Care for people with severe mental illness is one of the most-discussed topics in city politics currently, and Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg joined the conversation Wednesday with a new mental health initiative set to be led by his own office. 

The DA said his office plans to spend $9 million on neighborhood outreach services and arraignment-aligned programming to connect those with mental illness to care. 

While Mayor Eric Adams’ recent mental health initiative included a plan to involuntarily hospitalize people with severe mental illnesses, Bragg’s program will only assist people on a voluntary basis, he noted. 

Bragg joined Pat Kiernan on “Mornings On 1” Thursday to discuss the plan. He said the city’s mental health crisis has peaked — and he believes everyone needs to be working together to create a solution. 

“We’re in the middle of a mental health crisis, so I think it's to be expected that our leaders from various parts of both civic life and government are focusing on this urgent issue,” he said. 

Under Bragg’s plan, two programs will be created. 

The first will be focused on creative “neighborhood navigators” who build relationships in communities, providing resources and support to anyone who needs it. 

The second, court-based program will help people who are arraigned return to court and complete diversion programs while setting them up for long-term treatment, Bragg said Wednesday. 

The DA told NY1 he is hopeful that the program’s funding will create permanent solutions. 

“We provide the funding, but very importantly, once we fund it, there's going to be community groups that are based in their neighborhoods that have expertise,” Bragg said. 

“We are turning the funding over to the experts, those who know how to intervene, those who know how to establish relationships, and those that have support.”