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New York City Bar Association Podcast

New York City Bar Association Podcast

Mental Health Reform at a Crossroads in New York

Mar 19, 2026 · 1h 32m

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About this episode

New York is facing a growing mental health crisis, and the systems meant to support people are struggling to keep up. Efforts to fix an inadequate system have given rise to dueling reform proposals. Maia Goodell, Chair of the City Bar's Mental Health Law Committee, hosts today's podcast in conversation with Dr. Thomas Insel, Former Director, National Institute for Mental Health; Arvind Sooknanan, New York–based mental health advocate and civic leader; Dr. Ashwin Vasan, Former Commissioner, New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene; and Ken Zimmerman, Attorney & CEO of Fountain House. They discuss existing reform efforts and explain those efforts' real-world impact, focusing on…