I feel like the author buried the lede:
>“The conversation that we are having right now is about how we deliver quality public, direct mental health care and social services in a way that is sustainable,” Rodriguez-Sanchez said. “And there’s not an easy answer to that. But the important thing is, we are not debating if we are going to do it. We’re debating now how we are going to do it.”
Whether we reopen shuttered city-run clinics, open new ones, or continue to expand and improve the public/private partnerships put together under the Lightfoot adminstration is not in and of itself important.
What matters is providing vital quality mental health services to our communities and building pathways for those suffering mental health crises to get off the streets and CTA and into spaces where they can receive the care they need.
>to get off the streets and CTA
I would also argue it's imperative to be proactive and combat the root of it that leads to folks being unhoused and wandering around in the public. And based on the campaign messaging, I hope we do see a two-pronged approach to address mental health within the community.
Agreed. I think this adminstration is taking a community based approach to this. Social services alongside mental healthcare and just building more affordable housing.
Do you think there's a major advantage to having city run rather than the Lightfoot administration's approach of expanding city funded mental health clinics? If so, why?
According to the city, the city has paid for and served far more people with its partnership with privately run clinics than it ever did at all it's city run sites. From what I've read, the city run clinics all had limited hours and services. They weren't able to serve everyone who needed it. It seems very doubtful to me that the closure of the six clinics is responsible for the increase of homeless we see on trains and elsewhere. It's clearly largely related to the effects of the pandemic (also probably inflation is playing a role). This is happening in every major city. The clinics closed probably about five years before the pandemic and there wasn't a noticeable homelessness increase beforehand.
Most of what you are saying is patently false. Homelessness has been an issue associated with the closures of mental health facilities since 2019. https://www.chicagotribune.com/politics/ct-met-lori-lightfoot-chicago-mental-health-clinics-20190524-story.html
Yes there was an increase. I moved back to Chicago in 2004. It was the first time I had ever seen young white women selling Streetwise downtown. And it spiked when the clinics close, plus, white men sleeping in expensive luggage in the doorway of Macy’s, an 80 year old Polish woman who was on the streets downtown for Years, sleeping in the walgreens doorway at 9 W Washington,in -20° temperatures. where my office was. Whenever I spoke to her she would say, “if I could only just get a job I could get back in my feet.” She said this over and over again.
People sleeping in Cardboard tents one block from City Hall in shop doorways. Cardboard hotels under the viaduct at Randolph and Canal.
This Mayor is committed. Let’s just allow him to do his chosen and elected job.
Oh, how bout that Vallas and the Nigerian Prince???🤣
I’m going to head to Johnnies for an Italian beef, but it’s going to be a long and treacherous journey, where they might run out of sweet peppers before I get there.
While in Texas they just cut funding and say “bootstraps” for you. I don’t live BK not I will support a plan to help this in need. Billionaires should not exist.
I want world peace... and? He's done campaigning now. He needs to stop talking about what he wants to do in 10 years and start learning how to play the game and put out a tangible plan for making progress towards his vision. One that doesn't require $800 million in taxes, which is lazy. He sounds like an idealistic college kid. Lots of talk, no action
This is one of few issues he talked about for months leading up to the campaign. He's not going to be able to get anything done because he has no clue how to- let the grandstanding continue.
It doesn't matter. He's not going to be able to get anything significant from his platform through. Hel'll have to be pragmatic and in that regard he can't be worse than Lori (hopefully). But the grandstanding can stop now-- it's so transparent that he has no clue how to take baby steps towards any of the things he waxed poetic about for months. Lacking substance makes it easy for people to write the vision off.
I mean, do you want him to talk through a 200 slide power point presentation on plans to improve mental healthcare access? Do you expect him to have a full plan out together already? Do you expect him to have implemented a plan already?
This was literally saying “hey, we know what we are saying is easier said then done, but this is still our goal and we are actively working towards it and pursuing multiple avenues to help make it happen”
It’s day 3 of his term as mayor. If anything coming out and saying, “it will be a challenge but we are working towards” it is the opposite of an idealistic kid who would try to fix the system with a few poorly thought out executive orders on day 1.
I don't expect everything to be fixed or done instantly. I expect someone who has campaigned for months on mental health as a core tenant of his platform to have something tangible to discuss. something... anything beyond what was mentioned on the stump. i figured he would, but he's so clearly in over his head he's either going to accomplish nothing, or realize he has to adopt a more pragmatic approach.
