New York City Council budget hearings on June 5, 2026 focused on how the newly created Office of Community Safety (OCS) will coordinate an expansion of the Be Heard mental‑health crisis response teams, a proposed transfer of Be Heard funding between NYC Health + Hospitals (H&H) and the Fire Department of New York (FDNY), and unresolved questions about dispatch, staffing, and which agency will ultimately operate and be accountable for the expanded non‑police crisis response teams. Source: https://youtu.be/smpa5F-0p_8&t=19736; Source (external): https://youtu.be/TERKZ6-pg3o&t=1762
# What’s happening
– FY27 executive plan funds a transfer and expansion of Be Heard teams, adding 10 teams by FY2029. Source: https://youtu.be/smpa5F-0p_8&t=22628
– FDNY currently dispatches Be Heard calls; final operational oversight and accountability remain undecided. Source: https://youtu.be/smpa5F-0p_8&t=22628; Source: https://youtu.be/smpa5F-0p_8&t=19736
# Why it matters
– New Yorkers experiencing mental‑health crises may receive a non‑police response more often if Be Heard expands. Source: https://youtu.be/smpa5F-0p_8&t=19736
– FDNY, H&H social workers, and OCS staffing and dispatch rules affect response times and who arrives first on scene. Source: https://youtu.be/smpa5F-0p_8&t=19736; Source: https://youtu.be/smpa5F-0p_8&t=15396
# Key details
– Office of Community Safety (OCS) launched March 19, 2026 with $260 million and two staffers; FY27 executive plan increases to $270 million. Source (external): https://youtu.be/TERKZ6-pg3o&t=2420; Source: https://youtu.be/smpa5F-0p_8&t=13848
– Executive plan baseline transfer: Be Heard funding moves from H&H to FDNY: $2.0 million in FY2026, rising to $6.7 million by FY2029 to create 10 additional teams. Source: https://youtu.be/smpa5F-0p_8&t=22628
– FY28 proposed transfers include $3.2 million and 17 budgeted positions from the Department of Health (DOH) to OCS. Source: https://youtu.be/smpa5F-0p_8&t=14292
– The plan includes a baseline transfer of NGBV funding of $3.3 million to OCS starting in FY28. Source: https://youtu.be/smpa5F-0p_8&t=16687
– Be Heard calls are currently routed through FDNY dispatch for triage. Source: https://youtu.be/smpa5F-0p_8&t=22628
– H&H (NYC Health + Hospitals) hires and trains social workers for crisis response but does not run Be Heard operations today. Source: https://youtu.be/smpa5F-0p_8&t=15396
Office of Community Safety (OCS)
– Role or jurisdiction: City office created by mayoral executive order to coordinate community safety programs. Source (external): https://youtu.be/TERKZ6-pg3o&t=1762
– Action taken or responsibility: Expected to coordinate citywide mental‑health crisis response programs, including Be Heard. Source (external): https://youtu.be/TERKZ6-pg3o&t=1762; Source: https://youtu.be/smpa5F-0p_8&t=13848
– Relevant numbers or dates: Launched March 19, 2026 with $260 million and two staffers; FY27 executive plan brings $270 million. Source (external): https://youtu.be/TERKZ6-pg3o&t=2420; Source: https://youtu.be/smpa5F-0p_8&t=13848
Fire Department of New York (FDNY)
– Role or jurisdiction: City emergency response agency including Emergency Medical Services (EMS). Source: https://youtu.be/X4d32YQZFhQ&t=5207
– Action taken or responsibility: Currently dispatches and operates Be Heard EMS response units. Source: https://youtu.be/smpa5F-0p_8&t=22628; Source: https://youtu.be/zQwuBQRMRsk&t=16368
– Relevant numbers or dates: Executive plan shows funding shifts back to FDNY: $2.0 million in FY26 rising to $6.7 million by FY29 for 10 teams. Source: https://youtu.be/smpa5F-0p_8&t=22628
NYC Health + Hospitals (H&H)
– Role or jurisdiction: Public hospital system that provides social workers and clinical staff for crisis response. Source: https://youtu.be/smpa5F-0p_8&t=15396
– Action taken or responsibility: H&H currently hires and trains social workers for Be Heard but does not run operations. Source: https://youtu.be/smpa5F-0p_8&t=15396
– Relevant numbers or dates: Previously proposed transfers of some Be Heard funding were discussed; current executive plan moves some funding and responsibilities among agencies. Source: https://youtu.be/smpa5F-0p_8&t=22628; Source: https://youtu.be/smpa5F-0p_8&t=19736
The City Council hearing on June 5, 2026 asked agency officials to explain how Be Heard teams, FDNY dispatch, and the Office of Community Safety (OCS) will coordinate operations, dispatch protocols, and staffing for expanded non‑police crisis response teams. Source: https://youtu.be/smpa5F-0p_8&t=19736
Be Heard is a city mental‑health crisis response program that pairs emergency medical technicians (EMTs) with mental‑health professionals and peer specialists to respond to low‑acuity, non‑violent 911 calls where an alternative to police response is appropriate. Source: https://youtu.be/X4d32YQZFhQ&t=5207; Source: https://youtu.be/smpa5F-0p_8&t=22628
Council members cited three connected operational questions: who will operate Be Heard after the proposed budget changes, how calls will be dispatched and triaged, and whether staffing and EMS shortages will affect the program’s ability to put mental‑health professionals in the lead. Source: https://youtu.be/smpa5F-0p_8&t=19736; Source: https://youtu.be/smpa5F-0p_8&t=22628
Agency testimony recorded mixed answers. FDNY representatives said FDNY currently runs Be Heard dispatch and training functions but does not always decide operational deployment. Source: https://youtu.be/smpa5F-0p_8&t=22628
Officials also said the administration has discussed moving Be Heard operation to different agencies. The prior proposal to move Be Heard into H&H is “no longer part of the city’s idea,” and a final decision on which agency will operate and be accountable has not been made. Source: https://youtu.be/smpa5F-0p_8&t=19736
H&H officials told the Council they hire and train social workers and peer staff for crisis response but that H&H does not run Be Heard operations today. Source: https://youtu.be/smpa5F-0p_8&t=15396
City fiscal documents and testimony show line‑item changes in the executive plan: baseline transfers of funds and headcount into OCS and shifts of some Be Heard funding toward FDNY over FY2026–FY2029 to create additional teams. Source: https://youtu.be/smpa5F-0p_8&t=22628; Source: https://youtu.be/smpa5F-0p_8&t=14292
Mayor’s Office materials (external to the Council hearing) state the Office of Community Safety was created by executive order to coordinate community safety strategy and to convene and coordinate citywide mental‑health crisis response programs, including B‑HEARD. Those materials note the office’s policy role but leave operational details to interagency work. Source (external): https://youtu.be/TERKZ6-pg3o&t=1762; Source (external): https://youtu.be/TERKZ6-pg3o&t=2420
Council members pressed agencies for specifics about where the 10 new Be Heard teams will be located and how dispatch protocols will change. Agency testimony repeatedly said those operational details are not finalized and require further interagency planning. Source: https://youtu.be/smpa5F-0p_8&t=22628; Source: https://youtu.be/smpa5F-0p_8&t=19736
The Council’s oversight questions seek clear assignments of operational control, dispatch protocols, and staffing responsibility before the expanded funding and teams are stood up. Source: https://youtu.be/smpa5F-0p_8&t=19736
For follow‑up and official records, Council hearings and agency testimonies remain the primary public sources of answers about the final operator, dispatch changes, and personnel assignments for the expanded Be Heard teams. Source: https://youtu.be/smpa5F-0p_8
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