Chicago takes step towards reopening mental health clinics

CHICAGO - Chicago has taken another step towards reopening city mental health clinics.

In 2011, former Mayor Rahm Emanuel closed half of Chicago’s 12 publicly run mental health clinics.

Former Mayor Lori Lightfoot in 2019 said she would reopen the facilities, but instead pumped more city dollars to private mental health nonprofits.

During his campaign, Mayor Brandon Johnson supported the Treatment Not Trauma proposal to reopen the clinics and pilot a community-based, non-police mental health crisis response system.

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On Monday, 33rd ward Alderwoman Rossana Rodriguez-Sanchez lead a committee hearing on the issue.

"We know that in order to have safe city we have to ensure that our most vulnerable are protected, caring for people instead of criminalizing them," Rodriguez-Sanchez said.

The Treatment Not Trauma proposal was first introduced in 2020.