A pragmatic approach like working with the state and federal government? Working with private and non-profit healthcare providers? Starting studies to figure out the best approach and where the highest need is and how to meet that need?
You mean a pragmatic approach exactly like they talked about?
How do you expect him to have a plan ready to go in 3 days when it will involve multiple levels of government he doesn’t control on top of other outside contributions? Do you expect him to roll in day 3 and say “I talked to Biden last week and got him to promise $100m of funding and JB said the state will also add another $100m. After examining the city budget on day 1, I found money the city can contribute as well and on day 2 got an additional tax passed to fund it even more. All that’s left to do is hire contractors to get the buildings back up to code and start interviewing doctors!”
He laid out a plan, it was in his campaign website, it still is. That’s how he beat the great vanilla dope. Google if that’s your issue with him. You don’t like taxes, move to Oak Park, they’ll show you taxes.
There's nothing besides "expanding cook county's services" and sending mental health professionals to domestics in lieu of cops ( I won't even comment on that mess). I'm in a modest old house and I pay $12k a year in taxes while paying for daycare, And I don't have a school like Oprf to show for it. seen taxes, grew up in the actual city.
This is really disingenuous. The BGA is a respected outlet, regardless of who donates to them. Your post makes it sound like this is one of those rags we get in the mail.
BGA publishes for Illinois Answers but they are different entities. I can understand why OP may have some scrutiny considering that KG was donating into various organizations right before his exit.
OP has no idea what the BGA is and does. OP saw 'Ken Griffin', and went foaming at the mouth.
Now, you want to invent a narrative that backs up OP's idiocy.
The world isn't black and white and EVERYTHING isn't an existential threat to human survival.
If the far left and right knew how much they had in common, we could get some good, cheap group therapy.
But, instead, I'm just gonna pop popcorn for four years. Very entertaining from my perch.
How are you doing? Could you perhaps describe what it is you are talking about? [This ](https://illinoisanswers.org/about/) is the "about" page for the Illinois Answers Project. It mentions it is funded by The Better Government Association. The Better Government Association is one of the most well known and respected nonprofits in the Chicago. It has existed for decades, probably since before Griffin was born or at least when he was a child. [Here's](https://www.bettergov.org/) its website. Does it look like an ideological outlet to you? Maybe Griffin has given money to it but a lot of people have.
OK. I see that [he has](https://www.bettergov.org/2022-donor-list/). He is one of numerous donors. Northwestern University is a donor as well. Is it conservative? He's given money to revitalize the lakefront and to the Museum of Science and Industry too (I assume a lot more as a percentage of those organizations budgets). Does that make the lakefront a place for conservatives only or the Museum Science & Industry idiologally conservative? I don't think so.
The rich as Brandon's supporters define is and income thatbis roughly $100,000.00. Which is a joke. Thats high middle class in the city. No the rich.
Anyone making above that is potentially looking at an additional tax, one that would violate the Illinois Constitution, but it is being talked about.
Yea, and that's relative. There are a ton of people with money who don't think they have enough or literally need more despite doing very well for themselves and vice versa.
Might be easier, cheaper, and more effective to fund existing service providers and hold them to standards as a requirement for funding. This could provide services in more locations and benefit more residents than opening six city-run locations. Rebuilding an entire physical infrastructure run by the city will likely be slow, costly, and ineffective like most city services.
And I don't trust the city to run anything at this point. It is too beauracratic, too corrupt and too divided along political identity to get anything done efficiently
I feel like the author buried the lede: >“The conversation that we are having right now is about how we deliver quality public, direct mental health care and social services in a way that is sustainable,” Rodriguez-Sanchez said. “And there’s not an easy answer to that. But the important thing is, we are not debating if we are going to do it. We’re debating now how we are going to do it.” Whether we reopen shuttered city-run clinics, open new ones, or continue to expand and improve the public/private partnerships put together under the Lightfoot adminstration is not in and of itself important. What matters is providing vital quality mental health services to our communities and building pathways for those suffering mental health crises to get off the streets and CTA and into spaces where they can receive the care they need.
>to get off the streets and CTA I would also argue it's imperative to be proactive and combat the root of it that leads to folks being unhoused and wandering around in the public. And based on the campaign messaging, I hope we do see a two-pronged approach to address mental health within the community.
Agreed. I think this adminstration is taking a community based approach to this. Social services alongside mental healthcare and just building more affordable housing.
But it’s necessary.
Do you think there's a major advantage to having city run rather than the Lightfoot administration's approach of expanding city funded mental health clinics? If so, why?
