Officials Pledged to Address Rising Black Suicides in Chicago. Six Months On, There’s Still No Plan.

Link: https://www.thetrace.org/2021/02/chicago-black-suicide-data-cook-county-mental-health/#new_tab

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In July, a city official told The Trace andthe Sun-Times that the city would be releasing additional funds to address mental health, including several million for the expansion of existing mental health services and $1 million for suicide prevention. The official also said the city would seek proposals for a suicide-prevention plan in late 2020 or early 2021. 

In October, the city announced that more than 30 community-based mental health organizations would receive $8 million in annual grants to expand existing services. However, the grants do not fund suicide prevention specifically. Asked about the status of the city’s suicide-prevention efforts, a spokesperson with the Chicago Department of Public Health declined an interview request and said the agency was “finalizing our planning in regards to what we will be funding.” 

Author(s): Lakeidra Chavis

Publication Date: 19 February 2021

Publication Site: The Trace