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The stabbings along the (A) train on Friday & Saturday are a terrible tragedy. They expose our ongoing failures to address the twin concerns of people experiencing homelessness and those who struggle with mental illness. 1/
In the memory of Claudine Roberts and the other New Yorker who lost his life, and out of recognition of the shortcomings of our social services to care for Rigoberto Lopez and the other two people he allegedly stabbed, we must do better. 2/
To do better, we have to go all the way upstream of this tragedy, to its sources. We can’t be content w 500 extra cops in response to the stabbings; we have to put in place teams of mental health first responders who can put someone on a path to getting the help they need. 3/
We can’t settle for better security protocols at shelters; we have to fully fund social housing that includes permanently affordable apartments, as well as supportive housing for those who need a higher level of services to live dignified lives. 4/
And we can’t just fix the revolving door of inpatient psychiatric units; we need to guarantee wrap-around mental and physical healthcare for all, especially children, so early interventions can meet our students where they are and truly support them in their struggles. 5/
We have to provide the funding and the resources to ensure a tragedy like this can never happen again. 6/6
