Whistleblower says Chicago’s mental health crisis response program has been failing
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Whistleblower says Chicago’s mental health crisis response program has been failing
Chicago’s Crisis Assistance Response and Engagement program sends mental health teams to respond to 911 calls. A whistleblower says the program is being held back by limited hours and red tape. In 2023, the Johnson administration promised to quadruple the number of CARE teams. So far, only one has been added — making five teams composed of EMTs and mental health professionals. The program is funded by grant money until the end of 2026, which CBS News Chicago is told will not be used in Chicago until after the 2023 plan is in place. It’s not clear why the program has been failing in Chicago, but it has failed in other cities, too, according to a whistleblower who has worked with the program. It is not known if the whistleblower has spoken to the Mayor’s office about the program’s problems. The city has not responded to a request for comment for this article. It would be the first time this story has been published in this article; we are happy to make clear that the whistleblower’s identity has not been disclosed.
Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson touted a plan for Chicago’s program during his campaign. But in an exclusive interview, a whistleblower said the mental health crews want to work — but are being held back from helping people by limited hours and red tape.
On a bridge over the Stevenson Expressway on Wednesday, a man needed help, as his leg was over a ledge as traffic flowed on the expressway near 25th Street and Michigan Avenue. Police talked him off the ledge and may have saved his life around 8 p.m. Wednesday.
The Chicago Police Department was there. CARE, the city’s Crisis Assistance Response and Engagement program that tasks mental health professionals with responding to 911 calls, was not there.
“It is you, the general Chicagoan, who deserves to know what is happening with the CARE team — the program that has been lauded by the Mayor’s office that has been so looked forward to for so many years and has so much potential,” said a whistleblower. “It’s important for you to know that that potential is not being reached.”
The whistleblower, who has worked with CARE, had their identity concealed. They explained why the program championed by the Johnson administration has been failing.
“Working in a new response team that is only available from 10:30 [a.m.] to 4 [p.m.], only available Monday to Friday — that’s a complicated thing to remember to keep track of,” said the whistleblower, “and only available in parts of the city.”
In addition to the limited hours, CBS News Chicago is told the CARE program only responds in seven of the city’s 22 police districts:
Central (1st), which includes the Loop, the South Loop, the Near South Side, and parts of the West Loop.
South Chicago (4th), which parts of the South and Southeast sides from the southern part of South Shore to Hegewisch.
Gresham (6th), which includes the Auburn Gresham and Chatham communities
Englewood (7th), which includes the Englewood and West Englewood communities.
Chicago Lawn (8th), which includes much of the Southwest Side.
Near West (12th), which includes the Near West Side and much of the West Loop and West Town.
Town Hall (19th), which includes the communities of Lakeview, Lincoln Square, North Center, and parts of Uptown and Lincoln Park.
Previously, CARE reams were able to self-dispatch, meaning they could listen to the scanner and respond themselves.
Jason Lerner, director of the University of Chicago Health Lab, studied the program in its pilot form. He said self-dispatch made up about half of the calls to which CARE responded.
“Self-dispatch were by far the highest percentage of dispatches,” said Lerner. “It worked effectively then.”
But without self-dispatch as an option now, CBS News Chicago is told CARE waits for 911 operators from the Office of Emergency Management and Communications to tell them where to go.
The whistleblower said this just makes CARE teams’ jobs more difficult.
“Now, the CARE team is never dispatched to calls. So in some ways, sure, it made it easier, because they have nothing to do — and there’s only been 12 calls in the last three weeks,” the whistleblower said. “But in terms of doing what the CARE team was actually meant to do, yeah, it definitely made it more difficult.”
In 2023, the Johnson administration promised to quadruple the number of CARE teams. So far, only one has been added — making five teams composed of EMTs and mental health professionals.
Earlier this year, Mayor Johnson spoke about CARE’s successes.
“The City of Chicago continues to lead the way transforming the way government shows up for people,” Mayor Johnson said on Jan. 8.
Meantime. CBS News Chicago is told those who work with CARE, which is funded by grant money until the end of 2026, feel Chicago has not been showing up for them.
“That the program is being set up to fail in a way that these obstacles are being put in place so that when it comes to 2026, someone can say: ‘Well, this didn’t work. Let’s use this money in a different way,'” the whistleblower said.
At a news conference 2024, the city gave out a booklet that among other things, discussed the hours and planned improvements for CARE. CBS News Chicago is told that many of the plans outlined in the booklet have not happened.
There had been no response from the Mayor’s office as of Thursday night.