Chicago City Wire

Mayor Brandon Johnson and the City of Chicago have announced a significant transition for the Crisis Assistance Response and Engagement (CARE) program. The initiative, which provides emergency response to individuals experiencing mental health crises, will now be staffed entirely by public health employees.

Initially piloted with behavioral health clinicians from the Chicago Department of Public Health (CDPH), paramedics from the Chicago Fire Department (CFD), and Crisis Intervention Team (CIT) trained officers from the Chicago Police Department (CPD), the CARE program will now rely solely on CDPH behavioral health clinicians and emergency medical technicians. These teams will respond to 911 calls identified as having a mental health component.

Over three years, CARE team dispatches have resulted in zero arrests and use of force in less than 0.1% of incidents.

“By directing 9-1-1 mental health calls to public health teams, we are ending the criminalization of these issues and helping to ensure people who are unhoused or experiencing a mental health challenge get the treatment and support they need,” said Mayor Brandon Johnson. “I want to thank our officers from the Chicago Police Department and medical personnel from the Chicago Fire Department for their role in piloting this program, and I am pleased that they can transition back to their primary roles of protecting community safety and responding to medical emergencies.”

Since September 2021, CARE teams have responded to more than 1,500 calls referred by 911 dispatchers using either a co-response model or an alternative response model. The complete data is available on the CARE data dashboard.

“This program is a critical component of our work to ensure all Chicagoans can access the behavioral health care they need,” said CDPH Commissioner Olusimbo ‘Simbo’ Ige, MD, MPH. “Along with expanding mental health services, crisis response from trained clinicians will ensure that residents experiencing a mental health challenge can receive compassionate and professional care, and connection to resources to address their unmet health and social needs.”

When responding to crises, CARE teams offer de-escalation, mental health assessments, referrals to community services, and transport as needed. Follow-ups are conducted at one day, seven days, and thirty days after initial contact.

“Protecting public safety will always be a collaborative effort, and having mental health clinicians available to respond to select 9-1-1 calls for which they are well equipped will enable all of us to continue building safer communities together,” said Chicago Police Superintendent Larry Snelling.

“The Fire Department was proud to pilot this program with our community paramedics and demonstrate the value of having specialized teams respond to crisis mental health calls,” said Chicago Fire Department Commissioner Annette Nance-Holt. “Transitioning the program to public health leadership will benefit Chicagoans by continuing to increase access and linkages to mental health treatment and social supports.”

The transition has been facilitated through collaboration across city departments along with support from Chairwoman Rossana Rodriguez-Sanchez of the City Council Committee on Health and Human Services as well as various community organizations.

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