committee on health and human relations meeting. I'm
chairwoman rossana Rodriguez Sanchez. It is 1014 on May
28th, 2025 and this meeting is now called to order.
On today's agenda, we will review a moral appointment to the
Chicago Board of Health a subject matter. Hearing, with the
Chicago Department of Public Health regarding their
strategic plan and summer strategy. Thank you commissioner
EA for joining us today.
Before we begin, I will call the role to establish quorum.
Vice chair Ramirez.
Alderman Robinson.
Alderman.
Alderwoman Gutierrez.
Alderman Lopez.
Alderman, SEL Lopez.
Alderman Fuentes.
Alderwoman Cruise.
Alderman cassava.
Other Woman may not help and words.
Alderman Lawson.
Alderwoman Haven share woman Rodriguez. Sanchez is here.
There are
8 members present and we have a quorum
We have a request for remote participation. Sit in rule,
159 from Alderman, Robinson and Alderman Lawson. Can I get
a motion to approve remote? Participation of these Elders?
Both so moved by Alderman, sasada. All those in favor.
Signify by saying, I
Opposed, same name in the opinion of the chair, the eyes
have it.
Um, Alderman Robinson, are you with us?
Alderman Robinson.
Okay, we'll come back Alderman, Lawson.
We will come back to them.
Uh, we will begin our meeting with time for public comment.
The spirit is limited to 30 minutes and each speaker is
limited to 3 minutes.
We have.
I'm not sure how many speakers we have yet, so I will tell
you in a little bit.
Um, and we are going to start with.
Vania Salem.
Hello everyone. My name is Rana and I'm a member of the US.
Palestinian Community Network.
I stand in front of you today to call out every single
racist, zionists in city council, like Deborah Silverstein
and Ray Lopez 2, committee members, who continue to deny a
very real genocide of the Palestinian people that has been
live streamed on our phones for the last 20 months.
They continue to lie about the social justice movement in
order to undermine our valid efforts and attempts to stop
this us. Funded Israeli genocide against the Palestinian
people, they continue to falsely accuse us organizers and
our community of being violent, which sets a very dangerous
president of allowing racist and violent zionists to feel
emboldened enough to attack us at every chance that they
can get
Not only do, they target continue to Target us but their
lives have targeted, incredible caring Brave and
conscientious older people like committee members Rosana
Rodriguez, Sanchez and Byron Sig sdo. Oh I'm so sorry.
Byron Byron's sexual Lopez Ray Lopez.
Specifically refuses to attract his tweets when his lies
are exposed and putting the lives of Rosanna Byron and even
Mayor Johnson in danger.
Words, hold incredible weight. And we have seen firsthand
how words can be weaponized to dehumanize and incite
violence onto our communities, onto our people and onto our
leaders, while Rosanna and Byron advocate for peace
Justice, and an entity deportations, and an end to war and
genocide silver. Seen and Lopez support the disappearing of
community members, the political repression of our
students, and the unjust targeting of community members, as
well as Israel's continued war crimes, mass killings
genocide and ethnic cleansing committee members.
For Silverstein and Lopez support the criminalization of
immigrants.
immigrants, black people and the Palestine support
movement, as they have attacked our movements, our protests
are organizing, and our allies non-stop for almost 20
months now
I call on the rest of the council to do, what is right?
Which is to follow the leadership of Rosanna and Byron as
well as others and continue to protect and fight for the
rights of our immigrant communities, our students, our
movements. And our institutions, the community says, enough
of the right wing racist attacks from Silver scene and
Lopez against our communities. We will not allow it.
They must apologize and be held accountable for their lives
and deceit because people's freedom and lives are at stake.
Thank you so much.
Thank you for your comments.
Our next speaker is Mr. George Blakemore.
Have my 3 in there.
Don't go there with me.
I am a free white man.
Now, over in power, stand a a Israel that's all Africa. I
don't care if what if both of them are now late, each other
the Muslim and Justice bad, they have enslaved black people
and they're still doing in the Mauritania they have
enslaved them, racism is alive there that she was talking
about Miss. I asked her a question. She said, um, white and
um Jewish how can you be there? I'm looking at you. I don't
don't care what happened over there. That's the Middle
East, all of that is Africa and all of those people.
Over there. Have enslaved. Black people. Now, this new lady
over here that they are pouring over help. Keep, uh, we,
we, I think she's from Africa.
I think she I'm looking right at a jet black, but but she's
not a a, an American black.
We have plenty of American black. You put the black people
in high places selling us out? I don't give a d about
Palestine, or Israel.
No problem have enslaved, my people that's Africa.
That's Africa. You don't know your history, it doesn't
belong to either 1 of you.
Neither 1 of y'all.
This is Africa.
Africa. And I say how they steal my minutes.
There is something else down here that you fighting the
arrow and over Africa.
It belongs to us, you didn't know that. You look at me. All
strange. What does the palace Drive? What did they do? They
they they, uh, castrated and killed all the the black men
and and, and, and had the black women.
You can see they featured. But you can see that black blood
in some of them, they're fighting over our land.
God bless Africa.
now, whatever happened over there, I am a free white man
and I'm happy
And I'm happy, I don't care who win or lose over there
because both of them have enslaved black people.
Black people. She's not a native black lady right here.
He comes from Africa too. We have many qualified, black
people, write enslaved in America, refugees, and all where
gonna play for all this money. Bringing these illegals over
here.
Bringing these illegal. What is we on the same ship?
We were brought none of y'all came on the slave ship.
And I'm looking at this lady over there. Killing me over.
H, thank you for your comments, Mr. Blakemore, our next
speaker is Annie wani
Good morning. My name is Anni Hani I stand here not only as
the treatment not trauma organizer for the Brighton Park
neighborhood Council but also representative of my
community.
Imagine a city where No Cry goes for goes on answered where
every individual knows that they are not alone in their
battle. Imagine all the lies we could save the Futures. We
could transform and the ripple effect of compassion that
would Echo for beyond our city limits.
I am asking that cdph expands The CARE program, tonight's
weekends, and, to be implemented throughout the whole city
of Chicago.
Cdph should be expanding the public, Mental, Health
Centers, and integrate work between the centers and Care
Program.
Chicagoans must see an expansion of treatment not trauma.
Are people need care. Not criminalization and it should be
accessible to everyone in the city at any time or any day.
Chicago should be the, the Trailblazer, the pioneer of
progress and mental health care. We should Stand United in
our communities to building a city where compassion knows
no bounds. We're hoped Springs and eternal and where every
voice, no matter how faint is heard and honored.
This hearing on summer strategy, should include the way
addressing mental health is in itself, care and violence
prevention. It is, it is the ways we address people's whole
selves and support them through the journeys.
However, we also can't talk about mental health without
bringing up the genocide in Gaza.
The toll, it takes to witness the genocide of Children and
Families.
We will stand in solidarity with those fighting for a free
Palestine. Knowing our fights are all interconnected. Thank
you.
Thank you for your comments.
Our next speaker is Sonia Kathy.
Hello. Um, I'm Sonia. I'm a policy Analyst at Alternatives,
which is a nonprofit that provides Behavioral Health and
restorative justice services to uh Chicago public school,
students, all across the city.
and,
I am also an organizer with treatment. Not trauma.
1 of the things that we often don't end up talking about
are the names of the people who have been shot by police
officers. While they are experiencing a mental health
crisis. And today, I just want to share a couple of their
stories when I was in college. Uh uh
a student at the University of Chicago, soji, Thomas was
shot, uh, during a mental health crisis and he had ongoing
health issues and ended up being arrested from the hospital
afterwards because he apparently had committed a crime by
Being mentally ill. Uh, I remember hearing the shots
because I lived right across the street. And
There. I think that all of a a lot of the times police
violence doesn't get the dressed as what it really is,
which is also gun violence. And as somebody who has PTSD
related to gun violence, that was a very difficult thing to
have to witness. Um, and to have to hear, um, and the
conversation later on was, of course, that the he was shot
by University, uh, of Chicago Police Department, which is a
whole other discussion in itself, is the largest private
police force in the country. Um, but that's an issue for
another time. But I was just thinking, you know,
or if I hear the story of son Sonia Massie uh my name being
Sonia, it always gets confused with Sonia and I just think
about how
Similar. Our stories are in some ways she was experiencing
a mental health crisis, and
Uh, was shot 3 times and killed by a police officer. And
she was in, uh, in Illinois. And this was back in 2020.
3. Um, and just this year. Uh what um,
Glaze.
um, to Timothy glaze who was 58 years old was shot, uh, and
killed by police officers by Chicago police officers, uh,
during what his, uh, partner who had called 911. And said
was a mental health crisis and after this experience she
said I don't want to call 911 ever again in my life because
it took his life and that's not what it's supposed to do.
It's supposed to Serve and Protect.
I think about these words and I think about how little
support there really is, for people who are experiencing
mental health crises, we only have the care teams currently
available in a few districts across.
Thank you for your comments. Um,
our next speaker is Maria suno.
Yes, good morning. Uh thank you committee for giving us the
the public space. To to to say something. I'm a parent, a
single parent and a fixed income of uh 5 kids that
benefited from all of the free programs in the city. Um,
our Latino communities, need these programs to stay. How
would that benefit the to Chicago Department of Public
Health? Because it's a preventive, uh, type of uh, tool
that we can use to prevent crime and violence. If you take
these programs away from situations like mine, where I
cannot afford to pay an administrative fee, a registration
fee or even the gear that my kids might need for uh some
type of camp that they want to to be in and many times for
my older kids. I had to feel like a failure as a single
parent and tell them I cannot afford to register you into
any programs for the summer but I also didn't want them on
the streets. So I'm glad that there were programs that they
could go into for chloric music soccer basketball.
And I would be in fear that any of those programs be lost
and that I would, once again have to tell my kids, I cannot
afford it. You need to stay home this summer. We need to
keep these kids off the street. You need to get more mental
health um help in our communities. And I really appreciate
you giving us this time to be able to speak. I speak for
all the parents and the kids, you know, in our communities,
thank you.
Thank you for your comments. Our next speaker is Mayor
Ralph
good morning. Uh, my name is Mayor Ralph and I'm a resident
of Southshore in the Seventh Ward.
Um I am here uh to urge the Department of Public Health to
continue and expand uh the crisis assistance uh response
and engagement program.
Um, I am diagnosed with complex post-traumatic stress
disorder, which was exacerbated, when I was carjacked at
gunpoint in 2023. Um, I'm alive today because in my moments
of Crisis, I received care from trained behavioral health
workers.
All of my neighbors should have that same opportunity.
Um, every chicagoan should have access to a crisis, trained
social worker in their moment of need.
Um, I've also traveled hours on public transportation to
access care in a trauma support group on the far, north
side.
We shouldn't have to leave our neighborhoods uh, to receive
treatment.
Please fund The CARE program and expand it to all Chicago
neighborhoods. Um, it can be life-changing and life-saving.
Thank you.
Thank you for your comments.
Our next speaker is Elizabeth Brock for
good morning committee, and thank you for hearing from the
public. Um, I am 1 of the 17th District counselors. And we
recently had a presentation on The CARE program at our
district, council meeting the community that I'm hearing
from says that the care and all of the recommendations in
the treatment. Not trauma. Um,
For expanding the community health centers, um, to at least,
um, 1 in every 2 Wards, the people in my district are
desperate to have that kind of thing happen. Um, and I just
wanted to point out that, at our 17th district council
meeting. We had a lieutenant present, who said that, he
supports care believes that it is the right thing to care
for our citizens, and that it should be fully funded, they
don't want to be answering these calls and we don't want
that Police Department answering these calls. So I um, like
you've heard from many people this morning are asking that
the care programs be expanded to all districts um 7 days a
week and a minimum of 12 hours um a day so that our um
residents here in the city, get the care that they need.
Thank you.
Thank you for your comments. Our next speaker is Alison
Pearce Lovin.
Hi. I'm Alison pure slovan and I am the Midwest director of
social impact and Partnerships at the Simon weisenthal
Center. A leading international Jewish human rights
organization and NGO of UNESCO
I am here to express my deep concern, over the rhetoric
you. Alderwoman Rosana Rodriguez Sanchez concerning the
Israel Palestine conflict while we fully support the right
to free speech in important. A diverse perspectives. Some
of the language used has been deeply, troubling and indeed.
indeed. Harmful your characterization of Israel's actions
is, genocide are highly inflammatory. Don't forget how the
war in Gaza began. Exactly 600 days ago, commas infiltrated
from Gaza and raped and murdered 1200 citizens and 58
hostages are still being held captive.
phrases such as such as, from The River To The Sea
Palestine will be free is considered violent or threatening
as it is a call for the elimination of Israel, which
implies the displacement of harm of its Jewish population.
Incitement against Jews, breathes, violence against Jews.
Tragically. We have already witnessed the deadly
consequences of such inflammatory language just last week
2. Young Israeli Embassy staffers yuron lashinski and Sarah
Milgram were brutally murdered outside the capitol, Jewish
museum in Washington, DC the suspect, a Chicago 1 in Gaza,
but years of radicalization through anti-israel propaganda
turned him into a cold-blooded murderer. His Manifesto
affirmed. That the killings were carried out to to stop
what he called genocide in Gaza. This is what hate does.
This is the cost of normalizing into and defending
resistance. It doesn't stop at words, it ends in Murder.
At a time when anti-Semitism is reaching unprecedented
levels in Chicago, I urge you to consider the impact of
your words in narrative, carefully anti-semitic, and
anti-israel rhetoric is not just offensive of hurtful. It
is dangerous as we witnessed last week, it has real world
consequences that can lead to violence as a government,
official elected to represent a diverse Community. It is
time for you to take action against Jew, hatred in our city
and not fuel. The fire with
Your own toxic narrative. The safety of the Jewish
Community. Depends on it. Thank you.
Thank you for your comments. Our next speaker is estra
landman.
Of.
I'm sorry, I can't understand that. Well good.
Hello.
Uh, name is Ezra. Lame, bagelen.
I find it. I find it a bit disconcerting that 2 months ago
Alderman. Alderman, Sanchez.
Alderman, I'm over here. Um, that you held a meeting, you
held a meeting regarding the Deport.
Um, condemning the deportation of mu Khalil.
but,
After the murder of these 2 Embassy staff members which
Alison just spoke about. Um you're a lousy statement
condemning them and 1 of them was an American citizen.
And I find that.
You know, the fact that you will dedicate a whole meeting
to a non-american citizen.
Versus the murderer of 2 of 2. Israeli Embassy staff
members 1 of whom was an American citizen.
