Mental health clinicians will start answering some 911 calls in Chicago — instead of cops

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For the first time in Chicago, some 911 calls for mental health emergencies won’t be answered by police officers but by mental health professionals paired with paramedics.

In one pilot program starting this fall, a paramedic will be dispatched with a mental health clinician for “behavioral health calls.” In another, a paramedic will work with a “recovery specialist” on calls involving substance abuse.

Mental health clinicians will be on hand at the 911 center to monitor situations, but questions remain how well these new responders will be able to de-escalate violence that can erupt during such calls.

The “alternative response” programs are being launched amid continuing debate over the role of police after the killing of George Floyd by a Minneapolis police officer last spring.

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Chicago began incorporating crisis intervention training several years ago after the highly publicized cases of teenagers Laquan McDonald and Quintonio LeGrier, who were both apparently experiencing mental episodes when they were shot and killed by officers responding to 911 calls.

The pilot programs go further by emphasizing a “public health approach” to responding to 911 calls, city officials say.

“We’re super excited,” said Alex Heaton, Mayor Lori Lightfoot’s policy adviser for public safety. “This is a brand new workforce for the city, and it’s an exciting opportunity to use a public health approach for people likely to come in contact with the first responder system.”

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