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SPRINGFIELD, Ill. - State Rep. Lashawn Ford called a press conference Wednesday on violence in Chicago.
Statistics show guns are the leading cause of death of Illinois children ages one to 17 years old.
The CDC says one in five children have a mental, emotional or behavioral health disorder, and only 20 percent of them receive care from a healthcare provider.
Ford says there needs to be an emergency approach like we saw during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The state rep says it will take parents, policymakers, schools and faith leaders to create change.
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Ford and others will meet Thursday for the Illinois House Public Safety and Violence Prevention Task Force.
It focuses on trauma, structural racism and mental health in Illinois youth.