Is disconcerting and the lack of action speaks louder than
words.
um,
and as an altar, I believe it's your duty to Foster an
environment of unity.
And instead, what I've noticed is that you seek, you're
seeking division, most most notably in searching for health
care for your child.
And this is the type of behavior which Fosters, which
Foster environment of hate, which is what indoctrinated
Elias Rodriguez, a resident of your ward to murder to human
human beings and I'm grateful that you condemned it. But I
think there's much more that needs to be done.
Thank you for your comments.
Next speaker is Susan.
Good morning committee. And, uh, thank you for welcoming
public comments. My name is Suzanne Nasser, and I am a
member of the US. Palestinian Community Network Chicago
chapter. Our acronym, is US PCN.
As a representative representative of us, PCM at uspc and I
am here to airm in the loudest possible terms that us PCN
is united in standing with and supporting Alder people,
rossana Rodriguez Sanchez and Byron's sexual Lopez against
Zionist racist in the city.
City council, like Deborah Silverstein, and Raymond Lopez,
who is a member of this committee. Both of these
individuals continue to lie about the social justice
movements, and the movement to stop the US Israeli genocide
against the Palestinian people in Chicago. Accusing our
movement of being violent
we are, especially appalled, but not surprised by
alder-person Raymond Lopez who posted and shared
misinformation to social media at tempting to link. Alder
people, Rodriguez, Sanchez and 6. 6 Lopez to Elias
Rodriguez, the alleged gunman accused of fatally, shooting
to Israeli, Embassy staff members in Washington D.C,
In his post, the right-wing opportunist Raymond Lopez
shared a photo claiming to show the alleged DC shooter with
mayor, Brandon Johnson and Alder people Rodriguez Sanchez
and 6 show Lopez and tweeted quote birds of a feather
unquote.
what's even more settling is, when his dangerous lie in
accusations were exposed, he still refused to retract them
putting the lives as my colleague. Hannah said a Rosanna
Byron and even Mayor John Brandon Johnson in danger.
It is clear that these lies are meant to undermine the
incredible principled and courageous work of Rosanna and
Byron.
USPS has deep respect for Rosana and Byron's work which
includes being advocates for Education, Health Care
Transportation and other policies that benefit black
people, Latinos Native, Americans Africans, Asian Arabs,
white people and everyone else who lives in this city.
They are exactly the type of progressive legislators who
make the city council actually, and truly, representative
of the people of Chicago, and they are humanitarians, who
wants the US government to stop Israel's genocide against
the Palestinian people.
and while Alder people Rosana and Byron, worked to counter
political violence, Empower individuals and strengthen
communities by calling for an end to the Reckless expansion
of mass detention and deportations and an end to war and
genocide. We also live in a city with racist Zionist Alders
like Silverstein
Thank you for your comments. Um,
Our next speaker is ishan De.
Morning. My name is ishaan Dia and I'm a Community member
that cares about Mental Health. Access in the city. No
matter who you are, what your income or immigration status
is, or faith. Is I'm here in support of treatment, not
trauma, and expanding the care teams because I've seen how
difficult it is for my family members, and my friends to
find the care that they need.
We know that our city suffers from a 30-year life
expectancy Gap with a big contributor being public, mental
health care.
This past this past winter, we expanded to 2 additional
public Mental Health Centers. After Decades of fighting.
We've seen that expanding Mental Health Centers. Works over
the last 3 months, we've seen a 50% increase in utilization
of the mental health centers, from 21,000 appointments
across the city up to a rate of 32,000 appointments across
the city. We need to see it continue to be expanded, so
that there is 1 for every District in the city.
We also know that folks from across the city are demanding,
an expansion of care, so that anyone can get a non police
crisis response, no matter the time or where in the city
that they are.
We right now, use the police to solve every social problem
that exists. We know that interventions such as care,
violence, prevention. Mental, Health Centers and drug
overdose allows the police to focus on the things that they
potentially need to.
The police across the city and others don't want to be
responding to these calls either. As you heard from a
District counselor earlier and his conversations that we've
had with District counselors across the city, we know that
police officers are advocating for an expansion of care.
They know that they're not trained to have these calls and
would rather have those, uh, responded by people that have
been trained for thousands of hours rather than just the 40
hours of CIT training.
They know that when police officers are faced with
responding to these calls, they are being put at risk for
not having the resources or the job description to actually
care for individuals. They're at risk for escalating the
situation as we've seen in the countless police murders.
That have happened. They're at risk for opening them up for
potential misconduct suits. This city has spent over 350
million dollars on police misconduct suits over the last 5
years, which could pay for Citywide expansion of TNT in and
of itself.
And we're at risk for increasing OT, over the last 10
years. We've spun, we've spent almost 2 billion dollars on
police overtime in the city.
It's not just fiscally necessary for us to expand care
across this entire city and create public mental, health
centers for anyone to be able to experience public mental
health care. But it's also necessary for the health of all
of our loved ones and to decrease that 30-year life
expectancy Gap. There is no reason that someone from the
south side has a life expectancy of 60 years. And someone
from the north side have has a life expectancy of 90 years
and is the responsibility of the city council and it's the
responsibility of cdph to be fighting for that at every
moment that we can.
We need to see care in public. Mental, Health Centers
expanded. We need to use the funds that are currently being
spent on militarization in the city on additional
helicopters on militarization abroad. As we think about
weapons that are being sent to kill people in Gaza, we need
to make sure that our dollars are being spent on Healthcare
on education. And just
Thank you for your comments.
Our next speaker is Elias Rosenberg.
Hi. Um, my name is Elias Rosenberg and I am a Northeastern
Illinois, University student. Majoring in special
education, I am here in support of treatment, not trauma.
And expanding the care teams because I have seen how
difficult it is. For my students, to get the care. They
need police officers are not trained to support people in
crisis, and can often escalate situations, although any
there are no longer cops in CPS children do not have the
same safety outside of school. It is imperative that we
invest in mental health right now because everyone deserves
to be treated with care and empathy especially children.
Our city is hurting from the effects of disinvestment and
scaling treatment, not trauma throughout the nights and
weekends. And across the city is a step towards healing our
city.
Care should be available across the city and it needs to
operate 24/7.
Thank you.
Thank you for your comments.
Our next speaker is Mara wolf.
Wolof.
Hi everyone. My name is Mara walcoff. I'm a resident of the
fourth ward. And I'm here today, with jcua, which is the
Jewish voice for social justice in Chicago land. Um, we're
proud to partner with treatment not trauma. Um and with
older woman Rosana Rodriguez Sanchez um on pushing for the
root cause and vital services that make all of our
community safe including the Jewish Community here in
Chicago.
Um, I'm here to say that it is essential that we make care
team expansion, a priority in the 2026 budget.
and in Chicago Department of Public Health priorities,
Every Chicago and deserves to have access to public, mental
health care and to 24-hour emergency response, that does
not include police.
I have worked as a youth organizer for many years and 1 of
the hardest parts of this work was supporting young folks
who are really struggling with mental health and not having
substantive Avenues to support them when they are in
moments of acute crisis.
Their families must choose between police presence, in their
home, police who are armed and not trained.
To respond to mental health calls and could risk a
possibility of further hurting, or criminalizing their
children or nothing.
especially if these crises are happening late at night,
care teams that exist, now are only 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
It's not nearly sufficient enough. Mental health crises do
not operate on a 9-to-5 schedule. We need every Chicago and
to have access to non police crisis response in every word
around our city.
Our communities are hurting and they need support. Please
expand care, across the city, and to evening and weekends
as well as providing 2 24-hour public mental health centers
for the city.
Thank you. Alderwoman Rodriguez, Sanchez for fighting for
our communities. I urge all of you um and city council and
in the Department of Public Health to make this a priority
moving forward. Thank you.
Thank you for your comments. Our next speaker is Sophia
Tupper
Hi. Um, my name is Sophie Tupper, and I'm here as part of
the Jewish Council for urban Affairs, to advocate for
treatment, not trauma the program. That seats seeks to
reopen the city's public, mental health, clinics, and
provide non police crisis response teams to people.
Experiencing mental health, emergencies, as a Jewish
American. I'm proud that jcua is working with Alder person,
Rosana Rodriguez, Sanchez and his issue for Advocate
advocacy for treatment. Not trauma is a testament to her
concern for the Safety and Security.
Security of our communities.
As someone with family members, who struggle with mental
illness, I know how difficult it can be. To obtain the
mental health care needed in Chicago. In cases of
emergency, my family has had to choose between allowing a
mental health crisis to go, untreated or letting an armed
police officer with no Mental, Health Training into our
home,
we know that an armed response by officers can dress
thickly escalate a situation that intentions between police
and individuals and potentially lead to a fatality. The
risk of being killed by police is 16 times greater for
individuals with untreated mental illness than for other
residents, this choice between risking my loved ones, life,
or letting mental health emergencies go untreated, does not
have to exist. We could eliminate it by further funding
care. Teams model for emergency response for mental health,
clinicians and paramedics. Not police are dispatched to
respond to mental health emergencies
I urge the Department of Public Health to make this a
In hiring.
And in next year's budget, this is what we need to keep
Chicago and safe.
We could also expand Chicago's.
public, mental health clinics, so more people could get the
services they need early on before their mental health
deteriorates to the point of an emergency,
You know, that this is popular among the public, 93%, plus
of Chicago voters supported their treatment. Not trauma
advisory referendum. When it appeared on the ballot, please
listen to your voters and your constituents and support
treatment naturally. Thank you.
Thank you for your comments. Our last speaker is Arturo
Cairo.
Good morning. Good morning.
My name is Dr. Cairo, I'm the deputy Health director for
violence prevention at Brighton Park neighborhood Council
and also 1 of the co-leads for the collaborative for
Community Wellness, as well, as a lifelong resident of the
10th. Ward,
Today, we are here looking forward.
To hear more during the subject matter, hearing about the
expansion of non police crisis response to Chicago.
As well as the expansion of the public mental health
infrastructure of the city.
The investment is more important than ever as Federal
relief has, is set to expire.
And is currently fully funding the existing Care Program.
I am here in support of treatment at trauma and expanding
the care teams, because we have seen how difficult it is
for family members and friends, in our communities, to find
the care that they need.
The nonprofit system is not enough.
It is imperative that we invest in a mental health services
right now because everybody deserves care from our public
sector that is available and empathetic and open to
everyone in our community.
Our city is hurting from the effects of this investment and
scaling treatment on trauma throughout nights and weekends
Will Repair the harm caused by Decades of this investment.
Care should be available across the city and it needs to
operate 24/7 as part of a public health strategy. That
addresses a social and mental health needs of residents of
the city.
We look forward to answers at today's subject matter
hearing.
also, we stand in support of all those in positions of
power, who speak out against the genocide happening in
Gaza,
Let me repeat myself, there is a genocide happening in
Gaza.
Once again, there is a genocide happening in Gaza.
We are here to support and protect those who speak out
against that genocide and we need elected officials that
are pushing us forward. Not tearing our communities down.
Thank you.
Thank you for the comments as the time. A lot of for public
comment has expired. We conclude the public comment,
period. Thank you to all of our speakers we received 3,
written comments, that were sent to our committee and
shared with members via email. And we had 15, in-person
public speakers.
Our first item of business is the approval of the rule. 45
report, can I get a motion to approve? The March 2025 rule,
45 report,
So moved by another woman Fuentes all those in favor.
Signify by saying I
Opposed say, nay.
In the opinion of the chair, the eyes have it.
A chairwoman.
Is this uh, Alderman Robinson. It it is. I am uh in place.
My apologies, great. We are going to add you to the role.
Thank you, chairman, this is, um, almond Cruise, I'm here
as well.
We're going to have to vote on your participation so give
me a second. Uh uh Elder woman Cruz has requested to
participate remotely, um, through rule 59 Provisions. Can I
get a motion?
So moved by Alderman cassava. All those in favor signify by
saying I opposed say nay
In the opinion of the chair, the eyes have it uh Elder
woman Cruise. It will be counted toward squirm. Thank you
for being here.
Uh, item number 1 on the agenda, is the moral appointment
of Dr. Anusha to the Chicago Board of Health. We will hear
the full list of appointments and we'll have time to
receive comments after the, um,
We will consider Dr. Anusha for the Chicago Board of
Health. Um,
I am very pleased to bring before you uh Dr. Sha for
appointment to the Board of Health. I know Dr. Sha
personally.
Um, I've been under his care before, uh, Dr. Sha is an
incredible advocate for our communities. Um, speaks
multiple languages is very familiar with the diversity of
Chicago. I have heard him so many times. Speak about
lgbtqia health in multiple panels.
Um,
and I have seen that he has an approach to health that is
holistic, and that not only considers the physiological
aspects of Health, but the social, um, context in which, in
which we exist. Um, so I am very proud, uh, to recommend
the appointment of Dr. Sha, I am going to allow Dr. Sha,
uh, to read his statement and
Then we will, uh, consider questions from the body.
Dr. Sha. Thank you. Thank you. Hi, again. My name is
Anusha. My pronouns. Are he him? And his
And um, I'm an integrative family physician who lives and
works in the 44th ward of each Lake View.
And I want to thank all of you to have for having me here
today and, um, and I'm humbled by your comments and by the
nomination and it would be an honor to serve the city
alongside the other members newly approved to the board.
As a family physician, I see patients for comprehensive
Primary Care at tapestry 3, 360 360 Health, a federally
qualified Health Center serving the north side of Chicago.
Tapestry serves a largely immigrant and Refugee population.
providing Primary Care. Dental Behavioral Health, Case
Management Services, within our organization and alongside
our Community Partners such as thresholds. And Trilogy
where we are also co-located
At my clinical site in East Lakeview. I also have the
privilege of providing Primary Care to our neighborhoods,
queer and trans folks, including gender affirming care.
And so, these are my patients, a beautiful tapestry of
immigrants, refugees, queer and trans, folks, and people
seeking mental, and Primary Health Care.
And they're largely uninsured or uninsured and many rely on
public aid and our safety. Net systems.
And people are scared on top of historical, barriers to
and institutional systems of Oppression, on top of
individual and generational. Trauma. On top of disparities,
in the social drivers of Health. There's recently an
additional fear about inclusivity and even the continued
existence of programs that our patients rely on
After an undergraduate focus on religious studies. I came
to Loyola Street School of Medicine here in Chicago, to
learn Doctrine in the context of individual suffering.
After completing a Family Medicine, Residency Pro uh
program at uh at a federal qualified Health Center in New
England, I returned to Chicago to complete a master's in
public health at UIC with the concentration in community
health.
And this broadened my perspective on using my voice as a
physician to address Community needs.
