Mayor Mamdani Relocates Rikers Detainees to Manhattan Hospital Therapy Unit
Mayor Zohran Mamdani on Tuesday announced a new program to move detainees with complex medical needs off Rikers Island. The plan places many detainees in a Manhattan hospital therapy unit for closer specialty care.
New therapeutic housing units
The first outposted unit will open at Bellevue Hospital in Kips Bay. It will serve 104 people in custody.
Two additional units will follow in Brooklyn and the Bronx. NYC Health + Hospitals/Woodhull will house 144 beds. North Central Bronx will provide 92 beds.
| Site | Location | Beds |
|---|---|---|
| Bellevue Hospital | Kips Bay, Manhattan | 104 |
| Woodhull | Brooklyn | 144 |
| North Central Bronx | Bronx | 92 |
Access to specialty care
Patients will have direct access to specialty services. Oncology, cardiology and neurology care are available on site.
Officials said that critical delays for off-site transfers will be reduced. They added that facilities will focus on rehabilitation.
Operations and custody
The city’s Department of Correction will maintain security and custody management at each unit. DOC will also provide programming and related services.
Reactions from health leaders
Dr. Patsy Yang of NYC Health + Hospitals/Correctional Health Services called the units a first. She said they mark a milestone in treating people more respectfully.
Deputy Mayor Dr. Helen Arteaga said the move will speed medical treatment and improve humane care. She added that access to care at Rikers has been difficult.
Questions about the Rikers closure timeline
Mamdani described the Bellevue unit as the first step toward closing Rikers. He also expressed doubts about meeting the 2027 closure deadline set by law.
He noted current counts of roughly 7,000 inmates at Rikers. Borough-based jails currently hold about 4,000 people.
Mamdani blamed delays on decisions by the prior administration. He said prior failures make meeting the timeline practically impossible without major changes.
Todd Shapiro, a spokesperson for former Mayor Eric Adams, rejected that critique. He called the blame a cop out and demanded concrete plans to reduce the jail population.
Filmogaz.com will continue to follow this story and report further developments. Officials say more details and timelines will be released as the program expands.
