New York City Council Member Virginia Maloney, Speaker Julie Menin Announce Historic $25.6 Million Investment to Expand Adult Inpatient Psychiatric Care at NYC Health + Hospitals/Bellevue
Council funding will modernize Bellevue Hospital’s adult inpatient psychiatric infrastructure and create 40 additional beds
Sep 23, 2026
New York, NY – New York City Council Member Virginia Maloney, Speaker Julie Menin, members of the Manhattan Delegation, and NYC Health + Hospitals/Bellevue leadership today announced a $25.6 million City Council capital investment to modernize adult inpatient psychiatric infrastructure at Bellevue Hospital and create 40 additional psychiatric beds. The funding was Council Member Maloney’s number-one capital priority in her first City budget.
“NYC Health + Hospitals/Bellevue plays a critical role in confronting New York City’s mental health crisis,” said Council Member Virginia Maloney.“ When New Yorkers experience psychiatric emergencies, our city needs to have beds available, doctors and nurses equipped to treat them, and a safe and dignified place where they can stabilize and begin their path toward recovery. I made this my number-one capital priority in my first City budget because strengthening that system of care is essential for patients, families, first responders, and our entire city. I am deeply grateful to Speaker Menin, my colleagues in the Manhattan Delegation and the Bellevue Hospital team for helping us deliver this $25.6 million investment.”
The Council investment includes $10.6 million in Fiscal Year 2027 and $15 million in Fiscal Year 2028. Bellevue Hospital currently operates at 98% occupancy, and the new capital funding will support the modernization of its adult inpatient psychiatric infrastructure and the creation of 40 additional beds.
Bellevue Hospital serves as the premier adult psychiatric safety-net institution for New York City. The City Council’s historic investment will expand the hospital’s ability to provide inpatient treatment and stabilization for New Yorkers experiencing serious mental illness at a time of significant demand for psychiatric care.
The funding comes as New York City continues to expand different parts of its mental-health continuum. Bellevue Hospital is separately undergoing a $40 million expansion of its Comprehensive Psychiatric Emergency Program, which provides 24/7 psychiatric emergency services and is expected to increase capacity from approximately 11,000 to 13,500 patients. The new $25.6 million Council investment addresses another critical point in that continuum: inpatient beds for patients who need to be admitted for continued psychiatric treatment.
The announcement was made with Bellevue Hospital leadership and members of the Manhattan Delegation, including Co-Chair Council Member Carmen De La Rosa.
“A New Yorker going through a psychiatric crisis should be met with immediate care, not a waitlist,” said Speaker Julie Menin.“ As the oldest public hospital in the United States, Bellevue has been at the forefront of protecting the health of Americans for nearly three hundred years, and continues to play a critical role in addressing the city’s mental health crisis. This major Council investment will mean that more New Yorkers can access the treatment they need instead of being turned away or forced to wait during their most vulnerable moments. Thank you to Council Member Maloney for leading this important initiative, so that the incredible doctors and nurses of Bellevue are better equipped to protect the health of everyone who comes through their doors.”
“NYC Health + Hospitals plays a critical role in ensuring that New Yorkers experiencing serious mental illness can access the right care at the right time,” said NYC Health + Hospitals President and CEO Mitchell Katz, MD. “Bellevue Hospital has long been a national leader in providing specialized inpatient psychiatric care for some of New York City’s most complex patients. This investment will strengthen that essential safety net by improving the inpatient environment and increasing capacity. We thank Speaker Menin, Council Member Maloney and the City Council for their leadership in making this important investment in the health and wellbeing of New Yorkers.”
“Bellevue Hospital has always been here for New Yorkers in their most difficult moments, and that commitment is at the heart of our work in adult psychiatry,” said Eric Wei, MD, MBA, Chief Executive Officer, NYC Health + Hospitals/Bellevue. “This investment will allow us to transform our inpatient psychiatric units into safer, more modern spaces while creating additional capacity for patients who need hospital-based care. For our patients and our teams, this means a more therapeutic environment, greater dignity and comfort, and the ability to care for more New Yorkers when they need us most. I am deeply grateful to Speaker Menin, Council Member Maloney and the City Council for recognizing how important this investment is to Bellevue Hospital and to the mental health of our city.”
“Every patient admitted to our inpatient psychiatry service deserves a safe, therapeutic environment where they can stabilize and work with our multidisciplinary team toward the next step in their care,” said Bipin Subedi, MD, Chief, Adult Psychiatry, NYC Health + Hospitals/Bellevue. “Our teams provide highly specialized treatment for patients with complex needs, and the physical environment is an important part of that care. These modernized units will provide safer, more patient-centered and therapeutic spaces that will have a positive impact on both patients and clinicians, including renovated patient rooms with more natural light and private areas for interviews and treatment. Just as importantly, the additional beds will expand our capacity to serve more patients who need inpatient psychiatric care.”