I then worked as the associate program director for the
Northwestern Family Medicine Residency program. Uh, based
out of eerie Family Health Center in Humble Park,
Where I got to train young Physicians, while serving as a
primary care doctor for fam families, and that Vibrant
Community for almost a decade.
During that time, I completed an integrative Medicine
Fellowship, from the University of Arizona asking the
question, how can we approach Health beyond what we do in
medicine?
since then, I've been able to approach my patients from a
perspective of their individual goals and how their health
is in relation to a greater sense of meaning and purpose,
So it's my sacred Duty as their physician to help provide
the conditions for healing. This expands beyond the walls
of my clinic it extends into our communities and the city
at Large.
I'd like to advocate for these conditions for healing
through scientifically evidence-based, Public Health
policies, and programming, hand-in-hand with
trauma-informed, approaches to address the needs of our
communities. While celebrating their amazing strengths.
In a time of fear and uncertainty, it's vital for
individuals and entire communities to feel and truly be
seen. And heard this is holistic Public Health. Thank you
for your time, my time today and I welcome any questions.
Are there any questions from the body?
No questions.
All right. Um, thank you so much, Dr. Chef for being here
today. Um, we are
So happy to have you.
Um, can I get a motion to recommend approval of the
appointment, uh, of doctor Anusha to the Board of Health?
So, move by other woman Gutierrez, uh, all those in favor.
Signify by saying, I opposed say nay in the opinion of the
chair of the eyes have it, I will report this
recommendation at the upcoming city council meeting. Thank
you Dr. Sha
item 2 on the agenda is a subject matter here. Hearing with
the Chicago Department of Public Health regarding the
Strategic plan and summer strategy. This meeting was
planned in partnership with cdph as our committee and their
team, continue to find more ways to work together to
provide council with critical updates on the operations of
the department and how our aldermanic offices can help
connect our neighbors to resources.
We're joined today by commissioner e and her team. Thank
you all for being here today.
And we are looking forward to your presentation.
Uh, I want to okay?
Alderman Lawson. Are you here?
oh,
Surprise, surprise, surprise. I am.
Um, we're adding it to the world. Thank you for being here
today.
Uh, commissioner EA would you mind getting started?
Good morning, chairwoman.
And the health and human Relations Committee. Uh, thank you
so much for this opportunity to
share some strategy with you.
Um, I have here with me, our team of leaders and we will do
a quick introduction. I am Dr. Simbo E the commissioner.
Good morning, Marbella Travis Torres. Deputy Commissioner
for uh, Bureau of Health protection.
Um, medical director for communicable disease.
Good morning, Claudia Blanco Public Health administrator
for the Chicago Department of Public Health.
Good morning, Dr. Mow Jenny, Hua medical director and
acting. Deputy Commissioner for the Bureau of Behavioral
Health.
Good morning. My name is Virginia Castaneda, manager of
food Protection Services.
Thank you. So today
I am focusing on summer strategy.
There is a lot going on in Chicago.
My presentation today is by no means comprehensive.
But we wanted to come before you.
To share with you some of the health issues we have noticed
in the last year.
And some of our plans for this summer.
There are a few things that are very um, seasonal.
In health.
And I want to share with you some of what we have observed
and give you the broader framework for the work that we do
in the Chicago Department of Public Health.
ah,
1 second.
now the Chicago Department of Public Health many times, you
see, a few of us here, um, representing you. And I want to
share with you that the work that we do, at the Chicago
Department of Public Health is multifaceted is
multi-disciplinary. Um, at the moment, we have about 750
staff, uh, and 22 locations across the city, clinical
locations, we have 13, clinical locations for
administrative.
Offices and other offices where we provide Public Health
Services.
We work with 300 plus Community Partners. These are
partners that we have an active contract with because we
know that the public the work of Public Health requires in
all of community approach,
Now a lot of what we do in public health starts with a
health assessment. First, we need to understand the health
status of our residents and then Health Improvement. That
a requirement by law for us to do a health assessment and
then a health Improvement. So I will start with the current
status of Health.
So Health assessment is a responsibility of a public health
department.
How a public health department is different from a
hospital? Is that in a hospital? You deal with a health of
the individual
A public health department deals with a health of the
population. So when we say the health assessment, we start
with how do we assess the health of the population.
Now, there is a framework for how that is done. This is
called the county health ranking framework.
The county health ranking framework looks at Health
outcomes. How do we know that a population is healthy? We
look at the length of life, that is a measure of a healthy
population. We look at the quality of life. Now, the length
of life can be premature death
life expectancy premature age adjusted mortality, child,
mortality infant mortality? And the Chicago Department of
Public Health. We look at all of those we routinely assess
all these measures of length of life for Chicagoans.
You can also measure the quality of life and we also
measure Health behaviors, clinical care, social and
economic factors, and the physical environment. All of
these factors are necessary for you to say a population is
healthy.
Now at the health department, when we measure health for
Chicago, those are all the things that we measure.
Now where can you find information about the health of
Chicagoans? We have what we call the Chicago Health, Atlas,
it shows you what the health of Chicagoans look like across
all of those different dimensions that I shared with you in
the county health ranking.
The health Atlas is an online resource. It is available to
all.
And all these health related data is present their online.
We have received an award for that Health, Atlas as the F
smart 50 recipient, 1 of the only local Health departments
to receive that award.
It is a collaborative partnership, we work with our
Community Partners. We work with mtopia a health technology
fund, and we also work with the University of Chicago, uh,
in developing this health, Atlas it is democratized
hyperlocal Health Data.
On the screen, you will see a QR code. So if you want to
check out this health at last, this is an easy way to see
where it is located on our website. There are several
indicators of Health on this. Atlas over 400 indicators, 35
different data sources. We received data from hospital
data, emergency room data hospitalized hospitalizing uh up
hospitalization data community service. We do surveys every
year to assess the health of Chicago Ones. Um, data from
the state data from the federal government, all of these
together is on the health Atlas, you can see this
information Citywide by community area by ZIP code by
health.
Chicago Zone, you can compare data across neighborhoods, you
can see Trends, you can see ranking. So if there is any
question about, what is the health status of Chicagoans by
community area by location by geography, you can find it on
the health Atlas
now, the information I'm going to share with you is on the
health Atlas
This is just 1 of the many measures that we use to assess
the health of Chicago.
I have chosen life expectancy as a summary measure of
health because Health expectancy is both a combination of
how long people live and how well they live. It is also a
measure of the social and environmental factors that impact
health.
Now, on this screen, there are 3 time periods that I want
you to look at. We have been tracking life expectancy for
Chicago since 2010.
On the screen, you will see the life expectancy by race and
ethnicity starting from 2010 to 2023.
I wanted to know this where we started in 2010.
Highest life expectancy in Chicago, 8 6. 7.
Followed by the Latin community.
followed by the Y Community, the average for Chicago, and
then the black community there at 72.7
So we have been tracking life expectancy for the last. Um,
15 years.
Now, look at the time period before the pandemic.
Look at the effect of the pandemic on life expectancy.
And look at the recovery from the pandemic on life
expectancy.
So 2023.
We indicate with a progress that we have made over time.
Some communities are doing well. Life expectancy is getting
better.
Some communities are still trailing behind and life
expectancy, doesn't seem to be improving at the same rate.
So, we took a deep dive into that to better understand why
the black community has the lowest life expectancy in the
city of Chicago.
So this is the trend.
Um, in the little box at the bottom left hand corner there.
You will see what life expectancy for black Chicagoans
looked like
Um, in 2014 and this is the gap between black Chicago ones
and every other person non-black Chicago.
8.8 years was the average Gap.
and by,
2021, during the pandemic, the life expectancy widened to
an all-time high of 12.7.
And so we have been working really hard to close the life
expectancy Gap since then. And we are very pleased to tell
you that. The life expectancy Gap is closing between black
Chicago and and the rest of the city.
This is the third consecutive year where we have seen an
increase in life expectancy for all Chicagoans.
Black life expectancy Still Remains short of what it was
pre-pandemic compared to non-black um life expectancy which
has returned to pre-pandemic levels.
We have an 18% decrease in life expectancy Gap. Since Peak.
So we are encouraged because we know life expectancy gaps
can close. So that is a good, um, uh,
you know, progress that we have made their
The Gap is still greater than 2019. So that is still a
concern for us and since 2020, the rate of increase in
Black life expectancy,
Has exceeded the rate of increase in non-life like
expectancy. So we know that there is progress there and we
want to build on this progress. Um, 2.1 year, increase
among black life expectancy from 2022 to 2023.
So we are making progress in closing the life. Um, the life
expectancy Gap in Chicago,
there are still areas of concern for us.
Again, as the public health department, our work is to
ensure all Chicagoans thriving.
So we are a little worried when oh some parts of Chicago
doesn't seem to be doing well as as well as others.
So on this map, you will see the different shades of blue.
The darker shades of blue is why where life expectancy is
lowest.
So the community with the lowest life expectancy in
Chicago, as at the end of 2023 is West gy Park at 6, 6. 6.
The community with the highest life expectancy as at the
end of 2023 is 87.3 and that is the loop.
So we have taken a look at West Garfield. Park is Garfield
Park. North Londale West, Englewood Englewood um where the
life expectancy has been the lowest for many years and has
been declining in 2023 2, other communities emerge on that
list, as lower life expectancy, which is Bond side, and
Fuller Park. And we are beginning to explore. So, on the
average, the life expectancy for Chicago is 78.7, which is
not bad.
but when you start to unpack that you will see that there's
a wide variation by race and ethnicity and by community
area
And if you look at the life expectancy on the average for
black Chicago, it is lower at 71.8.
So the question is, why, why are we seeing this Gap? And
again, looking at our health at last, these are the things
that emerge as the drivers of the gap.
the number 1 reason why people are dying prematurely in the
city of Chicago across, all Races and ethnic groups is
chronic disease. Heart disease, diabetes and cancer. That
is the number 1 reason, for all Races and ethnicity. The
difference though, is that black folks are dying at a
higher rate from these courses than others. Then homicide
then opioid overdose then accident infant mortality
infectious diseases and other causes
so that is the summary of our health assessment.
Now, the question for me, as commissioner is what do we do
about it?
Knowing the drivers of premature mortality. What is it?
That is killing Chicago and prematurely and killing some
residents of Chicago and at a higher rate than others and
what can we do about it?
What I am presenting to you right now.
Is a subset of the Strategic plan that we created for 2025.
How can we address all of these drivers of life expectancy
Gap?
And can we pilot this in a few neighborhoods that are the
most impacted and if it works, how do we scale it to other
neighborhoods? So we started a pilot in January.
In 5 neighborhood.
And so this is our strategic plan. We have a summary, a 2
pager on our website. Again, you can see there and we have
some promising results that we want to share with you.
Some of the promising results is what is driving our summer
strategy. We started to do a few things last summer, that
worked out. Well, thank you to chairwoman for inviting us
last summer to talk about opioid overdose.
And the success we have seen there is another reason why
we've come back again this summer to say we have learned
something last year that works. How can we build on that
success? And these are some of the priority areas we worked
in last summer and we want to share with you our plan for
this summer based on what we have learned. Now, our health
Improvement plan
Aligns with the public health accreditation board.
The public health accreditation board says, there are 5
areas that all public health departments must have.
We must address maternal and Child and Adolescent and
family health. We must address environmental health. That
is a requirement for a public health department. We must
address communicable diseases, prevention investigation and
control access and linkage to care and chronic disease
injury, prevention. So whatever we develop must be aligned
with what is required for health.
Departments to do.
A lot of what we're going to be talking about today, is in
the realm of prevention, Public Health, prevents. We don't
just treat, we prevent. So you are going to hear a lot
about prevention, based on what we have learned last year.
How can we use that information to prevent? Um,
Premature, mortality this year.
Now, we get a lot of requests for services. There is a lot
of needing Chicago.
But we do have some limitations in terms of the resources
available to us.
You may know and others may not know that we are mostly
dependent on federal funding for the work we do in the
public health department.
82% of our funding comes directly from the CDC. We are 1 of
10, local public health departments that get money directly
from the CDC because we're a big city.
So a lot of what we do is limited by what the federal
government provides funding, for,
I circled in red, the local funding that we get in the
department, that is 76 million.
That is 11% of our budget comes from local, uh, funding
from the city of Chicago.
about 50% of the 76 million that we get goes towards Mental
Health Services,
So by far, the city is most invented invested in Mental
Health Services. We run 7 clinics
And we support many other mental health service providers.
And we are very excited about the progress we've made with
care.
Today, we are going to share with you some of the plans
that we have.
That we have resources for, and the moment, I do want to
elevate to you, that we have a lot of threats to Public
Health funding at this time.
So these 565 million that we're getting from the federal
government. By the end of this year, 125 million of, it
will expire by the end of next year about 300 million will
expire. So by 2025, almost all of these 565 million will be
gone.
So it is a huge gap for the city to fill. And so we have
been thinking, very creatively, how can we partner better,
how can we leverage the resources? We have? And so we have
some resource constraints, but we are blessed with a lot of
creative. Um, people in our department that are trying to
find Solutions regardless
so,
I will switch on now to some of our leaders who are here to
share with you what we learned last year.
and what we want to do this summer and where we need your
support because Public Health requires the public
and we are going to start with an area that you may not
even be aware.
Is a problem in Chicago, and I'm going to pass it on to Dr.
Karen's, um, who is our medical director for communicable
diseases to share with you our plan for 2025 Dr. Karen
Thanks Dr. E
So, I'm here to talk to you, about West Nile, Virus, and
mosquitoes, and Dr. EA was mentioning before that, a lot of
the work we do is prevention and she was also talking about
foundational areas and this is something that sits between
environmental health and communicable disease, prevention.
So if you don't know West now virus is a mosquito-born
virus, meaning its spread to people when they're bitten by
an infected mosquito called a qlex mosquito
it's the most common disease spread from mosquitoes to
people both in Chicago and then in the US as a whole
Most people get infected, infected actually don't get sick,
but about 1 in 5, go on to have a fever and things like
joint pain and body aches.
Unfortunately, a handful of people about 1 in a 100 50
people.
Can get quite sick, they can develop inflammation of the
brain, which is called inkeles or inflammation of the
membranes around the brain and spinal cord called
meningitis.
About 1 in 10 or 10% of those people die.
People who are over the age of 55 or who have weakened
immune systems, are most likely to get very sick.
in order to prevent as many cases of West Nile Virus as we
can, cdph has a comprehensive vector-borne surveillance and
Mosquito Abatement program. And what that means is that we
monitor both people and mosquitoes for this virus and put
in and put in place measures to control mosquitoes next.
