Advocates from across the mental health spectrum told members of a Chicago City Council committee that more steps need to be taken to improve the region’s mental health infrastructure. [Health News Illinois] 

Dr. Arturo Carrillo, deputy director of health violence prevention at the Brighton Park Neighborhood Council and member of the Collaborative for Community Wellness, told the council’s Health and Human Relations Committee that Chicago must invest in community safety. That includes support for prevention, support during crises and after-care services.

He said they need to train more individuals to engage community residents at high risk of mental health before a crisis occurs.

“This long-term care can and will be provided by Chicago's public mental health centers as we reestablish this system and this infrastructure that is absolutely necessary for the well-being of all Chicagoans,” Carrillo said.

The collaborative released a white paper earlier this month outlining its proposal to improve the city's approach to crisis response and mental health.

The committee heard testimony related to an ordinance that would re-open the city’s shuttered mental health clinics, a stance supported by Mayor Brandon Johnson, as well as give the health department the ability to send out crisis response teams staffed by paramedics and social workers to address mental health crises.

Dr. Dave Chokshi, the former health commissioner of New York City, told the committee that the city has the chance to be the “vanguard of a bold new approach” to mental health. 

Along with the continued expansion and investment in community health workers that can work with residents and advocate for policy changes, Chokshi said they must invest in the public health infrastructure and a combination of physical facilities and mobile teams that can best reach individuals in need of services.

“My three themes were community, public and investment — public investment in our communities,” he said. “Broadly, this is what we need to reverse the decline in American life expectancy that is happening on our watch.”

The committee also heard from representatives from other municipalities about their models of care, such as Denver’s mixture of crisis response to non-emergency situations and its utilization of 24-hour walk-in crisis centers. 

Samantha Rabins, a supervisor for Denver County's Co-Responder Program that works closely with the region’s Support Team Assisted Response, said while their model is specific to the Denver community, it gives each individual "access to whatever crisis service that they feel is best for them."

Committee Chair Rossana Rodriguez Sanchez said Monday’s discussion is the “first step” in a multi-year process to improve the city’s systems of care.

 “We know that in order to have a safe city, we need to ensure that our most vulnerable people, the most at risk are protected,” she said. “We know that Black and Brown people, especially Black people, are most likely to be harmed or killed by police during a mental health crisis. We know we can save precious lives by caring for people instead of criminalizing them.”

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