In New York, reproductive rights are protected in law, but access still depends too much on your income, insurance, and where you live. Maternal health disparities remain severe: the New York State Department of Health reported that pregnancy-related deaths were five times higher among Black non-Hispanic pregnant people than white non-Hispanic pregnant people.

New York’s mental health system is overwhelmingly reactive. People often cannot access meaningful treatment until they are already in crisis, by which point the only parts of the system consistently available are emergency rooms, shelters, police intervention, or jail. We need significant investment in intervention before crises, ensuring that mental health is accessible to every New Yorker.