Slide, please.
So this slide shows both the number of people who have been
infected with West Nile Virus over time and the number of
of deaths due to West Nile Virus in Chicago.
This graph actually represents a huge Public Health
success.
In 2002 West Nile, Virus first emerged in Chicago, and 225
people who were infected with West Nile. Virus, were
reported to the health department.
Since then, we developed a vector control program focused on
on preventing mosquitoes trapping and testing them for West
Nile, Virus, and controlling the number of adult
mosquitoes.
Since this number, since this program was started, the
number of people reported being infected by West Nile,
Virus has dropped dramatically. Although the number of
infections can vary from year to year, as you can see based
on things like the weather.
Next slide, please.
In 2024.
14 Chicagoans were infected with westile virus. Imported to
the 2 C cdph, including sadly, 1, person who died due to
their infection.
On the meat and on the mosquito side, the cdph vector
control program set out. 72 M Mo mosquito, traps the city
and ultimately tested nearly 20,000 mosquitoes for West
Nile virus.
However, we have found multiple opportunities where we can
improve.
We found gaps in our mosquito trap coverage as I'll show on
a later slide. And there are other opportunities for
improvement as well, including using larvicide more
effectively, and improving our community outreach and
education about West Nile virus.
Next slide, please.
This summer, our mosquito surveillance prevention and
control efforts will continue Citywide during May and June,
literally, as we speak the team is placing larvicide. An
insecticide used to kill immature, mosquito leray, or
prevent their ability to grow into adult mosquitoes into
about 80,000 catch basins across the city.
Placement is prioritized prioritized by the historical
presence of mosquitoes and West Nile virus.
from June to October, we collect mosquitoes from about 80
traps throughout Chicago and test them for West Nile Virus,
based on the number of mosquitoes and the proportion
testing positive. If it meets a threshold will spray and
insecticide to kill adult mosquitoes.
As I mentioned before on the last slide 1 of the areas for
improvement is our coverage. In terms of the traps, we have
throughout the city. And so, the map here is showing where
we have gaps in coverage, meaning that we're looking for
areas where we can place additional mosquito traps so that
we can trap the mosquitoes and test them for West Nile
Virus there too.
This summer, we're also planning to have a dashboard with
data on mosquitoes and the risk of West Nile virus on our
cdph website. So that the public can be more aware of our
activities.
Next slide.
So, we also come to ask for some help.
The best way to prevent West Nile Virus is to pres prevent
mosquito bites and we would love to have help and
encouraging communities. To do what we call fight the bite.
First.
Please encourage people to wear bug spray especially from
Dust to Dawn where they might be most likely to be in
contact with mosquitoes and also to wear things like long
sleeves and plant the pants so that they can protect
themselves.
Residents can also protect themselves by mosquitoes by
preventing those mosquitoes both inside and outside their
homes. There are simple ways to do this like emptying
containers. Like flower pots that might be outside and can
hold standing water emptying those once a week. Um, can
help prevent the grounds where mosquitoes breed
Also repairing holes and things like screens or using air
conditioning, if possible can prevent mosquitoes from
getting inside the home.
On the Outreach side, we would love to for you to invite us
to your health fairs. We'd love to talk about mosquitoes.
If we have the ability or if we have the data that shows
that we need to spray insecticide in your ward, will we
will reach out and try to let constituents know as well.
Um, but we would love your help and also letting your
constituents know
And finally I mentioned at the last slide that there are
some areas where we're looking to add additional mosquito
traps. If you do have ideas for those areas, if they're in
your ward, then please reach out to us to let us know as
well.
Thank you, Dr. Karen, so in 2024, we had 14 cases of waste,
now, virus, that is 1 of the lowest we've ever recorded and
this year, we are hoping for zero.
So this is why we're here. Can we get to zero West Nile
cases? And can we get to zero deaths?
And to do that, we need your support um and getting
information to the community.
So this is 1 thing that only happens during summer.
and we want to get to zero, which is why we have included
it in our summer strategy and we will like to come before
you next summer to see. We did it.
Now, we talked a lot about mental health and our investment
in mental health.
We have decided to focus. A lot of our work in prevention.
And now there are some things that are very aligned with
mental health, priority of the mayor and our mental health
priority. And we had such remarkable success last year that
we want to accelerate progress in overdose prevention. So
our medical director and acting. Deputy Commissioner Dr. W
Thank you, Dr. Eay, thank you, chairwoman. Thank you, uh,
Health and Human Relations Committee. It is my great
pleasure to come back here almost a year later to um share
with you about the plans that we made last year some of the
successes that we've seen. Um, and give you an overview of
the plans that we're making and actually already in motion
this year for 2 of the top drivers of the racial life
expectancy Gap. That Dr. Eay presented namely, um, overdose
opioid overdose and uh homicides. So these are the number 3
3 and number 2 respectively drivers of the racial life
expectancy Gap. So I'm going to start with uh an overview
of the successes and the lessons learned from last year. In
terms, of suppressing, the curve that we see, um, you know,
in terms of the spikes that we see in uh, overdose uh every
summer um as well as you know how we are incorporating the
same approach to tackle.
Um, homicides this year uh, both fatal actually and
non-fatal. Um, gun violence victimizations this year. Um,
in a joint injury prevention, incident command system. Um,
so you know, that's sort of the bird's eye view of
everything that I'm about to present. So, the first half,
um, I'm going to delve a little bit into lessons learned
from last year, in terms of harm reduction and overdose
prevention, and then in the second half, um, share a little
bit more about our new injury prevention, ICS. And, and
specifically the um, violence prevention segment of it. Um,
so this is just an image of the mayor last year
participating in um, our kit build. So we saw a significant
uh Outreach efforts on the 5 West Side Community areas uh
in Chicago, which sees a third of all, um, overdoses
happen. Um, and this is the mayor, uh, in a July, I think
20th event where we kicked off operation SOS which went
door to door.
In in those 5 Community areas Distributing Narcan. Um, and
information around Mar now, our tele medicine hotline for
same day. Access to um uh medications for opioid use
disorder. So that was uh a signal achievement I think of
our summer activation um last year and really appreciate uh
Allure aldermanic as well as mayoral support and launching
that effort. Um next slide please.
So in terms of the lessons that we learned, um so the
operation SOS managed to reach over 2,000 individuals um in
hotspot areas across the 5 Community areas, um Distributing
over 2,000 Outreach kits. And each kit contained uh at
least a box of Narcan uh oftentimes individuals asked for
more. Um, so this is um, you know, could not have happened
without your support last year and it was an integral part
of our summer activation. Um, and also recall that last
year 1 of our um signal objectives for. Uh our summer
activation was to distribute Narcan or Todo to make sure
that every household on the west side of Chicago had access
access to Narcan this life-saving medication, that can
reverse an opioid related overdose. Um, so overall, we, uh,
distributed almost 24,000 units of Narcan in 2024. We saw a
23% decrease in summer, opioid, related EMS responses. Um,
which puts that
Puts us on par or, um, at a higher level of decreased
compared to other big cities across um the United States.
Um we saw over a 3500 medication, assisted recovery. Now
we're more now calls. Again this is a tele medicine hotline
for same day. Initiation of medications for opioid use
disorder uh with a particular increase of over 2 and a half
fold over the summer months for calls coming in from
Chicago and we're seeing and this is provision.
Statistics but around a 35 38 uh percent reduction in
fatalities. Um, so all really really good news. You know, I
cannot emphasize how this is actually rapidly closing. Some
of the gaps that we see in racial life accessing the Gap
because of the reductions that we're seeing in opioid
overdose related fatalities um, in terms of. So we have
actually and after action report that you can find on our
website, that summarizes, what I'm going to talk about, if
you're interested in sort of the underlying data, I
encourage you to go on our website and read that entire
report. Um, but so some of the opportunities that we saw
for improvement included and earlier initiation of our
response, the single highest um
Number of overdoses. Uh the single highest day that saw the
um highest number of overdoses in 2024 was May 11th. Um and
Um, and so, you know, we saw that it was very important
actually, to start earlier in launching a summer
So this year, we have made sure that we launched um, May
5th. So that was the first Monday in May and, um, we are
extending our response for both, um, overdose prevention
and violence reduction, um, to September. Um, and so, you
know that. So the extended timeline of our activation as an
important lesson learned, uh, based on last year's data,
Um, we continue to utilize the hyperlocal approach to Target
both our limited. Always limited resources, both
geographically and temporally. Um, so this year, we have
expanded beyond the 5 Westside neighborhood to also include
10 Southside Community areas that together account for
something like, 60% of all opioid related overdoses. Um, we
want to maximize the government Community Partnership, um,
which is an important, um, principle across all of our
efforts. Um, and we want to ensure a Continuum of ongoing
interventions and care and really build up this
infrastructure in public health. So, um, you know, we have
an ongoing commitment to every segment and every, um,
episode in the recovery, trajectory of people who suffer,
um, most vehemently from the harms of opioid use and, uh,
overdose, can I ask you a question quickly about this? This
is a really impressive numbers.
in terms of decreasing fatalities,
how does uh, the data for 2024 in terms of the strategies
compared to 2023?
That's a great question. So um Chicago really stands out
among other big cities across the United States. In terms
of a steady decline that we've been seeing in opioid
related overdoses since 2022. So, 2021 was our high water
mark, in terms of seeing 1441,
Overdose fatalities ever since that we've been on the
decline, you know, the difference between 21 and 22 was not
that significant we went down by maybe 50 fatalities, but
the difference between 24 and 23 is uh, going to be very
Stark. So it's about a 30 to 40% decrease in opioid related
related fatalities, would you be able to provide through
the chair the numbers and I was thinking more about the
interventions? How did the interventions change from 23 to
24 in terms of the amount? For example, of Narcan
distributed? Um, I, I would love to see those numbers to
where I have some of those numbers coming up. Okay, yeah,
sorry. Uh oh no, no no and we're happy to provide any
additional supplemental information that you're looking for
through the chair. But I have some of those numbers in uh,
coming up in the next slide as well as in our after action
report. A lot of that is summarized so precisely around the
issue.
Of, um, Narcan distribution. I want to highlight, right?
we took a hyperlocal approach to focus on the most heavily
impacted areas, um, and we really started to dig down into
um, how our Narcan distribution has been going. You see,
that major spike in June of 2024, that's thanks to the
launch of our summer incident command, which um, almost you
know, tripled the amount of Narcan we distributed in that 1
month. And you see the summer months, we really sort of
made an all all hands on deck effort.
Make sure that we are saturating the Chicago, uh,
metropolitan area with Narcan. Um, and we sort of did a
deep dive in terms of the region Regional distribution of
Narcan. Um, and you see that we also increase
proportionately, the amount of Narcan we distribute on the
west side of birgundi right there. And I want to say 1
point of caveat is that this is Narcan. That is out the
door from cdph, right? So we also fund um harm reduction
organizations to directly distribute Narcan. So this is
actually not inclusive. For instance of the Narcan that is
going out through operation SOS which would add another
significant segment in that burgundy because they are
strictly focused on the west side. So, you know, this is
more so for us to internally assess how much Narcan is
going out. This is a 23,000 number that we're sort of, um,
breaking down, right. In terms of all of the zip codes
um, they're headed to and this includes the, um, CPL
program that is in a signal, sort of achievement. I think
of the
Health department, and the City of Chicago, in terms of us
using the, um, 81 branches of Chicago Public Library as
direct to Consumer distribution sites. Um, so, you know,
about a third of all of the Narcan we distribute, it
actually goes out to to a CPL. So, um, you know, this is,
this is, I just wanted you all to sort of see this, right?
This is sort of a direct achievement of us. Um launching
the summer opioid strategy last year. Um, seeing that
You know, big spike in the amount of Narcan that were able
to distribute and we want to keep that up, right? So um,
And you know Community Based distribution Narcan, also
directly impacts. How many people are reversed with the
medication, um, on the ground. All right, next slide
please.
Um so this is again just sort of hitting home some of the
numbers that I was um describing so this is looking at both
fatal and non-fatal. Um opioid related EMS responses,
right? So every time there's an overdose in which Narcan is
is used by an emergency medical service Personnel, this is
what that number is capturing. Um, so you know, you see
that from 23 to 24. We actually saw a huge decline, right?
A 20% Citywide decrease and overdoses and actually 23%. So
a higher than average decrease in over the summer months.
Um, so June July and August. Um, and you know, in terms of
the total number of EMS responses were actually at 2017208
levels. So really have, you know, seen a pretty dramatic
reversal in the spike that we saw over the pandemic.
All right, and this is sort of the hyperlocal geographic
data that I mentioned that we're looking at. So you know
last year we focused on the 5 Community areas that circled
in the red on the west side which collectively account for
about a third of all overdoses, opioid related overdoses.
And this year, we are expanding our surveillance and our
Outreach to a community areas on the south side of Chicago.
I mean you kind of have to expand your footprint to 10
Community areas uh on the South Side just because of how
much larger it is to capture a similar number of um
overdoses, right? But you know, these 15 Community areas,
10 on the South Side, 5 on the West Side, collectively
account for about 59% of opioid related. EMS responses in
2024. So, you know, we're sort of pushing the envelope in
terms of how much um we are crunching the data and
targeting our responses. So um, really proud of our team
for for sort of forging ahead. Um, next slide, please.
Please.
And this is just looking at the, uh, hyperlocal data
summarized for the first.
4 months of 2025. So city-wide, we have already saw, uh,
1,880 opioid related, EMS responses, um, you know, the
hospitals, with the highest number of transports. So this
year, you know, we are looking at these numbers as well
because we now have a hospital-based initiative that I will
briefly talk about um,
Um, and you know, this is sort of data that we are.
Visualizing on a weekly basis to make sure that our a
response is appropriately hyperlocal and targeted.
Next slide, please.
All right. So um you know we have a packed agenda today so
I can only sort of gloss over the 5 main pillars of our
summer activation. Um as I have stated 1 of the main
Lessons Learned is that we want to start earlier, right? So
we're covering the months of may all the way to September.
We um, you know, want to make sure that the uh, SOS
operation is um, targeted and continue. Um, you know,
operation SOS is now sort of winding up into high gear
again and we're really aiming to reach at least 800
individuals per month. Um, you know, that is uh, signal
achievement of our activation last year, and we continue to
rely heavily on our collaboration with the Westside heroin,
opioid task force to go door to door and distribute, uh,
harm reduction, Supply Narcan. Um, and, you know, among
that's sort of the 1, a month 5 pillars, right? So we also
do drug checking, where doing Outreach and encampments,
right, and campement, um, you know, see
Maybe 80% or very high percentage of individuals who are
experiencing homelessness living in. Encampments are an
extremely high risk of overdose. So, um, we're actually
partnering with the care Citywide team to do Outreach in.
