The Legal Aid Society joined with 50 organizations from across New York state to pen a letter to Andrew M. Cuomo and legislative leaders calling on them to support the Invest in Our New York Act, a package of legislation that would raise taxes on the wealthiest New Yorkers in order to raise revenue for mental health, drug abuse and homeless care services.

The proposal comes after a year of COVID-19 and related economic devastation has ravaged the mental and physical health of struggling New Yorkers, and would supply public and non-profit service providers with the funds necessary to meet the needs of the public, as reported by theTimes Union.

“As service providers and healthcare professionals that serve vulnerable New Yorkers, we are witnessing first hand the devastating impact that the COVID-19 pandemic has had on our most marginalized communities,” the letter states. “The services and patient care we provide are diverse — from direct health care to hunger preventing, mental and emotional support, housing resources, re-entry services, alternatives to incarceration or harm reduction services for people who use drugs.”