As part of ongoing efforts to build on the City’s comprehensive mental health framework, Mayor Lori E. Lightfoot 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. 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 service 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. 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