This is sort of, really the most vulnerable among the
vulnerable Among Us. Um, the bridge program, um, as I've
sort of alluded to earlier, we are partnering with Hospital
EDS that, um, see a disproportionate share of patients, who
suffer from overdoses. Believe it or not. It's a highly
highly disparate, um, situation in Chicago whereby, you
8 emergency rooms that see something like, 50% of all
overdose transports and they're all Community safety net
hospitals, all constantly sort of on the brink of financial
collapse. So it's really, really super important that we
support these hospitals. Um, as they're on the front lines
of of, um, uh, of, um, making sure that people receive the
right level of care, immediately, post overdose. Um, and
finally, we do Outreach through
With a partnership with DK um through summer festivals. So
this was something that we initiated last year. Um we
distributed over a thousand units of Narcan through just
summer festivals alone. So we really want to um continue
this partnership. As it was so productive last year, in
terms of um, next slide, please.
In terms of outer manic engagement, right? We really, really
want to just give you all a shout out and appreciate you
for being a part of our efforts last year. Um, we want to
remind you that you have those Ward maps that have the
hotspots. Um, so you can use that to sort of guide your
Communications with the public, in terms of the summer
safety, you know, watching out for your family, members for
your neighbors, always carrying Narcan. Um, we have a
website, um, where you can go to, to look for the um,
closest location near you, that is a cdph supported. Um,
uh, Narcan free Narcan, um, distribution site. So usually
it's something like, uh, you know, box mounted next to the
entrance of CPL that you can just grab and go in our kind
of completely Anonymous, kind of um, experience. Um, so
that that's that link is provided. You can share use it
yourself or share it with your constituents or share with
your family. Um, stay up to date. We have a b.
Of Health calendar. Um, that has all of our events
including harm reduction trainings that happen on a monthly
basis. Uh, we encourage you to connect with local libraries
and Parks, we are now also partnering with the parks
District to um increase Narcan distribution through
newspapers stands. Um, we want we also want to alert you to
our website, which has resources such as like, such as the
after action report that I refer to several times. So
please review those. Um, and you know,
You know, also reach out to us. If you would like us to
repeat the training that we did last year, right? So we are
sort of at your disposal, um, for whatever kinds of
collaboration initiative, you want to, um,
Uh, engage in. So
that's all I will say about, um, our summer overdose
response and I will move on to um, can I stop you there?
Just for a second, so that some of my colleagues, uh, can
ask questions as you go mostly, because some people will
have to leave and I want them to be able to ask questions
other than Lawson.
Thank you, chair. I appreciate it. I'll be brief. I, I just
really want to commend the department on on the roll out
with Narcan and hitting all the target areas and
neighborhoods. I think all of our offices have it or should
and and that 1 third is coming through. The library is
great. I'm concerned the question I have is about Supply
um, because I believe most of it is coming from the federal
government. Um, are how are we for this year? And we even
started to look at next year.
Yes. Uh that is a constant challenge. I know that they are
beginning to look at billing us for knocking and we are
pushing back very strongly but um I think we have enough
supply for this summer. Um and again, this is why we're
trying to make the case for how impactful this investment
are. But, you know, there is a future where they want us to
start paying for know, I can and
um,
Dr. W. Yeah so on average, we distribute about a million
dollars worth of Narcan a year, right? And we're we are in
conversations where that's going to be cut about.
A half, right? So, you know, this is sort of the fun.
Again, you know, resource limitations is the name of the
game at this point. Um, but yeah, appreciate the question.
No, thank you for that. And that's all I had on this. Thank
you. Thank you. Thank you Alderman, Casta. Did you have a
question for this? I have a number of questions. Thank you,
chairwoman. Um, thank you for the presentation. It's very
insightful. Um, you know, prior to this position, I was
working in uh, County government and worked very closely
with our Cook County Health Department, um, to address
opioid as well. So it's really interesting to to learn
about this perspective and, uh, initiatives from the city
Side, um, a kind of building off of the question of my
colleague Alderman Lawson. Um, how much of our funding,
just to go back to funding how much of it comes from the
state of Illinois. I know that we we're we're talking about
some federal funding or a lot of it is federal. Um, I
imagine some of that Federal funding also goes through the
state and maybe that's distributed to us. But is there any
particular line item from internally within the state of
Illinois that we receive from them? And how much is that?
Yes. So we received only about 4% of our budget from the
state again because we get money directly from the federal
government and the state. Also 65% of the states uh Health
Health budget comes from the federal government. So we get
money directly, they get money directly, so we don't get a
lot of money from the state, but the 1 grant that we do,
get from the state is the local Health protection Grant,
um, and that was reduced by about 10 million last year. So
we've been working very hard to ask for the state to
reinstate you, uh, you know, that money because we needed
so much and Muriel Works in in that area, the mosquito
prevention program and all some of those things are funded
through that local Health, protection Grant and some of the
work that, you know, Muriel does in the food. Safety area
also is funded through that Grant. Um, so that's the main 1
that we get from the state and how much is that Grant
worth? Yeah.
Worth.
LP for local Health protection, the local Health protection
Grant is approximately 2.9 Million Dollars. And so that's
the um, is that the total of that 4% that you referenced or
is that just a portion of that 4%? That is a portion. Um,
so that is the main 1 that is from the city and uh from the
state that's from the state tax dollars, we get other
funding from the state. That is a
Redirect from the federal, right? So like merinel Health
blog Grant. Yeah, it is Federal grant, but it comes through
the state, um, to us. So when we say State funding, it is
the local Health protection, right? Um and then you said
that uh we received 2.9 Million is that after the reduction
or what was the the amount before that reduction um it was
over. I would have
It for the exact um amount. But we did uh receive a
reduction, got it. Um and then how much does each unit of
Narcan cost?
About $40 each each individual box. Each box. Contains 2
doses. It's about $40 per per dose.
Up per box.
So, that's 2.
Okay.
Thank you. Um now regard regarding um overdoses in our
approach to that. Have we ever done a study about the
feasibility of safe? Injection sites.
We have some data on opioid overdose prevention center.
That was piloted in New York. Um, so it is effective is 1
of The Main Stays, uh, but again because a lot of our
funding is from the federal government and is limited. So
the we haven't really piloted that in Chicago or done the
work here yet we have done a community survey to ask about
Community Readiness for overdose prevention, uh, which is
overwhelming.
Positive, uh but again these are cost intensive kind of
work. So for last year, we started with what we had funding
for and we wanted to see how well that worked and if that
was um, successful build on that. So we've mostly focused
on the Narcan distribution and then the medication assisted
recovery because you can overdose multiple time. But if you
get treated then you're on your pathway to recovery. So
last year we focused on those 2 and we were excited about
the increase. We saw now if there's additional resources
and funding and the state, um approves uh the bill for that
then opioid um overdose prevention, centers injection, uh,
prevention sites, who also be an additional layer. Um now
you know, has there been any thoughts about utilizing, you
know, pre-existing clinics? Like the ex the existing
clinics that we have already, you know, have we have? We
considered, you know, just util,
what we have currently, you know, like if someone walks in
and says, hey I want to use, you know, do we have a
protocol or process to help that individual without turning
them away? Without criminalizing them, of course, you know,
is, is it, is there something creative that we can do with
the existing resources that we currently have?
Um when you say resources, we have the city does not have
those resources. They are Partners who have those resources
and are using those Services. Um,
You want to say more?
Sure so um 1 of the programs that we fund through
University of Illinois community outreach intervention
project or group is what's called a sobering tent. So I
would say that that is probably the closest that we have to
what you're describing. Um so you know instead of a brick
and mortar a facility, basically these are tents that go up
during warmer weather that allow people to sober up. Um
they're oftentimes located next to
you know, few uh,
public areas where, um, there might be a lot of open use
and allow people to enter in receive resources, um, you
know, uh, uh, uh, recover from, um, overdose, um, you know,
and and sort of take their time to recuperate. So that
would I think be the program that we currently do fund and
as close as to what you're describing got it. And I, you
know, and I I I ask all this with complete awareness of the
artificially enforced, you know, austerity that is being
forced Upon Us by, you know, this this um corporate uh,
authoritarian fascist National regime. Um but you know, we
do need to be thinking about how we get out of this, right?
And I think that the dark days will be over, uh, and we do
need to be moving toward Universal Health Care and
a broader, you know holistic Healthcare model and I think it
it would be really important that we take leadership. And
you know building that North Star and saying where we need
need to be going to tackle, you know, this this um, this
of of of opioid overdoses that are that are ravaging our
ravaging our communities um in terms of our Partnerships
with the CPL branches. Um, I know that some folks just have
the little box where they distribute our can, in some
places, have the vending machine. How do you all, um,
differentiate or, you know, um, agree upon which locations
have the vending machines in which don't ask us because I
recently visited my Logan Square branch and they were like
we want a vending machine so I wanted I wanted to raise it
up and see what what the feasibility of of that is yeah, we
love the vending machines. They are so exciting. We piloted
it. It's worked really wonderfully. Uh it is a way to just
have all of Public Health in 1 space. So underwear,
Sanitary products, uh we even have gun locks in there so
they're very popular.
Uh but again this is a pro project or program that was
funded by the CDC funding uh and that office has just been
shut down. So um the way we select wait, you just said that
entire office was shut down.
Within the CDC.
So um we have 5 ending machines. Now, we had anticipated
that we will expand to more locations. Um the operational
piece of it is significant because you need human beings to
go stalk them and all of that and it cost about 70,000 each
for those vending machines 17,000 each 17,000. So um we
started with the areas with the most need uh and we were
hoping to scale up that pilot um last year. But again
funding, um, yes, yes, so I mean, we we appreciate, you
know, the libraries uh, if your goal is to allow free and
Anonymous distribution of Narcan, we have found that those
wall-mounted boxes are sort of the most um readily
available method to us. In terms of resources, the vending
machines really allow us to like Dr. I said aggregate, many
different types of Health Public Health Resources in 1
location. Um, they do have more sort of requirements,
right? It has to have electricity.
You have has the machine has to be able to function under
all weather conditions, right? So, you know, it's a, it's
there are constraints in terms of which locations can host
a machine. But we have you know uh we are sort of looking
looking at expanding and like, Dr. I said the um, human
power behind restocking every supply line is significant.
You know, I, I think it's just so shocking. I think it's so
important that we grind ourselves in the fact that
These are basic resources.
These are basic problems that we can be solving and it's
not your fault at all.
But there should be like outrage. I mean I it's I almost
feel like I'm we're living in a Twilight Zone.
That we're the wealthiest country in the history of the
world and we have a federal government that is shutting
down.
Aspects of Public Health that can save lives.
That is horrible and I I, I want, you know, it's a, it's a
dreary, you know, cold Wednesday morning, but there should
be outraged.
There should be absolute outrage so I just want to say that
because there there are lives that we could be saving and
and instead we are giving huge tax breaks to billionaires
and corporations. That's what's happening. And we have to
say that, you know, as public health officials as elected
officials, we need to dispel misinformation and really
highlight what we need to be fighting for, and the, the
future, we need to be fighting for the present. God forbid,
what we need to be fighting for. Um, I, I'm just completely
shook by that, that's incredibly sorry, sorry to interrupt
you, they're not done with the presentation. I was making a
little bit of space to ask questions about this specific
topic. You want to continue? Yes! Final question. I have 2
more questions. I am. I apologize and I I'll stop there.
um, I just want to ask, uh, you know, in regard to the
health assessment part, um, that you mentioned does that
include uh, information from Cook County Health? Okay,
great. And then you there was 1 part of it that said that,
uh,
Uh, that the information was democratized. What do we mean
by that? Is that just the our partners submit information?
Or? Uh what what part of that is democratized. Yes,
People can provide feedback on it so we constantly track
information about who is using it and what feedback? Um
they have for how to improve as that we have just reached
about 1 million users for the health. Atlas Cook County
uses our Atlas. We're very proud. Um, so that's what we
mean by democracy data is available for all contributed by
all and can be, um, improved by all.
Right. Thank you. Sorry chair. You're welcome. Oh, uh,
other than S Lopez, was your question about this topic? Or
can you wait? I can wait until yeah. Okay, let's let's
continue with the presentation. Apologies, thank you
Allure. Uh, so this is another area that is topical as a
mayor of priority. It is a driver of premature mortality in
Chicago and it is a seasonal problem that peaks in summer.
So, um, Dr. What can you share? Um, quickly where we are.
Yes, thank you. So, I'll go over this. Um, other aspect of
our summer, enjoy prevention, incident command system,
which is this year around violence, prevention and violence
reduction next. Slide, please.
So, we had cdph fund about 205 million dollars worth of
violence, prevention activities per year. Um, this includes
what we call Community violence and intervention or CVI.
Also known as Street Outreach. There are lots of acronyms,
I apologize. But if you recall in back in the early 2010s,
there was a PBS documentary known as The Interrupters. This
is the work that we are now scaling throughout the city and
we're very proud to fund it. Um, as those 2024 over 2024,
we had over 5,000 Street, Outreach mediations. So that is
deescalate of violent activities. Um, almost 1500 people
received a Case Management Services that is individual case
management. Trying to get people into employment
opportunities, housing life, coaching all that, good stuff,
reduction and violence, incidents and homicides compared to
2023 is huge. We were we were I think 2024 we wrapped up
with 574 homicides, we were
Below 600 for the first time in many years since the
pandemic. Um, however, what we saw is that 2024 over the
summer months, we had an increased, um, per months number
of homicides, right? So the the, the overall curve with
flatter uh, was lower but the summer Spike was higher. Um,
so to keep that in mind. This is why we determined that,
you know, violent activities and overdose activities
actually follow similar seasonal patterns.
so, we incorporated violence reduction, into our, um,
incident command system this year, um, 1 of our, you know,
think back to sort of, you know, SOS being an important
expansion activity last year that we're continuing this
year. This year, we are expanding in the violent red
violence reduction domain, an effective model known as flip
where the peacekeepers um over 21 Community areas and over
500 hotspots. Um and we are also sort of leveraging our um
ability to look at data at a very hyperlocal level to mount
a similar response around violence reduction next slide
please. So these are the 21st in which we are expanding the
peacekeepers program. Peacekeepers is uh sort of adjacent
adjacent to the CVI violence. Interruption activities that
ready fund. However uh Peacekeeper um program. Um,
activators are uh generally
Speaking lower. So the medium age of people employed in the
peacekeepers program, um, is about 2 decades lower than
um, Street Outreach case managers. Um, what this really,
uh, enables us to do through this program is also offer a
summer employment pathway, right for many people who um
might be adjacent to um uh life. That is sort of adjacent
to violence, both having a high risk of being victimized
and being the perpetrators of violence. So um this sort of
wraps uh those individuals up in uh um in uh employment
opportunity that in turn has is objective the deescalate.
the 21 Community areas, which collectively I think uh we're
we're covering about 50% of all fatal and non-fatal. Um,
gun violence victimizations and
2024 by having, um, an active presence in these 21
Community areas.
