“Treatment not trauma” would continue the city’s policy of deploying mental health professionals as first responders to mental health crises called into 911, the statement said.
Johnson said in a March 8 debate that many of the 911 calls the city receives are for mental health crises and would be better served by mental health professionals.
“Having police officers respond to mental health crises and marital disputes, that’s unfair. That’s why I support officers to have the ability to actually do their job,” he said.
The nurses union endorsement also touted Johnson’s commitment to funding that will “address the vast disparities that exist in Chicago when it comes to access to quality health care.”
“As county commissioner, Johnson has shown commitment to redirecting public funds to health care and other essential services and to putting the needs of working families before corporations and billionaires,” Martese Chism, a Chicago registered nurse said in the statement.
“He has resisted efforts to privatize the Cook County Health & Hospital System, and as a former union public school teacher, he knows firsthand the importance of fully funded community services. I’m afraid his opponent will serve the interests of wealthy real estate developers downtown and ignore the needs of underserved communities across Chicago.”
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