CHICAGO (CBS) — The city's mayor on Thursday called it a victory, fulfilling a campaign promise to reopen some mental health clinics across the city that had been closed.
“We are certainly pleased to announce the expansion of our city's mental health system,” said Mayor Brandon Johnson.
Three new public mental health clinics will be coming to Chicago by the end of the year — one in Roseland on the city's far South Side, another in conjunction with Chicago's Lower West Side clinic in Pilsen, and a third at the Legler Regional Library in West Garfield Park on the West Side.
“Other departments have chosen to close mental health services and mental health facilities,” Mayor Johnson said.
The move fulfills a campaign promise made by the mayor — to reinstate him Public health clinics closed Under the administration of former Mayor Rahm Emanuel. on time, Mayor Emmanuel He claimed the city increased services by working with private agencies instead.
Before the closures, the city had 12 clinics. Mayor Emanuel closed the semi.
In all, Chicago has gone from having 19 clinics at one time to five today.
“Being brown or black in the city of Chicago is no reason to deny you the resources you need,” said Dr. Olosimbo “Simbo” Ige, commissioner of the Chicago Department of Public Health. “That's the story today.”
In conjunction with the clinics, the Johnson administration promised to divest the Chicago Police and Fire Department from the Crisis Assistance, Response and Engagement (CARE) program, which Mayor Lori Lightfoot introduced to bring together behavioral health professionals and the city's 911 system. .
“Because our police officers and firefighters deserve to focus on holding criminals accountable and putting out fires — and not responding to a mental health crisis — this is simply the right and smart thing to do,” Mayor Johnson said.
It wasn't clear Wednesday how all of this would pay out in the long term.
This year, the city said its initial budget of more than $21 million will come from grants, the city's corporate fund and capital funds. But the cost of the initiative is expected to increase each year – with a projected budget gap of about $20 million by 2027.
But that's the price the mayor and his supporters say the outcome is worth.
“To keep people alive, that's the most important thing,” Ald said. Rossana Rodriguez Sanchez (33). “This is our mission.”
The city said it has already hired 19 people to operate the three clinics, and plans to open the West Garfield Park and Pilsen locations by the end of the summer.