Next slide, please.
Okay, so this is as we do hotspot, mapping of Overdose
activities. We also do hotspot mapping of uh gun violence
activities. This is sort of almost here, to date data from
uh, Jam 1 to May 4th of this year. You can see that
violence has a much more scattered footprint in the city of
Chicago, compared to opioid overdoses, right? The hotspots
are a little bit more.
More all over the map. However um as I mentioned those 21
Community areas, um, that were highlighting in the map.
Still, You Know, cover about 50% of all. Um, gun violence
victimizations. We also look at um, time of day and day of
week data and what that has allowed us to hone in on is
the, um, elevation and violent activities, really between
the hours of 6, pm and 2 am. Um, in the last 4 to 5 days of
the week, right? So from 1 day to Sunday or Thursday to to
Sunday and then sort of the early mornings of Sunday is
when you see about 70% of all, uh, violent activities
occur. So this is important to keep in mind, which are the
hours and which are the days of the week that you really
need to be on high alert um from the perspective of giving
advice to your neighbors, your uh constituents. Um and and
to think about how we deploy resources for Community safety
as an objective.
Next slide, please.
So just as we have uh and and so this is sort of the um the
summary of our spatial temporal fosi of our summer plan. Um
so you know, combined with a opioid overdose response where
monitoring violent activities and 21 Community areas. If
you join that with the 15, there's the Venn diagram
overlaps quite a bit, so it's really just 27 Community
areas. Um, in which we have this joint uh, incident
response, the key dates and times. So last year, we saw
we saw quite a bit of significant activities around. Um uh,
you know, these holidays right father's
They saw a big spike Independence Day. Saw a big spike.
We're monitoring these days because these are often
associated with, um, an heightened risk of mass Gatherings
and, uh, violent activities. So, um, uh, these are being
called out through our incident response. Um, next slide,
please.
Um so just as we have 5 pillars of activation in the opioid
reduction space, we also have 5 pillars of activation in
activation in the violence, prevention space. So I, I focus
on the community violence intervention CVI, as well as the
peacekeeping work. Um, we are expanding um uh we're
basically adding 20 additional days of Peacekeeper coverage
over the summer. This is a brand new scope of work for our
department and for the city of Chicago. So I'm very proud
that we are leading this effort. Um, through a summer of
25, we are also piloting, a hospital-based violence
intervention uh, program. This is a newly funded um, part
of our portfolio as of this year. So basically, um,
providing victim services and relief to individuals
immediately after, um, traumatic injury, right? So they're
transferred to the hospital after our gun, uh, shooting
incidents in which they were the victim and we make sure
that there's that site support right then and there, um,
whether that's um, case management, you know, providing
money direct support through the
Uh, emergency victim Services fund um and also uh
potentially relocation, right? If they needed to move out
of their neighborhood and onto some other location to
protect them and their family.
Um we have safe safe Activation so throughout the summer,
we work with our Community Partners delegates, as well as
Alders to make sure that we have an, uh, sort of positive
positive community outreach events, um, including, uh,
workshops around, uh, gun safety, right? So Distributing
free gun locks, which are, by the way, also, part of our
Public Health vending machines, but we are, um, putting in
effort out there to uh, Mount education workshops. I think
we've already distributed over 100 gun locks in those, um,
Workshop spaces, this summer, um, victim Services is
another important part of our portfolio. Um, you know, the
emergency victim Services fund. Um, you know, people are
sort of once, you know, if you've been a victim of gun
violence you um are automatically eligible for 1,000
dollars in specific Community areas, um, as as sort of uh
immediate relief for some of the financial constraints that
of course, arises um, when you've had such a tragedy of uh,
of sort of uh
Thrusted upon you. Um, and then, of course, the post
instance response, which, um, a spirit headed by our
community, safety coordination, um, Team, uh, in which
they, uh, deploy after any tender age involved, homicides
or a mass shooting. Um, we also bring the care team on
board on an as needed basis for Crisis Support in. Can you
talk a little bit more about that about, what triggers it,
and how it works for the care team to come? Because I have
identified that as a need in a lot of
Different, uh, incidents. Um, yeah. Can you talk about so
um, much of it is through um, the care Citywide team,
right? So when there is a specific incident because, you
know, something to keep in mind, is that care team has 2
different dispatch, Pathways really right? There's the 911
related dispatch pathway, which is really quite restricted,
right? Because it has to go through the 911 system. Um, and
so, you know, um, so we really reserve the city-wide team
for these types of, um,
Out of our out of District. Um very sort of issue specific
deployment. And so you know that is really being handled
centrally through an email to the care Citywide inbox
through an email to myself, oftentimes, right? So um, often
time, we will triage those um, requests that come in and
make sure that the appropriate level of support and
services are provided, is it police intervention in the
area that
If they are aware that there's a need or who triggers the
the care team I can say a little bit. Um, this is
Um, a 2 layer approach. So in communities where there has
been an incident, uh, first step is mobilize our partners
there for mental health support. Now if there is not
support available, then we deploy care. So, most often,
like last year when we had uh, you know, like 4th of July
we had
I don't know, 8 or 9 incidents. Um, the first step is the
local provider who's there, who knows? The community is our
first point of call to for them to come and support again.
We want to flag that the state requires Mental Health
Centers to provide mobile services. Um now if there are no
readily available Community Based resource, then we can
bring the care team in the reason for that is as of last
year, we didn't have the city-wide team.
So the Citywide team, we only started it this January as
again a response to the restrictions of the 911 system.
Um, but it's just the 1 team, a team of 2 people. So there
is a limitation and that's why we are being
yeah.
There's also limitations in terms of hours? Yes.
and that also applies to the partners so sometimes there's
just nobody right and
we had an incident in my community, not long ago where a
man was killed and his family didn't really get any support
until way, later, right? It's a really traumatic event.
uh, there was no Community Partners available and there was
nobody
to show up to be able to provide the clinical service,
right? And
I'm sure that this is not like an isolated isolated event,
right? It happens all the time and we need to figure out
how to expand, so that we can have that those services
available when they're needed. Yeah. Thank you, chair. You
know, some of the approaches we've been thinking of again,
just because of the limitation in the behavioral health
Workforce, um, the victim Services folks. Now what the
victim Advocates, they are getting trained. We have the QPR
process where we're training face leaders, even. So at
least be able to provide some initial support. Uh, you
know, because the need is so much.
Um, so victim Services, they can say host events. If you
need mental health support they can help navigate and help
expedite but we also need Community Based resources, so
we're not waiting on 1 City Wide team for 77 Community
areas. We have to to respond. We just need 20 Community
like Citywide teams. We need 77
Thank you.
All right. Thank you. Um, so everyone uh, all of the city
council members should have received this 2 page leaflet
that basically describes um, and succinctly what I've
presented. So, please refer to it. Um, we highly encourage
you to work with us to distribute, um, gun safety locks for
the violence, prevention initiative. Uh, next slide, please
So I will please emphasize that you, we had a fantastic
success. Last year Distributing aen. And we're hoping that
we can replicate the same for gun locks this year. So we
would, like, older manic offices to be places where, um,
gun locks can be distributed, um, as well.
Yes.
All right, so to bring it home, uh we hope that you will
build continue to build Partnerships with local CVI
organizations. Chairwoman, you know, we do have specific
deliverables that are supposed to respond within a certain
number of hours. So when those incidents do happen, you
don't see a response that we know that we have delegates in
your community area, that is great information for us to
upon. Um, you know, we 1 of our um uh extension efforts.
This summer is actually to, you know, expand coverage,
right? So between 6 p.m. and 2 am to make sure that all
that all into sort of the early morning hours that there's
uh, coverage as well. Um, and, you know, please amplify the
community, convener events. Safe space activation Healing
Arts, Mental, Health Services that are, uh, on the
preventive side of the spectrum, right? Uh, and familiarize
yourself with the strategies that I've presented and, um,
you know, happy to work with, you to distribute gun locks.
Thank you.
Thank you, Dr. W. Um, like I said there's a lot happening
and this is just a few of the summer initiatives, but
there's 1 area that I received questions more than any
other area during the summer and that is food permitting
and Licensing and food safety. Uh and I'm going to pass it
to uh Deputy Commissioner Maribel. Chavez story. Thank you.
Um, 1 of the goals of the food protection, uh, program is
to prevent
The spread of food born diseases, and we do this by
conducting, uh, inspections routine. Inspections, those are
unannounced inspections, next slide, please, um, where uh
we uh make an announced uh, visit to the establishment to
make sure that they are adhering to the food code. We also
do uh, inspections based on 311 complaints, we get a call
from a constituent regarding an establishment that they
visit. Um, if there's any suspect food, um, poisoning, um,
if there is a confirmed case, uh, we usually go and work
with that establishment and do visits as well as uh, we
also spend time doing inspections when there's a new
business establishment that is, um, getting ready to to be
licensed and we do follow-up reinspection. So we follow up
with the establishment, um, in order to make sure that
they've uh, corrected the violations that were identified
in the, um, initial
Uh, inspection.
Um, and what we do. Um, and how and which establishments? Um
Um, so we visit uh retail food EST, stment, that includes
restaurants, bakeries, shared kitchen, ghost kitchens
commissaries pop-ups daycares, uh, golden Diner stadiums.
Um, after school program, summer feeding, programs and
liquor establishments. We also inspect, uh, mobile food
vehicles, those are food preparers. Uh, uh, people that
sell, um, the food, uh, and also food vendors, and, you
know, some uh, push cards and our special events. So,
during the summer, we do a lot of work during special
events, uh, festivals that your typical Community uh,
festivals like Taste of Chicago. Some of the neighborhood
events shared kitchen users and also we visit churches, um,
that are unlicensed.
In uh 2024 we conducted over 1500 uh 15,000 food,
inspections were completed, we responded to over 2,600, 311
food related complaints. Um and we visited 10,869 food
establishments. Um uh, that were inspected. There's a total
total of 16,000, uh, food establishments. Uh, so we were at
able to visit 67% of those establishments and we do have
guidance based on, um, our local Health protection grants.
And the frequency of um visits that we need to make um at
the food establishments based on category, um and
are assigned to restaurants based on the preparation of the
food. Um, the most significant for us which is important is
which is important is category, 1 food, establishments, and
those are food establishments that are doing a lot of food,
prepping that have raw food, um, and we were able to visit
98% of those establishments.
uh, since in summer, and we're focusing on summer, um, in
2024, we reviewed, 373 events, we approved 5506 licenses,
and they referred 235 multi-, um events uh multi-day events
events in 271, for single event. We also conducted 26
events. Uh, we inspected 26 events, um, and visited 809
vendors and we conducted 1500 15, uh, hundred. Um
inspections there's definitely opportunity for, you know,
Improvement is, is the commissioner mentioned, uh, during
the summer. We do get many calls regarding special events
because these are community events. Um, and, um, sometimes
they are planned ahead of time and sometimes they are, um,
you know, quick events. Uh, we updated our food protection,
special event website with um, updated information.
For our, our vendors and our operators. We are
cross-training additional staff to support the review
process. We're also going to be implementing a data
management system for special events. Um, to make the
process much easier for the vendor currently, you know, the
vendor just submits a lot of their required paperwork. And
sometimes it's a lot of information that our program has to
review to make sure that they are adhering to, um, the the
code, um, and hopefully that will, um, you know, expedite,
the review process.
Uh, we also review, um, our we do an assessment of our
special events, uh, in order to prepare for the upcoming,
uh, season. So in 2024, um, we review the most common
violations, um, and the majority, the main 1 was, you know,
out of temperature. Um, you know, food, um, no person in
charge on site. Uh, no hand sink or hand washing issues
that we identified and lack of uh, effective barriers for
food protection. Uh, we also uh, look at the pounds of food
food that was discarded, why we discard, you know, food? So
last summer, uh, 4,300 pounds of, uh, food, uh, was
discarded due to improper temperature, open Foods left and
unsecured Booth overnight and cross-contamination. We also
work very closely with the community code disease, program
to monitor food, World illnesses, um, during the
Period of May and September to see if there is any Spike,
uh, any common, uh, threat, uh, Trends during those months.
Um, that that could, uh, potentially, uh, identified uh
illnesses. And we use that information, um, in order to
update our annual training, um, for our train, the trainer
course, for our vendors, and for our operators.
Next slide.
Um all those I'll say a little thank you because when
people get violations they reach out to you.
And say, please Advocate with cdph. This is why we want you
to be aware of what leads to a violation. Um, and food
being out of temperature is the biggest concern that we
have and people not having hand washing. So, we want you to
be aware of this issue so that you can also proactively um,
help the vendors to be compliant. Um, we in the public
health department, we prefer not to issue violations. We
don't want to make our money by penalizing people. So we
want to encourage and educate people, but we are concerned.
If you're preparing food and there is no hand washing
available, you know, so that is the commonest violation and
we want you to be aware of that. Um, we get a lot of
rodents, you know, this is Chicago, we have a lot of
rodents here. Um, so that is also a very common violation.
If we see rodents, we are going to get a ticket.
So when the oldest reach out to me, I was like oh why did
you wish you a ticket? These are the reasons. So we want
you to please be aware and also help us encourage people to
be compliant so people don't get sick.
Um, for the summer, we have uh 2 priority areas that we
want to focus and, and our special, uh, permits approval
process. Um, and this is an area, you know, we do get, uh,
calls on, uh, from our elders regarding, what is the status
of, you know, the permits where they the vendor has been
waiting? Um, so we are making some, um, changes and review
process and adding additional support staff. Uh, we also uh
will be focusing on neighborhood, uh, special events as
well and summer food service programs. So we do, uh, work
uh ISB uh to um visit those summer feeding um sites that we
sites that we do. And then uh, summer, we expect inspect
about 600, um, site locations our summer. Uh, next slide,
our summer plans is to, um, conduct our initial review of
the special events. Um, permits at least 10 days before the
schedule.
