'Treatment, not trauma': Coalition pushes for Chicago to expand mental health response, resources
CHICAGO (WLS) -- There is a push to expand funding for mental health response and resources in Chicago as health professionals and community organizations call for adjustments to the city's budget to help people in crisis.
A small group of local mental health professionals and their supporters are once again urging Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot to re-think the city's care pilot program.
It's the one that has police officers trained in crisis prevention as a part of mental health crisis response teams.
"You cannot respond to crisis and follow a code of ethics if the person next to you has a gun and the authorization to use deadly force," said Elena Gormley, a social worker.
The city's current pilot program is known as "crisis assistance response and engagement." There is also a mental health clinician and a paramedic on the response team.
The coalition's effort is the latest in its "Treatment, Not Trauma" campaign, which is pushing for the passage of an ordinance of the same name. It is also sponsored by 33rd Alderwoman Rossana Rodriguez.
Modeled after programs in other cities, Ald. Rodriguez's idea calls for a non-police response to mental health crises.
"It's obvious to me that this is a real solution, a real way to use the tools that are needed to address the mental health crisis in our city," she said.
The push for support comes as city officials prepare to debate Lightfoot's $6.4 billion budget for 2023; $100 million of that is slated for public safety.
Advocates of the new plan say $15 million generated from unfilled positions at the Chicago Police Department should be used to fund their idea.
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They also want Lightfoot to reopen six of the 12 public mental health clinics that were closed by former Mayor Rahm Emanuel in 2012 because of a budget shortfall.
"I cannot vote for this budget if it does not include treatment, not trauma. I cannot vote for this budget if it does not fulfill the mayor's promise to invest in our city's public mental health clinics," said 35th Ward Alderman Carlos Ramirez-Rosa.
In an emailed statement from the mayor's office, a spokesperson said in part, "Since Mayor Lightfoot has taken office, the city's mental health budget has increased more than 7-fold from $12m in 2019 to $86m in 2022. This year's budget proposes to continue this historic level of commitment."
City officials said they are looking for better ways to provide access to mental health services by trying to divert individuals from the criminal court system and provide mental health services to individuals at homeless shelters and outreach to individuals using public transit.