“Our nurses and clinical teams see every day how much the environment matters to a patient’s experience and to the safety of everyone on the unit,” said Dorothy Neal, MSN, MPH, PMHN-BC, Director of Nursing, Adult Psychiatry, NYC Health + Hospitals/Bellevue. “Modernizing our inpatient psychiatric spaces will give patients greater privacy, comfort, and dignity while giving our staff the safer, more functional environment they need to provide excellent care. Creating additional beds will also help us keep pace with the needs of New Yorkers who require inpatient psychiatric treatment. This investment is about creating a place where patients can feel safe and supported and where our staff can do their best work.”
“A capital investment has its greatest impact when it becomes real capacity for patients,” said Erfan Karim, MPH, Chief Operating Officer, NYC Health + Hospitals/Bellevue. “At Bellevue Hospital, this funding will help us modernize our inpatient psychiatric units, support our patients and care teams, and bring 40 additional beds into service. We are deeply grateful to the City Council for this commitment, and our focus now is on execution: moving this work forward with urgency so that more New Yorkers can access the inpatient psychiatric care they need.”
“We are deeply grateful to Speaker Menin, Council Member Maloney, and to the entire New York City Council, for their commitment to Bellevue Hospital,” said Omar Fattal, MD, MPH, NYC Health + Hospitals Chief Behavioral Health Officer. “This transformative investment in the renovation of Bellevue’s inpatient adult psychiatric units will help us create modern, safe, and healing spaces for New Yorkers experiencing mental health challenges. We applaud the Bellevue behavioral health team in spearheading this partnership with the Council on this critical effort. We are grateful for this continued support of Bellevue and the patients and communities we serve.”
“Untreated mental illness can devastate the lives of New Yorkers, yet far too many individuals who are most in need of care cannot access quality mental health services due to limited provider capacity and soaring healthcare costs,” said Congressmember Jerry Nadler. “As New York City’s safety-net health system, NYC Health + Hospitals delivers cutting-edge mental and psychiatric healthcare to all New Yorkers, including our most vulnerable neighbors. I am grateful to Bellevue Hospital for providing high-quality care to New Yorkers for generations, and I look forward to this monumental City Council investment improving and expanding its mental health programs so that more individuals can access the care they need.”
“New York City urgently needs more psychiatric intake beds to move people off the streets and into appropriate care. Bellevue is stepping up to help address this shortage. The hospital has a long record of responding when the city faces a crisis—from COVID-19 to the September 11th World Trade Center Health Program,” said Former Congressmember Carolyn Maloney. “Once again, Bellevue is meeting an urgent citywide need. Congratulations to the City Council for providing substantial support for this essential effort.”
“Bellevue is the linchpin of New York City’s public healthcare system, and I’m thrilled to celebrate the City Council’s $25.6 million investment in Bellevue’s adult inpatient psychiatric care,” said Manhattan Borough President Brad Hoylman-Sigal. “I’m grateful to Council Member Virginia Maloney for securing this historic funding and to Speaker Julie Menin for her leadership in making this investment possible, which will expand Bellevue’s inpatient psychiatric bed capacity and enable a higher quality of care for the thousands of New Yorkers who seek treatment at Bellevue every single day. New York is facing an unprecedented mental health crisis, and this investment means our most vulnerable Manhattanites will have increased access to the life-saving care they need.”
“This $25.6 million investment will support Bellevue in providing the mental health care New Yorkers need — with more inpatient psychiatric beds and modernized units to meet that demand,” said Assemblymember Micah Lasher. “For New Yorkers in crisis, that means a bed will be there when they need a path back to health. I’m grateful to Speaker Menin and Council Member Maloney for their leadership on this, and proud to support it.”
“I’m thrilled Bellevue has been awarded a $25.6 million investment to bolster adult inpatient psychiatric care,” said Assembly Member Keith Powers. “Bellevue continues to provide lifesaving care and treatment for New Yorkers, and I’m proud to be a longtime supporter of this historic institution. I’ll keep fighting to ensure Bellevue has the resources to remain the beacon of our public healthcare system, and can keep providing New Yorkers with top notch care.”
“For 290 years, Bellevue has served New Yorkers, adapting to the city’s changing healthcare needs. Facing a rise in mental health crises, our hospitals need support to meet that challenge,” said Majority Leader Shaun Abreu. “This $25.6 million investment will allow Bellevue to bolster the critical mental health services that many New Yorkers depend on in their hardest moments. I thank Speaker Menin and Council Member Maloney for making it happen.”
“As our City continues to confront the ongoing mental health crisis, we must ensure our healthcare system has the resources necessary to provide individuals with the highest quality care possible,” said Council Member Linda Lee, Chair of the Committee on Finance. “The Council’s $25.6 million investment in Bellevue Hospital will modernize its adult inpatient psychiatric units and expand bed capacity, strengthening our City’s ability to provide comprehensive mental health services and achieve better outcomes for New Yorkers. The New York City Council will continue to champion the investments that are proven to support New Yorkers in crisis.”