Event inspect a large neighborhoods. So 18 or more, uh, food
vendors or truck. Um, feel sanitarians, uh, will be
supporting the review process to expedite, uh, the approval
and 600 summer Food Services Program sites will be
inspected. Um, we are looking for your partnership and for
your support. Um, these businesses are critical to our
communities and we want to make sure that, um, they um, are
handling, um, and protecting the public. Um, you can direct
any questions or any vendors to our website. There is a
checklist, uh, for the vendors that you know, they can
follow in order to uh be able to prepare for the uh special
event license. Remind the organizers and coordinators to
submit completed application in all of their documents at
least 21 days before the event invite us to you to discuss
special events.
Require me with your organizers. So if you are a, a
community that has many summer events,
you know, give us a call. We are more than glad to come and
have a conversation with those vendors. We were invited to
Alderman, Byron, C chose, um, uh, office during, uh,
January. And it was a great turnout, uh, the team came out
and provided all the necessary information to to, to the
vendors and support, our our staff by
Sharing food, safety guidelines to, you know, to your
vendors.
So thank you Alders, uh, for your attention, uh, for the
food safety. You know, it takes about 21 days for us to
review special events.
We have staffing issues. You see thousands and thousands of
inspection during summer. We get hundreds of events. We
have to do summer food program. There's 600 sites. So if we
get a permit application a day before, it's just very hard.
To plan and respond. So we really want people to know what
is required. So they can submit earlier, we're trying to
improve our processes. Uh, trying to cross train staff but
the state has Required licensing for you to be a food
inspector. So you know,
we we are trying to do better in terms of expedite the
time, but we do need some support to help people know that
it cannot be the same day.
Kind of application. We they're just so much um that needs
to be done during the summer.
So, in in summary, these are the things that happen during
summer.
We have mosquitoes doing summer, and as the temperatures
warm
Um, we want to be on track to eliminate Western virus from
Chicago. And this is a Citywide engagement. There are 5 new
wards, where we will be adding additional traps again to
get to zero. So we want the olders to be aware that we will
be coming to their Awards.
Overdose prevention is concentrated in a few words and
this. Those are the words. So we want to do proactive
Outreach to all these orders to be aware. We are going to
be in your words. All of the summer, we're going to be
knocking on doors, we're going to be working with your
partners so expect to see us um, you know, in the community
violence prevention. They're even more words that are
involved and I'm seeing all the Fuentes, you know, we're
going to be in your word, we're supporting peacekeepers.
Um, so we will stop by your office say we're here. Uh, so
we want you to be, uh, a part of this process. A part of
this success story. Help us distribute gun locks, um, help
us get the word out. Uh, so that people are receptive. When
we're there in the neighborhood and food protection is
Citywide. The restaurants all over the city. Um, everybody
wants to participate in, you know, summer programs and we
want to be there to support but we need some time. So now
is the time to help people know, apply for your licenses.
Now, don't wait until the last minute. And then please, if
you can even check in with them, do you have a
Do you have, uh, food temperature? These are the things that
can cause problem with CDP, so make sure that you have
those things. Um, ready. So this is our plan for this
summer.
And we are open to your feedback and collaboration and we
will stop here.
Questions.
Alan Lopez.
thank you chairman and good app through noon members of the
committee. Good morning, good afternoon, commissioner um
couple things because I know my colleagues have talked
about a few already. Um but I'm going to start with
How many of your employees are working remotely?
In your department.
Um,
every city employee your department, not every point. I I
don't have the data of can can you provide that through the
chair, please, how many within your department are working
remotely.
uh, the number will vary because
Um it depends on the union, some Union don't allow remote
work, some unions allow but each person requires a
supervisor's approval to work remotely, so I can share with
you. The Telly work agreement, we have on file with DHR.
But, you know, the numbers vary because if when, if you
have a Telly work agreement, you need your supervisors
approval to be out. So, how many employees are are already
signed in for telework? And how many are taking use of it
by
Bargaining agreement.
We'll get.
Back to you. Yes. Um, I do want to Echo what I heard from
some of the public speakers earlier and some of my
colleagues, I think the Care Program definitely needs to
expand.
I find that the hours of operation 10:30 to 4 are entirely
insufficient considering that most of our needs are after 4
oclock. Actually. I thought I thought I read it in reverse
that it probably should have been 4 pm to 10 a.m. not the
other way around. Um, and I think that we definitely need
to as we saw with previous debates with regards to
settlements with regard, uh, this past City Council.
Being able to address concerns as they happen when they
happen. Um, some of my colleagues put a challenge out there
to put dollars to this. So I would actually encourage you
to come up with a plan to see what that actually looks like
in terms of funding not reliant on the federal government.
But what we can do to ensure that the police department
actually opens its doors across all districts to make sure
that this is something that we can access. Um,
we heard residents today, talk about issues, and, and things
when it comes to like,
Play streets and other things as you know, has been a very
big concern of mine. Um, and we know that we have seen that
You've showed us metrics that things are now being done.
Based on life expectancy.
and the
Most senior Latino in this room, and I have to keep
emphasizing that.
To see every single Latino neighborhood wiped off the map.
When it comes to the programs you're Department provides.
Is.
Whatever metric you're using, it's insulting and outrageous
and it's unacceptable.
To say that the violence when we look at the metrics we're
talking about chronic diseases which are what are bringing
down, the numbers for African-Americans in many
communities, that you've said that aren't now being
highlighted those 7 or 8 that are being highlighted.
Chronic diseases.
Should not be in my opinion.
Used as a tool for removing programs from communities,
where we know that
programs like play Streets, create opportunities for the
Youth.
Someone who's 10 or 12 years old, is not going to be
impacted by.
Chronic by chronic diseases more than likely what you've
been referencing here.
Heart disease. Circulatory issues smoking lung cancer.
A 10 year old is not going to be impacted by that.
So I while I can appreciate you trying to use that metric,
I think there has to be some common sense in what we're
applying it to and I would hope that many communities that
have seen this reduction to go from 20. Excuse me to go
from 41 neighborhoods down to 8.
At a time when we should be expanding, this is sending
entirely the wrong message.
If we can the flip screen.
Can you put that up please? And actually chairman, could we
have this entire presentation sent to all of us?
To the committee.
This 1 Elder.
Um, I believe it was the uh know the flip. It was just the
I think it's this 1. Yes, this is the peacekeepers
initiative. Yes, thank you.
Can you tell me?
Because it is my understanding that we have been working to
redefine what the metrics for Success were for many of
these peacekeepers and other delegate agencies.
How do you quantify their metrics for Success currently?
Well, as with all, um,
Programs that we fund. We look at process metrics and
outcome metrics. So the outcome metrics are population.
health indicators right. These are oftentimes publicly
available data sets relating to the end outcome that we're
trying to prevent. So for instance, fatalities in the case
of violence reduction, we're looking at reductions in both
homicides and, uh, non-fatal, uh, shooting victimizations
in terms of process metrics, that's programmed by programs.
So we look at what are the intermediary achievements? That
every program should deliver including for instance in the
the community Violence Center. Uh, uh, uh, intervention
work. Um, number of mediations, number of deactivations
number of clients served um time to respond. Right. Um,
Right. Um, when a cic notification is received how long it
takes for a response. Etc, etc. We have a number of um
indicators for Success that have been determined with um,
State and County Partners.
And who keeps track of that?
Um, we do 2 stage process. Um,
I delegate agency contracts are reimbursement based, so you
have to be able to document that these things got done for
you to get paid. So that's the first layer of review and
that includes, um, the cdph finance team, plus the
controller's office, the Citywide controller's office for
payment to be made and then the second layer is the
programmatic audit, so they submit data that we review and
then we also conduct an audience, um, annual audit, uh, Dr.
W
yes, we conduct an annual audit for programs above a
certain size, and the case of, um, the programs that you've
heard about, we are uh requiring most of them to submit
weekly monthly if not weekly data. Yes. And then a
third-party evaluation uh by Corners. So that's the third
layer of review.
And are all of those documents available and shared
publicly. Are they on a portal or how? How is that
distributed?
Finance data, I do not believe it's public, uh, but the
corners report, the evaluation report is public.
Correct. Yes. So Northwestern Corners has evaluated the
entire CVI scope of work. Um, of course, that's a braided
funding stream in which the city is a portion of, um, in
terms of Finance data fits arpa funded. I think it's on the
arpa dashboard, if it's not arpa funded, then most of it is
is, uh, available internally through. Um, the different
monitoring mechanisms that we have for each funding strip.
And when is the audit, what is the audit timeline if I
mean? So when are so, like, is the 2024 delegate partner
audit finished across all?
um, to my understanding the arpa audit is
complete.
Yes, um, I I know Cassie cauldron had a scheduled for last
year. Um, I I know we have a many delegates.
For, for CIA.
Oh for CVI. Um so well for CVI we have um the I think from
2024 we had 1 lead organization as of this year we have 2
co-leads. Um we also have about a dozen um direct Service
Partners but those I don't believe are funded uh largely
through they they get smaller Grand amounts. So they're not
part of the audit because they're, they're award amounts
are usually below. Um, the sort of cut off for an act, uh,
for an audit, to be activated. So I think that's very
important for my colleagues to understand is that my
understanding and please correct me if I'm wrong, is that
right now? The CVI is separated as you just said, between 2
main partners,
But everyone that they filter out in, in sub, delegates is
not part of that audit. Correct. They are. So, they are
well, you
I just so what is the? So when are those sub Partners
audits finished?
What's the timeline? I think? So, the 2024 arpa audit for
the CVI sub. Delegates are uh, ongoing, right? So, um, you
know, in terms of the timeline for the entire Aro
portfolio, I can't comment to that but um, yeah, the, the
audit for the CVI. So, um,
As of December of 24, there had been 1 lead, write 1 uh
Street Outreach lead organization and that is the subject
of the ongoing audit. Um as of this year we have 2 co-leads
and the Contracting for that is still sort of at the latest
uh at the final stages of execution.
Last summer, you had how many delegate agencies doing
anti-violence peacekeeping work. 2024.
What's the number 2024 2024? And give me. I I feel like I'm
going around in circles with this question because I'm
trying to understand we are 5 months into the 2025. We are
already in the summer season. We had how many delegates
last year.
Doing this work based on these metrics.
Have they been audited for?
Meeting the stated goals in metrics, put in place from last
year.
so, our contracts, um, last year we had
A lead organization that subcontracted with I think about
20 organizations. Um we look at the community areas of
coverage for the subcontract. Now there is routine data
collection that happens. That's why I said there are 3
layers before you get paid, we're looking at what you have
done. So that is an ongoing process.
During the process. You also have to submit data to a third
party that is doing an evaluation that is an ongoing
process. You are not eligible to reapply unless we have
data that you are doing the work that you do. Now, the
Standalone audit is a third layer of oversight that we
provide. And so that is the part that is ongoing. So did
those other 2 audits all take place already? Yes, that
there is the ongoing monitoring the financial. Can you
provide all of those audits?
To this committee through the chair for all of those
people. Yes, because that's exactly what I'm trying to get
to because we have uncovered situations where what you just
said, did not happen. We're organizations. Got paid to do
things.
And never did anything and yet they were already giving
money as, you know, because I've brought this to your
attention. So I, I, I want to make sure that I'm hearing
this in this room, that this is not how things are going. I
think the other thing when it comes to many of these
organizations is that there's another piece that's missing,
which is how also as I heard it was referenced as an
employment option. How are we tracking to ensure that
participants are not engaging in the same criminal activity
that we've pulled them from to be Interrupters of violence
in our neighborhoods? We have seen time and time again
where those who participate in CVI are not only getting
paid by the city of Chicago to disrupt violence, but they
are also leading a secondary Life, instigating, the
problems that they are charged with.
Sep stopping my understanding at the is that there used to
be a zero tolerance policy for individuals who double dip.
Is that policy still in place?
And what happens if someone who's
Working for our programs is arrested and for doing things
that are illegal.
I I will have to get back to you on that policy. We don't
have a ready way to assess.
You know, if individuals are engaged in criminal activities
because data sharing with the police, who can we don't have
that Arrangement? So when did that change commissioner?
Because many of your delegate partners are aware of when
they're Associates and employees are arrested and are were
previously required to inform the department when that
action place and as well as immediately terminate that
individual. So I would like to know when that policy
directive changed because there are individuals who we know
are engaging in activity that is counter to the mission of
which they were hired for. And I want to know how in if you
could provide through the chair, what that policy looks
like right now, can we go to the next Slide? The hotspots,
the best, uh, how many more questions do you have? Because
I have more, okay, provide an interrupt anybody during
during her know, I know. But there's also other people that
that's fine questions, but I got 2 more sets
So you provided this, thank you.
The Citywide number is at 503, shootings.
And what is that based off? Um, homicides and non-federal
shooting victimization. That's also hospitalized uh,
You know, shootings and is that based on just reported to
911 to the police.
This is this is from the city's violence reduction data
portal. This is publicly available data.
Okay. Now I just want to make sure how this data was gotten
because obviously identifying shootings has gotten a little
trickier. I believe the source of the uh data from the
city's violence reduction data portal is CPD, so it's based
on CPD coding of uh, specific incidents. And the numbers
associated with the, what is the CCA stand for? I'm sorry,
community area Community area. So is there a difference on
this map? When it comes to fatal fatalities? Know? They're
all. So in this case, we have aggregated, both homicides
and non-fatal shootings, because what we're trying to
capture are the incidents of shooting. Okay, thank you. Um,
And then, lastly, with regards to something.
That you ended on the food assessments.
Um, I do want to thank you for your work.
To try to address this issue with the vendors.
Um but I also know that this remains a challenge
particularly with many of the new arrivals here that are
literally taking up shop, almost in every corner and every
neighborhood.
How are we working? And what do we need to do to coordinate
better with bacp to address this issue because this is
something that is
Impacting, all of us.
Bacp and I have dealt with this routinely. We have
individuals who are taking Public Health classes and being
a vendor and then and then extrapolate outwards on what
they want to do and what they think that license allows
them to do even though it has nothing to do with it.
So what do we need to do? And how can we do this in a way
that actually solves this issue? Where the vending the
illegal vendors are brought into compliance or it's
enforced better.
Yeah, I'm also acknowledge that enforcement is a challenge
for all of us, bacp and us. Uh, but I can't speak on behalf
of bacp. I'll speak on behalf of cdph because 2 and 4. We
require the work force to be able to do it.
so it is a big challenge that we have because uh, you know,
even for the established
Food. Um, establishments we were only able to reach 63% of
them, um, so the the Mobile Food, vendor the street vendor
component, um, is has been really a challenge for us to
keep on top of them. Um, we are brainstorming with bacp all
the time, what we can do better but you know, the work
force that is needed to be on the streets all the time to
To ensure that people are compliant.
