End 911 discrimination for those disabilities

To the Editor:

In New York State there is no law requiring mandated reporters to call 911 for medical emergencies, physical or sexual assaults or deaths

911 Civil Rights Bill S5406/A823 ends this deadly discrimination, and it will save countless lives of people with disabilities and mental health problems. It is critical that this bill is brought to both the Senate and Assembly floor for a vote within the next week, where I believe it will be passed overwhelmingly.

People with disabilities NEED equal access to 911 first responder services that all other New York State residents have, to deny them this basic privilege is discrimination.

The number one known reason for medical deaths in OPWDD (Office of People with Developmental Disabilities) is staff not calling 911. Obviously, some of our most vulnerable New Yorkers cannot have equal protection of laws which are constitutionally promised if 911 call systems, local police, medical examiners, district attorneys and entire criminal justice systems are bypassed.

It was 1968 that 911 call systems were first put in place in America. People with disabilities and their families need to know the truth, that still, in 2025, this deadly discriminatory practice of bypassing 911 that affects 1,000,000 New Yorkers still exists today, but it does not have to. S5406/A823 rights the ship and rectifies this gross injustice by finally getting people with disabilities that live in residential care facilities and group homes swift paramedic and police services when they are in a medical emergency or a victim of a crime.

Michael Carey

Civil Rights & Disability Rights Advocate