Committee on Health and Human Relations meeting, February 28, 2024
- When: Wed, Feb 28, 2024, 11:00 AM (Chicago time)
- Where: City Council Chamber, 2nd Floor, City Hall, 121 North LaSalle Street - Chicago, IL 60602
- Status: Scheduled & Published
- Committee: Committee on Health and Human Relations
- Video: https://vimeo.com/manage/videos/917241704
- Transcript: full text (24,513 words, official captions)
Meeting notes
AI-written from the transcript. Speakers are inferred from cues in the recording, so treat names as estimates and check the video at the linked time.
The Committee on Health and Human Relations approved remote participation for two members and the Rule 45 report from its February 13 meeting, then held a subject matter hearing on the midpoint progress of the Treatment Not Trauma working group. Sixteen public commenters spoke, most in support of reopening public mental health centers and expanding non-police crisis response, while one questioned removing police from crisis calls. Mayor's office, CDPH and budget staff and community consultants described the working group's ordinance mandate, community engagement, the CARE alternate response pilot results, plans for clinical service expansion and mental health budget allocations, with a report due to the mayor by May 31, 2024. Members asked about survey data, listening sessions, evaluation metrics, staffing and the timeline for opening two additional clinics, and the hearing ended with no vote on the subject matter.
Topics: Treatment Not Trauma, public mental health centers, non-police crisis response, CARE alternate response pilot, mental health workforce, community engagement, mental health budget, public comment
Agenda items discussed
- 21:06 Motion to allow remote participation by Alderperson Bennett R. Lawson under Rule 59: passed
- 21:45 Public comment period: discussed
- 1:10:02 Motion to allow remote participation by Alderperson Desmon C. Yancy under Rule 59: passed
- 1:10:31 Approval of the Rule 45 report from the February 13, 2024 meeting: passed
- 1:10:51 Subject matter hearing: midpoint progress report on the Treatment Not Trauma working group: discussed
- 2:17:57 Motion to adjourn: passed
Alderpersons who spoke
- Rossana Rodríguez Sánchez (chair): Noted public comment time had expired but allowed the last two speakers to finish. (1:02:39); Noted the committee received 12 written public comments sent to members by email. (1:09:42); Said Treatment Not Trauma originated in community efforts to reopen public mental health clinics and that she is hopeful about a public, comprehensive model of mental health care. (1:11:09)
- Leni Manaa-Hoppenworth (alderperson): Said Chicago needs to catch up to and can lead other cities and wants connection with work already happening at the state level. (2:06:33); Cited the killing of a public school student in her ward and asked how the city is centering young people and schools. (2:06:51); Asked how the city is following Albuquerque's model, particularly how violence prevention fits with Treatment Not Trauma. (2:07:39)
- Byron Sigcho-López (alderperson): Thanked organizers and the chair for championing Treatment Not Trauma and the mayor for empowering the effort. (2:15:51); Said the time the effort has taken reflects a lack of collaboration in the past rather than a lack of commitment, and that there is now a plan. (2:16:22); Said members could count on his support and looked forward to continued collaboration. (2:17:06)
Exchanges between members
- 2:06:22 Manaa-Hoppenworth thanked the chair for the hearing.
- 2:15:30 The chair thanked Manaa-Hoppenworth for her leadership.
- 2:15:48 The chair recognized Sigcho-López.
- 2:16:01 Sigcho-López thanked the chair for championing Treatment Not Trauma.
- 2:17:43 The chair thanked Sigcho-López.