Is our biggest limitation but, you know, very well can and
is that a
A municipal code issue. Is that an employment issue a
Manpower issue? All the above, what? What exactly when you
say that? It's a challenge. What exactly. It's, um,
Alderman, it's a challenge because we, you know, we enforce
when you are licensed, um,
When you have a license. So a lot of these um um vendors do
not have license, so it's difficult for cdph to come and do
enforcement.
Um, bacp has the ability to do that for us on the health
issue. We're not able to enforce. So we are exploring other
options and working with bacp to see if we're able to
license some of these mobile vendors so that therefore we
will have the ability to go and onside and evaluate those,
you know, vendors if they have, you know, a license. So
then chairman just indulge me for 1 second. So if the code
were to change to allow you to actually do the enforcement,
as you would a licensed business, would that give you the
authority necessary to also do your enforcement actions
against those who are illegally operating as vendors or
things of that nature?
That is correct, but I can add, you know, if I can have
Virginia, Casta, um, you know, chime in as well. I just
want to make sure that that, you know, is, you know,
correct and they will have. And I and I know I'm speaking
super high level right now, but I'm just saying, like,
theoretically just a lot of time, theoretically, we need a
code and then we can enforce the code. Now, there are some
codes that exists already uh, that can help us, you know?
Right now we we have a license for mobile and push trucks.
um,
there is a limitation to what people can sell, which is
packaged food. So we have some Provisions that we can
enforce. Now, there are other Provisions, that been
explored.
Uh to allow more people to participate, that is still under
conversation about what kind of enhancement needs to be in
the code. But then a code is not useful. If we also don't
have the permanent power to enforce, so it's a combination
of those 2 things.
Virginia. If you wanted to add anything. Oh, that, that is
correct. Also, these are like you stated unlicensed vendors
and it's hard to have an inspector would get their, No 1
has an ID, right? And then, once we try to do an
inspection, they just start packing up their stuff and then
they leave. So um, as you stated, it's very difficult to
enforce unlicensed vendors. So they just moved to the other
corner or they leave.
While we're there, and then they come back.
Thank you.
Thank you Alderman Lopez, uh, Other Woman Fuentes.
Thank you, chairwoman, uh, thank you, commissioner for
being here in the entire team for allowing us once to
understand the data. Uh, but also the vision, uh, for what
it means to achieve Equity across all Health metrics, uh,
my colleague raised the point around uh, individuals who
may be still involved in the Life uh, while also, uh, being
involved in in violence, prevention to. There are workers
that are called flip workers and then there are workers
that are called peace workers. Flip workers are, in fact
meant to employ individuals that are still in the life
because it is a strategy structure and a system to help.
Not only those individuals come out of that life. But to
also provide us Insight on how we prevent violence within
those factions and sad that he had to leave while I provide
Clarity. Um,
Look this past weekend. We had the safest weekend and almost
16 years.
In the 26th Ward and Humble Park, we were able to have zero
homicides in 5 months.
It is because of the work of violence. Prevention workers,
peacekeepers flip workers uh that we are able to achieve
those metrics. And so I want to ensure that we are not
staining the reputation or the work of peacekeepers CVI and
and violence prevention initiatives in the city of Chicago.
Because we have seen the, when we doubled down in those
Investments that they have a profound impact in our
communities. So commissioner I want to thank you for
believing in our work, but more importantly, for for
believing that homicides and and gun violence is a public
safety, it's a health issue, right? And we must approach it
in that fashion. If we are truly going to address, the root
causes of violence in our communities. And so, it's, I'm
extremely happy to have a commissioner over, cdph that
believes in that work and that mission, um, and that you
have double down in your investment and peacekeepers,
despite sort of the daunting Financial reality that your
department is about to be under
And so coming here today and being able to not only tell us
what we are going to face but still your commitment to the
work. Uh, speaks loads to, why you are the commissioner in
the first place. And so, if people don't tell you, thank
enough. I want to tell you, thank you. I know that the job
comes with a lot of criticism, uh, because it is it is a
lot, uh, and what you do, and how you do it, and who you do
it with matters to many communities. I know that there are
things that we still have to work on, um, and I know that,
uh, more than anything you are, you are open to the
criticism that we have to give of a criticism. Should never
be disrespectful. It should be constructive. Um and so I
want you to know that there are other people here that
respect your work.
Thank you. Thank you chairwoman. Thank you. Do I have any
more questions, comments.
Okay, I have some questions. Um, I wanted to see if um
anybody can provide Clarity on what the drug testing
protocol means. When you talk about it, as like community
drug testing points or something like that, I I know what
it is. I want to sort of get a picture of what it looks
like when we talk about it in the context of a big events
or or in general, in, in communities.
For that question. Um, it drug checking community-based drug
checking specifically is a fairly new scope of work that we
started to fund as of last year. We have, uh, shout out to
Chicago recovery Alliance, which has been doing this work
for decades and they have probably for many, many years.
Been the only group that's doing this work in the Chicago
land area. Um, we now fund for additional organizations,
organizations, um, to do community based drug checking, um,
in Chicago.
What community based drug checking is is a way for it's a
harm reduction strategy through and through, right? So
individuals can bring samples of their drugs to
organizations that, you know, such as CRA Chicago recovery
Alliance to access the remodel of testing. 1 is what we
call point of care testing, which is using an amino acid
test strip, think of your urine drug screen. Right? So
that's just a little strip. It's also distributed in our
vending machines, so you can basically use that, uh, to
find whether that sample of drugs, uh, might contain
fentanyl xylazine or some other adulterant. Um, and, you
know, we have recommendations around not using it if that
test becomes positive, we also are funding these
organizations to do what's called, um, for your transform
infrared. Spectroscopy testing, uh, just just a fancy term
for it. Uh, tests that uses
Light to sort of, do a more detailed breakdown of what
might be in that sample, that's also can be done point of
right? So it can be done on site. However, it it requires
requires quite a bit of a front end investment on the part
of these organizations to train a technician to be able to
do that. And then thirdly, we can do send out testing. So
now there are Labs that collect data from across the
country, and we're actually very excited to participate in
some of these, um, CDC Le efforts to aggregate, uh,
Much more detailed uh sample uh um testing results. For each
of the different components that a drug sample might
contain and this is what provides Public Health. Um,
surveillance information around new trends in the drug
Supply and for us to be able to provide that information to
you and to other community members to to be vigilant
appropriately.
And we have uh educational materials um related to this
particular um program. We do we have Palm cards that do go
out with the SOS Street Outreach workers. It's all part of
the um, care package that they're handing out. That's
great. I was also thinking about the possibility and I
don't know if cdph is thinking about this but given
The level of short staffing, right? Uh, uh, at the
department which
I I I'm very sad about because we should have a very
robust, uh, Department of Health.
Um, have we thought about training community members to be
able to do some of this work in communities? And I know
that not every Community might be able to assemble a group
of people that are interested in doing this work, but there
are
a lot of communities where people would be interested in
learning and, and becoming sort of peer Educators and, um,
knocking on doors and helping supporting the work that cdph
is doing. I think that the more that we do the work and
with demonstrate how effective it is, the better chances,
we have to continue to fund it.
and because the situation looks so dire right now, in terms
of possibilities of funding, I think that it is very
important that we also look into Community for support
Yeah, absolutely. So our monthly harm reduction training um
um, which the link to, which I think we included in the
slide. Deck is open and available to all members of the
public and we do often have members of the public
participate and we will, um, we do incorporate also drug
checking uh information, how to utilize the amino acid,
test strips, as a part of those harm, reduction trainings.
And uh, I love the recommendation of incorporating
participation in the door knocking campaign as well.
Yes. Uh, I will say that, um, you know, the testing strips
that we have in the vending machine, makes it easily
available to the community to test what they're using. This
is so important because last year we found a novel
adulterant that we did not know existed before in Chicago
which was part of why we had such a high level of
overdoses. So knowing what is in the drug that you're
consuming is so important. Many people feel like it is dope
or heroin, and they have been using it for years. So
they're not, they're not supposed to die from it.
All of a sudden people are overdosing and dying because the
drug Supply is adulterated. So that's why we invested in
this surveillance because now we have animal tranquilizers.
So we used to think it was just fentanyl. Now, we have
nitrogen, we have metal domidion, we have um,
Different kinds of adulterant in the supply. So people are
consuming these things and they don't know their Elder
traded and they are just following in and it's hard to
Resource to take them. So it's part of the reasons why that
surveillance was important for us to like let us know what
is in the supply so that we can tailor our response
appropriately. Uh, fentanyl can be reversed by Narcan
and cannot so if we don't know what's in the supply then
our approach will not be appropriate. Um but I do want to
say is extremely dangerous.
So we don't want people to be exposed to fentanyl because
even a very, very tiny Speck of it to someone who is not
um, exposed to it before, can't be fed up. So that is the
only caveat like those who are doing the testing. If you're
using, we want you to be able to test before using, but if
you've never used it before, we don't want you to be
exposed to
A couple more questions. Um, are we collaborating with CPS?
So that um, students particularly high school students have
this information before he they leave for the summer.
Yes, we collaborated multiple times with CPS last year and
putting out. Uh, guidance around press pills. We know
that's what a lot of, um, teens and young adults like to
use. So we are we'll definitely reach back out and sort of
re-up the same kind of collaboration and have we had any
conversations with CTA um to be able to train staff to be
able to use Narcan and test trips.
Um yes we are in ongoing conversation with CTA,
particularly about uh locating. Uh new vending machines, um
um, and we'll make sure to incorporate training
opportunities for CTA staff. I think that would be really
great. I also had the same question about care, um, and our
relationship with, um, sister agencies that might be able
to help, um, deploy, uh, care.
I wanted to tell a little anecdote I that I experienced in
my community the other day I was walking to my office and I
stopped at the Kimball Brown Line and there was a man who
was screaming and he was not screaming at anybody. He was
just screaming
Um, I stopped because I knew what was going to happen
because we don't have a care team in our district. And I
stood there to witness what was going to happen. 2 police
cars were deployed and an ambulance.
The police arrived.
They tried to talk to the man, the man did not want to talk
to the police. The paramedics came out. Uh, he did not want
to get into the ambulance.
um, the man in that outstanding up and leaving,
Uh, the police and and the ambulance left. And
I was thinking this man is going to come back into ours and
we're going to repeat this process all over again every
day.
Every week for months and we are not at all addressing the
needs of this person. We are essentially using a lot of
City resources to make them disperse.
And the problem is going to continue because there is
nothing that is being done about actually providing support
for this person that clearly needs it, right?
um,
so I spoke briefly to 1 of the CTA workers, who was the 1
that call, 911 who deployed uh police and and fire and um
he was talking about how it would be great if they had
another number that they could call where
Somebody that knows about mental health with them because
this is most of the issues that they experience there is
for people who are on House, people using substances, and
people who are very disregulated for for whatever reason,
right? Um, so thinking about the Partnerships that we can
create with CTA, to be able to respond, I use the train all
the time, and I don't think that I have been on a train
where there has not been somebody this regulated at some
point. Either on the platform or in the card that I am in,
um, or in the station, right? So I was wondering if there
are conversations happening about this,
Yeah, we uh, continue to fund. Um,
the Night Ministry to conduct Outreach, specifically on the
CTA, we do know that a large percentage of, um, our
Chicagoans are experiencing homelessness, use the CTA for,
uh, shelter. Um, and so, you know, we do consider that to
be an incredibly important, um, segment of our uh,
Chicagoans to do. This precisely this type of Behavioral
Health, uh, Outreach providing harm reduction Services, um,
and, you know, we will do everything that we can given our
resource limitations to expand those efforts. And, and also
to sort of engage with CTA and whatever training, we can
provide. So the Night Ministry, is the 1 that has been
delegate, the the work of the city has been delegated to
the Night Ministry.
But we know their capacity, because what, I, what I am
saying now is that, I think that care should be interacting
with CTA. Like, I understand that there is already
resources that have been sent but what I'm saying is that
the care teams
Should be interacting with CTA. I think that there is a
great opportunity there to do, proactive, work to build
relationships and to address the needs of people who are in
those spaces. I think that, that's what I'm I, I agree with
with you. Chairwoman, um, I think 1 of the things that we
can do better is again, explore. 988 pathway.
Because people's default is 911.
And when you go to 911, there are limitations there in
terms of, if care will be deployed or not.
Now, 988 is the Behavioral Health crisis line.
Uh, and we have been talking with them in terms of
increasing awareness. I I mean, I think there's like 70,000
or something calls that get come through. So people knowing
that there is a specific behavioral health line and that
those lines can also call us in call care. In is another
area that we're exploring and that we distributed some
flyers now so that people know that the Citywide team can
be deployed outside of the 9111 process. So that in cases,
like this, you know, I flag for the care team yesterday
when you when you told me about it, we can respond. Um,
because once you call 911, then the triage process will
determine. Um, if we don't have care in that district and
Care won't come. But now, we have a city-wide team that can
go anywhere in the city, and we want people to be aware of
how to patch Us in, but also, connecting with other
partners that can purchase in, uh, when their needs like
this,
and that would mean that we would be using as you said
before the no wrong door approach, where people could
access the care teams through multiple Avenues um and you
could get the team there. Yes. Okay.
I like that.
um I think the last thing that I want to say this is not a
question, it's just a statement 1 of the My Favorite Things
of this hearing today is that we have been able to see the
see the result of investment, right? Like we sit here in so
many meetings and we say, you know what, if you invest in
long-term Solutions, you will see reductions in violence,
you would see Improvement in public health. And after Co,
and with the arpa money that we get, we were able to make
those Investments That Never are made. And now, we're
seeing a dramatic reduction in a lot of, like, in violence
in homicides, like the, the reduction on overdoses is like,
I want to cry that. Those numbers are incredible.
and I am saying this because I think that we need to
continue advocate for expansion, we need to continue
advocating for, uh, for resources, for our Department of
Public Health, for dfss. Um, so that we can deliver this
work and it it is sad that it's rare, it's rare that we
ever get there. Um, but I think that we need very strong
advocacy from, um, our
colleagues and and and the city council, to make sure that
we have the budgets that we need to to take care of people
and continue this trend, I
It would be devastating to go back after we have been able
to achieve these Milestones, um, in terms of the well-being
and the safety and the health of our communities. So I want
to thank all of you for having been here. Today, are there
any other questions from my colleagues know?
All right.
Um, thank you so much for being here. Uh, today. Um, can I
get a motion to adjourn?
So moved by Alderman kesava. Uh, all those in favor signify
by saying I
Opposed say, nay.
In the beginning of the year, the eyes have it and this