Mayor Eric Adams on Tuesday opened a new Hell's Kitchen facility under the city’s "Bridge to Home" pilot program to house severely mentally ill New Yorkers and connect them to municipal services.
The site, operated by Health + Hospitals and located on West 36th Street near Tenth Avenue about a block from the Javits Center, will provide individual rooms, three meals a day and wraparound mental health services for 46 residents at full capacity in its initial phase. City officials said the first residents are expected to arrive by the end of the week, with services ramping up over the coming months.
The Adams administration describes the $13 million pilot as a transitional program aimed at people who have been discharged from psychiatric facilities but are not yet ready to live independently. Officials said the initiative is intended to reduce repeat emergency room visits and inpatient hospitalizations by providing a stable setting where residents can stay on prescribed medications and continue outpatient treatment.
"It’s no secret that too many New Yorkers are cycling between a revolving door system of our emergency rooms when they’re dealing with severe medical issues and mental health issues, and they’re back out on our streets repeatedly," Adams said at the opening. City Hall said the pilot ultimately aims to provide up to 100 beds across sites, with plans to open a second Bridge to Home facility with approximately 50 beds by fall 2026.
The program was first announced by Adams in his State of the City address in January. Health + Hospitals is administering the pilot, which officials say will coordinate services including medication management, behavioral health support and connections to long-term housing and social services.
City officials framed the program as part of a broader strategy to address visible homelessness and acute mental health needs in New York City. Adams, who is running for re-election as an independent, has proposed a range of measures in recent months aimed at addressing public-safety and public-health challenges, including proposals to expand involuntary treatment for some people with substance use disorders and revive a policy to evict shelter residents who repeatedly break rules.
Advocates and service providers have long noted gaps between inpatient psychiatric care and stable community placements, saying that without intermediate supports, people discharged from hospitals can relapse or cycle back into emergency care. City officials said the Bridge to Home pilot is designed to fill that gap by providing a supervised, service-rich environment intended to stabilize residents and transition them into longer-term housing.
Health + Hospitals and City Hall provided operational details and timelines at the opening but did not release information on specific referral criteria or the providers who will deliver services at the site. Officials said additional details would be made available as the program enrolls residents and scales toward its planned capacity.
The launch marks the first publicized opening under the Bridge to Home pilot. City officials said they will monitor outcomes such as reductions in emergency room visits and hospital readmissions as part of an evaluation to determine whether to expand the model.
The administration's announcement comes amid heightened public debate over how best to balance support for people with severe mental illness and substance use disorders with efforts to address street homelessness and public safety. Adams framed the new facility as both a compassionate and pragmatic step to keep vulnerable residents in treatment and reduce pressure on emergency services.
City officials said information on referrals and intake will be shared with partner hospitals and service organizations in the coming weeks as the program begins accepting residents.