“Individuals living with severe mental illness often require specialized inpatient services to get the care they need,” said Council Member Lynn Schulman, Chair of the Health Committee. “Today’s announcement of a $25.6 million City Council investment in Bellevue Hospital’s inpatient psychiatric services represents a significant commitment to expanding access to high-quality mental health care for New Yorkers. I thank Speaker Julie Menin and Council Member Virginia Maloney for their leadership and for making expanded mental health services a priority for our city.”
“New York City has needed more inpatient psychiatric beds for a long time, particularly at Bellevue, and I have seen what happens when that capacity is not there. Emergency psychiatric care is only one part of the system; some patients need continued treatment and stabilization in an inpatient setting,” said Council Member Gale A. Brewer. “This investment strengthens that essential part of the continuum of care and gives Bellevue more capacity to provide the treatment people need, when they need it. I thank Speaker Menin, Council Member Maloney, my colleagues in the Manhattan Delegation, and the Bellevue team for making it happen.”
“Every New Yorker experiencing a mental health crisis deserves access to care. That means having enough beds, staff, and resources to provide meaningful treatment and stabilization,” said Council Member Carl Wilson. “Bellevue has been a cornerstone of our city’s public health system, and this critical investment from the Council will help ensure that more New Yorkers can receive the inpatient care they need in a safe and dignified setting.”
“Every New Yorker in a mental health crisis deserves a safe place to get care. This $25.6 million investment will bring 40 new psychiatric beds to Bellevue and help more people get the treatment they need,” said Council Member Yusef Salaam. “I thank Council Member Maloney for her leadership and Speaker Menin for making it happen.”
“When someone is in a mental health crisis, they need a bed and a medical team ready to help them get stable. As a registered nurse, I know that when those beds aren’t available, patients wait in the emergency room for hours or even days, just to get discharged before they’re ready,” said Council Member Mercedes Narcisse. “I want to thank Speaker Menin and Council Member Maloney for securing this $25.6 million. It will modernize Bellevue’s psychiatric units and add inpatient beds, and that means more New Yorkers get the care they need instead of being sent back out the door.”
“I’m grateful to Speaker Menin and Council Member Maloney for delivering $25.6 Million in capital funding to expand the capacity of psychiatric in-patient care at Bellevue Hospital. Bellevue has always been there for New Yorkers in their greatest moments of need, and this investment ensures it can continue delivering the highest standard of emergency care for patients in crisis,” said Council Member Harvey Epstein. “I’m proud to support investments that keep Bellevue at the forefront of emergency medicine and ensure every New Yorker has access to the timely, high-quality care they deserve.”
“New Yorkers facing a mental health crisis deserve timely, compassionate care, regardless of their ability to pay,” said Council Member Christopher Marte. “The Council’s $25.6 million investment in Bellevue will modernize psychiatric units and expand inpatient capacity so more people can get the treatment they need. I’m proud to support this investment in our public hospital system and the staff who care for New Yorkers every day.”
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Press Contacts: Anna Barot, City Council, (423) 509-3852
Noel Alicea, NYC Health + Hospitals/Bellevue, (917) 583-6657
Media: Media – 9/23 Bellevue Funding
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About NYC Health + Hospitals/Bellevue
NYC Health + Hospitals/Bellevue is America’s oldest public hospital, established in 1736. Affiliated with the NYU Grossman School of Medicine, the 851-bed hospital is a major referral center for highly complex cases, with 6,000 employees including highly skilled, interdisciplinary clinical staff. The hospital is a Level I Trauma Center and annually it sees about 110,000 emergency room visits, and more than 520,000 outpatient visits. Clinical centers of excellence include: Emergency Medicine and Trauma Care; Cardiovascular Services; Bariatric Surgery; Designated Regional Perinatal Center and Neonatal Intensive Care Unit; Children’s Comprehensive Psychiatric Emergency Program; and Cancer Services. For more information, visit www.nychealthandhospitals.org/bellevue and follow us on Facebook and X (Twitter).
About NYC Health + Hospitals
NYC Health + Hospitals is the largest municipal health care system in the nation serving more than a million New Yorkers annually in more than 70 patient care locations across the city’s five boroughs. A robust network of outpatient, neighborhood-based primary and specialty care centers anchors care coordination with the system’s trauma centers, nursing homes, post-acute care centers, home care agency, and MetroPlusHealth—all supported by 11 essential hospitals. Its diverse workforce of more than 46,000 employees is uniquely focused on empowering New Yorkers, without exception, to live the healthiest life possible. For more information, visit www.nychealthandhospitals.org and stay connected on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn.