Paterson supports Adam’s plan to get mentally ill off the streets of New York

Mayor Eric Adams’ move to involuntarily lock up some mentally ill homeless people is the right way to help them and improve safety for everyone else, former Gov. David Paterson said Sunday.

“The mayor was very active. [His strategy] not only helps to hold [dangerous] People off the street, it’s going to help the people themselves,” Paterson said during an appearance on WABC Radio’s “Cats Roundtable.”

Hizzoner’s policy allows police to take homeless people to hospitals for psychological evaluations if they pose a danger to themselves or others — even if the person doesn’t agree to going there.

“What we have to do is what we should have done for the last 15 or 20 years, [which] reverses the deinstitutionalization of the late ’70s that continued into the ’90s and didn’t allow us to have enough beds to help these people,” Paterson told host John Catsimatidis.

“Kudos to the mayor,” added Paterson. “I think he was really ahead of the pack on this one. I think time will show that this was the right decision.”

Adams announced the plan on November 29 after a series of horrific subway attacks. The amended policy expanded the criteria by which someone could be involuntarily committed to include instances where they are unable to care for themselves.

The plan has come under scrutiny from critics of lawyers and activists who argue it could lead to unlawful detentions.

Police last week ordered officers to begin enforcing the directive, The Post reported on Friday.