Msgr. Greg Mustaciuolo on how stakeholders can collaborate to address New York’s mental health needs

Monsignor Greg Mustaciulo most previously led the day-to-day operations of the Archdiocese of New York as the vicar general and chancellor, where he served the pastoral and financial needs of over 2.6 million Catholics. He was responsible for the oversight of over 600 employees, nearly 300 individual parishes, 130 schools, and 90 individual charity organizations, with combined revenues of more than $415 million. He also guided Making All Things New, the archdiocese’s pastoral planning initiative, and launched the Renew and Rebuild Capital Campaign to raise $200 million for critical, long-term capital projects. During his tenure at the Catholic Center, he served three Archbishops of New York, Cardinals John O’Connor, Edward Egan and most recently, Timothy Dolan. Monsignor Mustaciulo holds a law degree from St. John’s University and advanced canon law and theological degrees from Rome.

Monsignor Mustaciuolo has been instrumental in shaping the Mother Cabrini Health Foundation into New York state’s largest grantmaking organization focused exclusively on the health and well-being of vulnerable New Yorkers. Under his leadership, the Foundation awarded $1 billion in grants to improve healthcare access and address social determinants of health since its inception in 2019.

Monsignor answered written questions prior to the 2025 City and State Mother Cabrini Mental Health Summit coming up on Wednesday to discuss why this is the must-attend gathering for leaders and stakeholders working at the intersection of health, housing, justice, and community advocacy. This interview has been edited for lengthy and clarity.

Thank you for taking these questions Monsignor. From your perspective, describe how you see the interconnected crises of serious mental illness, substance use disorder, and homelessness across New York state.

These crises are not separate stories. They are threads of the same fabric of human struggle. When someone is battling mental illness without access to care, or facing addiction without support, it can so easily unravel into homelessness and hopelessness. What we’re seeing across New York is a reflection of how fragile the safety net can be. To make real progress, we must look at the full picture, not just the illness, but the person. Healing happens when we connect people to housing, to purpose, to community – and most importantly to dignity.

And how do you break down systemic barriers and advance solutions that prioritize dignity, recovery, and housing stability?

Breaking barriers begins with listening. Too often, systems are built around bureaucracy rather than humanity. At the Mother Cabrini Health Foundation, we strive to bring partners together from hospitals, nonprofits, faith leaders, and government, to share ideas and coordinate care. Health is not a checklist; it’s a journey that requires compassion and consistency. When someone has stable housing, trusted relationships, and the opportunity to work and contribute meaningfully to society, they begin to heal. Dignity must be at the heart of every policy, every program, and every act of care.

Now, let’s dive right in about the summit. What do you hope it will accomplish, not just in terms of discussion, but in sparking real collaboration and change?

My hope is that this Summit sparks more than conversation and that it truly inspires partnership. We’ve brought together leaders from philanthropy, government, and community-based and faith-based organizations because no one sector can solve these crises alone. The measure of success will be the collaborations that follow.

This convening is about reimagining mental health in New York through a people-centered lens. Together, we’re exploring cross-sector solutions that confront the realities of housing instability, substance use, the justice system, economic hardship, and the need for workforce inclusion as part of recovery and stability. By working across boundaries, and with the support of philanthropy, we can foster collaboration that leads to lasting, sustainable impact. Change begins when we stop seeing mental health as someone else’s problem and start seeing it as a shared responsibility.

How does the Cabrini Health Foundation envision a “people-centered” approach transforming how New York addresses mental health?

A people-centered approach begins with humility and seeing the person before the problem. It asks, “What does this individual need to feel safe, supported, and seen?” rather than “How do we treat this case?” But it also means recognizing that no one gets well truly by themselves. Behind every individual is a family, a circle of friends, a faith community — people who also need understanding, resources, and support to help their loved one navigate what can be a complex and overwhelming system of care.

And the truth is, we can’t afford to wait. Across New York, rates of anxiety, depression, and substance use are rising in every age group. Providers are exhausted and community programs are stretched thin. The isolation and instability people feel today, whether from housing insecurity to economic stress, make it clear that traditional, siloed approaches are no longer enough.

That’s why now is the moment to act and to look beyond clinical care toward the full picture of human well-being. When we invest in connected, compassionate systems of support in schools, workplaces, faith communities, and neighborhoods, we not only help people access care, but we help entire families and communities find belonging and recovery together. Dignity and community go hand in hand because healing also means strengthening the circles around us.

Why is it so important right now to look at mental health as a public good, rather than a private or clinical issue? What are the stigmas, the challenges and wow does one get to that point, where it’s perceived as a public good? 

Mental health is not a privilege. It’s as essential to a healthy society as clean air or safe streets. When we ignore it, we all pay the price in lost potential, fractured families, and strained communities. But when we invest in mental well-being, we strengthen the very foundation of our state. That includes recognizing that mental health and economic health are deeply linked from having a good job, a stable home, and supportive relationships all reinforce one another. To get there, we must continue breaking down the stigma that isolates people and instead build a culture that says: your pain matters, your story matters, and your health matters to all of us.

What unique role can philanthropy play in advancing mental health solutions that government or healthcare systems alone cannot? And what are you telling donors, especially these days when there are threats of cuts to government funding? 

Philanthropy has the ability, and the obligation, to go where others can’t. We can act quickly, fill gaps, and pilot solutions that government or health systems may not be able to take on right away. But more than that, we can build bridges – connecting sectors, ideas, and people. Philanthropy must be both a stabilizing force and a source of innovation.

At the Mother Cabrini Health Foundation, we know that lasting change takes more than resources. It takes leadership, collaboration, and heart. Our role is to bring voices together across sectors and communities to move mental health care forward with humanity, humility, and hope at its center. Through our grantmaking, we invest not just in programs, but in the many parts of life that shape mental health like housing, healthcare, education, and community connection. True well-being is never built in isolation; it grows out of partnership and compassion. That’s what our philanthropy is about – ensuring that care reaches people where they are and reflects the full complexity of their lives.