CHICAGO — As part of ongoing efforts to build on the City’s comprehensive mental health framework, Mayor Lori E. Lightfoot today adopted recommendations from the City’s Crisis Intervention Advisory Council (CIAC) and the National Alliance for Mental Illness Chicago (NAMI Chicago) to serve as the City’s roadmap in expanding equity and healthcare access to all residents in the city. The recommendations complement and build off the mayor’s Framework for Mental Health Equity announced in October.

In partnership with advocates, experts, healthcare providers and community members from across Chicago, both organizations released reports today of their recommendations to better align the City’s mental and behavioral health services by establishing a citywide trauma response strategy, improving crisis response training for first responders and creating a first-of-its-kind Victim Services Coordinator in the Mayor’s Office.

“Our city has made a down payment commitment that more than doubles our investments in mental healthcare and expands services across Chicago’s communities,” said Mayor Lightfoot. “Now, together, with these recommendations from leading local mental health and community organizations, this City has a roadmap towards building a citywide network of care where all residents have access to the mental health services they need and deserve.”

Established as part of Chicago’s consent decree, the CIAC represents more than 60 individuals from 40 different local government, community and health organizations as well as hospitals working together to recommend changes to the City’s overall response to mental and behavioral health challenges. The CIAC also provides guidance on the City’s crisis response-related policies, procedures, and training of City departments, including the Chicago Police Department (CPD), Chicago Fire Department (CFD) and the Office of Emergency Management and Communication (OEMC). At its quarterly meeting this fall, the committee presented its Recommendations Report to the Mayor’s Office on how the City can better respond to residents facing mental and behavioral health crises, including:

• Establishing a robust coordinated response between public safety agencies and mental health providers for emergency calls involving an individual in crisis
• Increasing crisis intervention training (CIT) for Chicago Police officers and firefighters
• Integrating data and communications between the City’s public safety agencies to coordinate mental health and response services

“I am grateful to have had the opportunity working with the CIAC to develop a comprehensive report laying out how the City can improve its response to individuals living with mental and behavioral health challenges,” said Eric Wilkins, member of Communities United and Founder of the Broken Winggz Foundation, and CIAC member. “I am looking forward to working with the City to implement these recommendations in 2020 and improving the lives of Chicagoans, especially people living with mental and behavioral health challenges.”

A number of the CIAC’s recommendations are already underway, including laying out the groundwork for diversion initiatives and establishing an Office of Public Safety Administration to streamline and expand mental health helpline services through 311. Additionally, under Mayor Lightfoot’s Framework for Mental Health Equity, the Chicago Department of Public Health (CDPH) continues to work with the City’s public safety agencies and local mental health organizations to enhance violence prevention programming and provide a new level of intensive supports for youth and young adults who are at the highest risk of violence.

“The Framework for Mental Health Equity was a tremendous commitment by Mayor Lightfoot and the City to increase access to timely and high quality mental healthcare in Chicago, and these new recommendations extend that commitment even further,” said Allison Arwady, MD, MPH, Acting Commissioner of CDPH. “We are continuing to work with partners such as CIAC, NAMI and others to ensure that the mental health resources go to where they are needed most.”

Additionally, as part of building the Framework for Mental Health Equity, the Mayor’s Office partnered with NAMI Chicago in conjunction with the University of Illinois at Chicago’s Institute for Juvenile Research, to host outreach workers, community-based organizations, government agencies, funders, and healthcare providers on the West Side this past summer and fall to discuss how to address community violence and the resulting trauma. As a result of these community listening sessions, NAMI Chicago and the UIC Institute for Juvenile Research published “Healing Communities: Recommendations to Broaden Chicago’s Trauma Response” to guide the City on how it can build on its violence prevention efforts by expanding mental health and trauma services to support victims after a traumatic event.

"What we heard from our partners is that there is a great opportunity to promote wellness and healing if we focus our resources and coordinate to provide these supports," says Alexa James, Executive Director of NAMI Chicago. "We know that this is a community effort and these recommendations are a first step." 

As part of Mayor Lightfoot’s $9.3 million in new funding for expanded mental health services, the City has begun implementing a number of the recommendations developed through this process, including investing $1 million to increase trauma-informed training for street outreach workers and service providers. In addition, the City is directing $5 million in new funding to increase access to safe and affordable housing for families experiencing homelessness or who are unstably housed. Based on the report, the Mayor’s Office of Public Safety has also created a first-of-its-kind Victim Services Coordinator position to connect residents with both City and community trauma-response services following traumatic incidents.

In tandem with advocates, experts, community providers and other stakeholders, the City will continue building on its Framework for Mental Health Equity as it implements the CIAC and “Healing Communities” recommendations into the new year.

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