Chirlane McCray

McCray in 2013

Chirlane Irene McCray (born November 29, 1954 in Springfield, Massachusetts) is an American writer, editor and activist. She is married to New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio. McCray was described as the "closest advisor" for de Blasio. McCray is the chairwoman for the Mayor's Fund to Advance New York City and leads ThriveNYC. She has also published poetry. McCray worked in politics as a speechwriter.

Involvement in the de Blasio administration

When de Blasio became mayor, he hired the publicist Rachel Noerdlinger as McCray's chief of staff. Noerdlinger, however, later resigned her post due to several controversies with her behavior and the behaviors of certain people around her.

During his second month in office, de Blasio named McCray the chair of the Mayor's Fund to Advance New York City. Beginning from then, the group was focused on immigration, mental health and youth workforce projects.

In November 2015, McCray led the launch of ThriveNYC, a plan for overhauling the city's mental health and substance abuse services. ThriveNYC promotes a change from the more traditionally more reactive model. That model can strain police, hospitals, prisons and schools, into an integrated public health approach on being aware and being identified early.

ThriveNYC drew harsh criticism over accusations of not being properly managed and accusations that the group failed to produce any records with the proper results. As of March 2019, almost $850 million in funding in McCray's program was unaccounted for. Also, the program was on track to spend just over $1 billion over almost five years. A Bronx Councilman criticized ThriveNYC. He said there was no evidence that the program was working.

References

  1. ↑ "Chirlane McCray in a Sling After Birthday Injuries". The New York Daily Times. Archived from the original on July 19, 2021. Retrieved July 18, 2021.
  2. ↑ "De Blasio Gripes About the Rules Barring Spouses". The New York Post. Archived from the original on July 19, 2021. Retrieved July 18, 2021.
  3. ↑ "Chirlane McCray, de Blasio's Wife, is Questioned over His 'Revolutionary' $1 Billion Mental Health Plan". New York Times. Retrieved July 18, 2021.
  4. ↑ "At City Hall, Backstage Player is Cast in the Main Stage Uproars". The New York Times. Retrieved July 18, 2021.
  5. ↑ "Rachel Noerdlinger, the Former Chirlane McCray Aide, Kept an Ex-Con Boyfriend Updated Through the Controversy". The New York Daily News. Retrieved July 18, 2021.
  6. ↑ "De Blasio Appoints Chirlane McCray, His Wife, to Lead a Nonprofit Group". New York Times. Retrieved July 18, 2021.
  7. ↑ "Priority Areas-A Mayor's Fund". www1.nyc.gov. Archived from the original on November 2, 2017. Retrieved July 18, 2021.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
  8. ↑ "The New York City First Lady Chirlane McCray Weighs in on a Federal Mental Health Reform". Observer. Retrieved July 18, 2021.
  9. ↑ "Chirlane McCray and First Limits of Ladyship". The New York Times. Retrieved July 18, 2021.
  10. ↑ "Mental Health is a Public Health Issue". Fund for Public Health - New York. Archived from the original on August 12, 2018. Retrieved July 18, 2021.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
  11. ↑ "There is Too Much Money in Chirlane McCray's Hands". New York Post. Retrieved July 18, 2021.