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PROPOSED RESOLUTION
RESOLUTION TO ASSESS NEEDS AND IMPROVE THE QUALITY AND EFFECTIVENESS OF BEHAVIORAL HEALTH CARE PROVIDED BY COOK COUNTY GOVERNMENT
WHEREAS, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) defines behavioral health as the promotion of mental health, emotional, psychological, and social well-being and resilience; the treatment of mental and substance use disorders; and the support of those who experience and/or are in recovery from these conditions, along with their families and communities; and
WHEREAS, the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) Illinois released a 2021 fact sheet indicating that 38.5% of adults in Illinois reported symptoms of anxiety or depression; and
WHEREAS, that same fact sheet reported that 1 in 4 people with a serious mental illness has been arrested by the police at some point in their lifetime; and
WHEREAS, a 2019 report from the Alliance for Health Equity identified "quality" as the greatest overarching need for behavioral health services in Cook County; and
WHEREAS, in the middle of the COVID-19 pandemic 31.3% of adults in Illinois reported symptoms of anxiety and/or depressive disorder, compared to 31.6% of adults in the U.S; and;
WHEREAS, according to Children's Hospital of Chicago, 44% of Chicago children experienced an increase in at least one mental or behavioral health system during the pandemic compared with before the pandemic; and
WHEREAS, lack of mental health and behavioral services along with other community support are a major concern for recidivism in people either released from the County Jail or on electronic monitoring; and
WHEREAS, Cook County Government has typically allocated funding for behavioral health services, and funding is allocated for these programs; and
WHEREAS, access to mental health service and equity is highly disparate in underserved communities; and
WHEREAS, on February 09, 2023, the Cook County Board of Commissioners approved item #23-...
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