The city is taking significant steps to expand mental health services, which were previously reduced over a decade ago. Mayor Brandon Johnson announced this move at a news conference outside the Roseland Mental Health Center, expressing the administration’s commitment to bolstering the city’s mental health system.
By the end of the year, three additional sites, including the Roseland center, will offer mental health services. The other two locations are the Chicago Department of Public Health vaccine clinic in Pilsen and the Legler Library in Garfield Park.
Mayor Johnson emphasized the aim to hire as many individuals as possible to support expanded mental health care services, recognizing both the need and the desire for such opportunities in the workforce.
This announcement follows the release of a report by the Mental Health System Expansion Working Group, outlining a comprehensive plan for mental health expansion citywide. The report recommends reopening city-run mental health centers and establishing new health centers in underserved neighborhoods. Additionally, it suggests integrating mental health services into existing city public health clinics lacking such provisions.
Ald. Rossana Rodriguez-Sanchez highlighted the selection of Roseland, Pilsen, and Garfield Park for expanded mental health services, based on the identified needs of these communities. She emphasized the documented lack of access to mental health care on the South and West sides, informing the decision-making process.
The initiative, termed “Treatment Not Trauma,” aims to rebuild a robust network for mental health care in the city. Mayor Johnson underlined his commitment to fulfilling this promise, contrasting it with the previous administration’s decision to close seven city-run clinics in 2012 due to budget constraints.
For Mayor Johnson, the effort to enhance mental health access is personal, as he shared the story of his brother Leon, who faced mental health challenges and ultimately passed away homeless and struggling with addiction. The administration’s goal is to create a Chicago where individuals in mental health crisis, like his brother, can access the necessary treatment and support.
