "Daniel's Law," the NYS legislature has an opportunity to meet this moment by removing police as the default solution to address mental health needs.

The Senate bill number for Daniel's Law is S.2398 and the Assembly bill number is A.2210. This legislation would allow peers (people with lived experience), mental health workers & EMT's to be first responders to people in crisis.

Why does Daniel's Law exist?

Daniel Prude should still be alive. On March 23, 2020, Daniel Prude was experiencing an acute mental health crisis when his family called 911 for help. He was naked in the street and posed no risk to anyone. Yet, Rochester Police responded in force, handcuffed him, placed a hood over his head, and held him face down on the cold pavement until he stopped breathing. Daniel Prude was mocked and treated cruelly by officers with no understanding of his needs. Daniel Prude was a Black man experiencing an obvious mental health crisis, and he deserved care and dignity - but he was denied both. Instead, police killed him.

New York legislators must do everything in their power to prevent what happened to Daniel Prude from happening again. We have to keep fighting to make sure communities-- especially Black and Brown communities-- are free from police violence. We must end the role of police as a default response to people in crisis.
Link to send Letters: We must pass and FUND Daniel's Law this session! (oneclickpolitics.global.ssl.fastly.net)<https://oneclickpolitics.global.ssl.fastly.net/messages/edit?promo_id=19373>
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