Chicago's CARE Program for mental health call responses to expand throughout city

Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson on Wednesday announced an expansion to the city's CARE Program, a specialized team that responds to mental health crises without police.

The CARE Program — the acronym stands for Crisis Assistance Response and Engagement — will now be available in all 77 community areas in Chicago.

"We solidified our commitment to prioritizing compassion over criminalization, treatment over trauma, and to meeting our people where they are with the support that they need," Mayor Johnson said.

The program sends a mental health professional and an emergency medical technician – not police officers or firefighters — to respond to calls of mental health emergencies. It has heretofore only been available in select parts of the city.

The goal is for people who are experiencing mental health crises to be met by trained mental health professionals to de-escalate the situation and get them treatment.