NYC First Lady McCray To Testify Before City Council About Thrive NYC Program
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) – New York City's First Lady Chirlane McCray will testify before the City Council later this month about her mental health initiative, Thrive NYC.
Council Speaker Corey Johnson said he asked her to speak during a budget hearing on March 26.
McCray launched Thrive NYC more than three years ago with an annual budget of $250 million.
MORE: Not Everyone Is Convinced First Lady McCray's 'Thrive NYC' Initiative To Combat Mental Illness Works
Johnson and other council members have criticized the city for its lack of transparency into how the program's budget is being spent. Earlier this month, Comptroller Scott Stinger said he planned to look into the initiative's finances.
McCray defended Thrive NYC last week, saying, "We've gotten, actually I'd say, international approval and encouragement and praise from people who've been doing this work for decades... So we know we're on the right track."
On Thursday, she tweeted, "I look forward to joining the City Council on March 26th and am glad to have the opportunity to continue sharing how ThriveNYC works in all five boroughs to expand access to mental health services for all New Yorkers."