Mayor Adams Announces More Than 10,000 Veterans Residing in New York City Have Been Contacted and Offered Hundreds of Referrals to Mental Health Resources, Housing, Jobs, and More

March 19, 2025

City of New York and New York Cares Have Connected Hundreds of Veterans to Services Through “Mission: VetCheck” 
Part of Adams Administration’s “Mental Health Week,” Highlighting City’s Multi-Agency Efforts to Connect New Yorkers with Mental Health Services

NEW YORK – New York City Mayor Eric Adams and New York City Department of Veterans’ Services Commissioner James Hendon today continued “Mental Health Week” by announcing that the Department of Veterans’ Services contacted 10,564 New York City veterans and connected them with referrals for various supportive services between November 2023 and June 2024 as part of “Mission: VetCheck.” Mission: VetCheck is a partnership between the Department of Veterans’ Services and New York Cares that enlists volunteers to make supportive check-in calls to veterans across the city, creating a crucial point of connection between veterans and their community to provide resources and information about public services, including mental health services, free meals, housing resources, and employment information. This week, the Adams administration is celebrating “Mental Health Week,” highlighting the city’s multi-agency efforts to support New Yorkers in addressing mental health, ranging from serious mental illness to expanding resources to underserved communities and advancing Mayor Adams’ 2025 State of the City commitment to make New York City the best place to raise a family.

“Our veterans put their lives on their line for our nation, so those who have served our country deserve to be served by their community,” said Mayor Adams. “While even the simple act of getting a call and being thanked for their service is uplifting to our veterans, getting a call and being connected to vital services can be lifechanging. As we mark ‘Mental Health Week’ and all our administration to support New Yorkers’ mental health, we are proud of the important work ‘Mission: VetCheck’ is doing to connect our city’s veterans to mental health care, housing, job opportunities, and more. Thank you to Commissioner Hendon and his team for leading this effort and connecting the men and women who served our nation with the resources they need the most.”

“Checking in on our veterans is more than just a courtesy — it’s a necessity,” said Department of Veterans’ Services Commissioner Hendon. “With over 200,000 veterans in New York City, many face unique challenges that can impact their mental health and quality of life, from transitioning to civilian life to navigating complex support systems. Programs like ‘Mission: VetCheck’ create a direct link between veterans and the vital resources available to them, while remaining tethered to the community in times of need.”

Of the more than 10,000 veterans who were contacted during this eight-month period, Mission: VetCheck made more than 400 referrals for services, connecting veterans to essential resources — including housing, legal assistance, employment support, and benefits navigation.

Studies have shown veterans experience mental health disorders, substance use disorders, post-traumatic stress, and traumatic brain injury at higher rates than their civilian counterparts. That’s why the Department of Veterans’ Services helps connect veterans to services that can help them manage mental and behavioral health challenges through substance use and other counseling services, veterans peer support groups, alternative therapies, and more.  

New York City veterans who are in need of a supportive call from Mission: VetCheck can request one online or can email connect@veterans.nyc.gov. New Yorkers who are interested in volunteering to make calls to veterans through Mission: VetCheck can sign up to do so through New York Cares.

Veterans in need of support in the event of a personal emergency or mental health crisis should call 911 or go to their nearest emergency room for immediate assistance. Veterans can also contact the Veterans Crisis Line by calling 988 (then pressing 1) or by texting 838255. The Veterans Crisis Line is a free, confidential resource that is available to anyone, even if they are not registered with Veterans Affairs or enrolled in VA health care.

The mission of the Department of Veterans’ Services is to connect, mobilize, and empower New York City’s veteran community to foster purpose-driven lives for past and present servicemembers in addition to their caregivers, survivors, and families. The Department of Veterans’ Services assists city veteran community members on issues that include, but are not limited to employment, housing, food security, well-being, benefits, culture, and targeted advocacy. For more information, New Yorkers can visit the Department of Veterans’ Services website, call (212) 416- 5250, email connect@veterans.nyc.gov, or follow the agency on Facebook at @nycveterans.

Just this week, Mayor Adams announced accomplishments in the first year of the “Behavioral Health Blueprint” that include restoring and maximizing inpatient capacity, expanding access to outpatient services, increasing services to special populations, enhancing social work, care management, and peer services, preventing violence and increasing safety, and building the behavioral health workforce. 

Mayor Adams has been on the forefront of implementing successful interventions, major investments, and direct services for people struggling with mental illness. In January 2025, following a 2025 State of the City commitment, the Adams administration took unprecedented action to curb street homelessness and support people with severe mental illness by making a $650 million investment in the city’s most vulnerable populations. The Adams administration has also made the largest investment in New York City history in creating specialized shelter beds to address street homelessness. The city has opened 1,400 Safe Haven and stabilization beds since the start of the administration and doubled the number of street outreach teams. Additionally, the announcement included the unveiling of an innovative model, “Bridge to Home,” where NYC Health + Hospitals will offer a supportive, home-like environment to patients with serious mental illness who are ready for discharge from the hospital but do not have a place to go. By offering patients intensive treatment and comprehensive support, Bridge to Home aims to keep patients on a path toward sustained success, reducing unnecessary emergency room visits and inpatient hospitalizations, decreasing street homelessness and reliance on shelters, and lowering interactions with the criminal justice system. 

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