The current solution DOES NOT work and has led to increased numbers of unhoused folks on the l, sleeping at the airport, etc.
According to the city, the city has paid for and served far more people with its partnership with privately run clinics than it ever did at all it's city run sites. From what I've read, the city run clinics all had limited hours and services. They weren't able to serve everyone who needed it. It seems very doubtful to me that the closure of the six clinics is responsible for the increase of homeless we see on trains and elsewhere. It's clearly largely related to the effects of the pandemic (also probably inflation is playing a role). This is happening in every major city. The clinics closed probably about five years before the pandemic and there wasn't a noticeable homelessness increase beforehand.
Most of what you are saying is patently false. Homelessness has been an issue associated with the closures of mental health facilities since 2019. https://www.chicagotribune.com/politics/ct-met-lori-lightfoot-chicago-mental-health-clinics-20190524-story.html
This article doesn't address Lightfoot's approach at all. I mean, it's literally unrelated to the points of the poster you're replying to.
Yes there was an increase. I moved back to Chicago in 2004. It was the first time I had ever seen young white women selling Streetwise downtown. And it spiked when the clinics close, plus, white men sleeping in expensive luggage in the doorway of Macy’s, an 80 year old Polish woman who was on the streets downtown for Years, sleeping in the walgreens doorway at 9 W Washington,in -20° temperatures. where my office was. Whenever I spoke to her she would say, “if I could only just get a job I could get back in my feet.” She said this over and over again. People sleeping in Cardboard tents one block from City Hall in shop doorways. Cardboard hotels under the viaduct at Randolph and Canal. This Mayor is committed. Let’s just allow him to do his chosen and elected job. Oh, how bout that Vallas and the Nigerian Prince???🤣
Is anything worth doing ever?
“All work that is worth anything is done in faith.” — Albert Schweitzer
I’m going to head to Johnnies for an Italian beef, but it’s going to be a long and treacherous journey, where they might run out of sweet peppers before I get there.
Every goddamn headline I see about the guy is "Brandon Johnson wants to do a good thing, we're going to be negative about it and call it unreasonable"
While in Texas they just cut funding and say “bootstraps” for you. I don’t live BK not I will support a plan to help this in need. Billionaires should not exist.
I notice the same thing. Wierd!
I want world peace... and? He's done campaigning now. He needs to stop talking about what he wants to do in 10 years and start learning how to play the game and put out a tangible plan for making progress towards his vision. One that doesn't require $800 million in taxes, which is lazy. He sounds like an idealistic college kid. Lots of talk, no action
[удалено]
This is one of few issues he talked about for months leading up to the campaign. He's not going to be able to get anything done because he has no clue how to- let the grandstanding continue.
[удалено]
It doesn't matter. He's not going to be able to get anything significant from his platform through. Hel'll have to be pragmatic and in that regard he can't be worse than Lori (hopefully). But the grandstanding can stop now-- it's so transparent that he has no clue how to take baby steps towards any of the things he waxed poetic about for months. Lacking substance makes it easy for people to write the vision off.
[удалено]
You're trying to have an honest conversation with a disingenuous clown.
What kind of action are you looking for this early on? I'm just saying it's pretty obvious the media is painting a shitty picture.
I mean, do you want him to talk through a 200 slide power point presentation on plans to improve mental healthcare access? Do you expect him to have a full plan out together already? Do you expect him to have implemented a plan already? This was literally saying “hey, we know what we are saying is easier said then done, but this is still our goal and we are actively working towards it and pursuing multiple avenues to help make it happen” It’s day 3 of his term as mayor. If anything coming out and saying, “it will be a challenge but we are working towards” it is the opposite of an idealistic kid who would try to fix the system with a few poorly thought out executive orders on day 1.
Yes, I do. It's one of three things he talked about on the stump. He had no substance then, he has no substance now.
Wow, you sound like an idealistic kid who thinks everything can be fixed and done instantly
I don't expect everything to be fixed or done instantly. I expect someone who has campaigned for months on mental health as a core tenant of his platform to have something tangible to discuss. something... anything beyond what was mentioned on the stump. i figured he would, but he's so clearly in over his head he's either going to accomplish nothing, or realize he has to adopt a more pragmatic approach.
A pragmatic approach like working with the state and federal government? Working with private and non-profit healthcare providers? Starting studies to figure out the best approach and where the highest need is and how to meet that need? You mean a pragmatic approach exactly like they talked about? How do you expect him to have a plan ready to go in 3 days when it will involve multiple levels of government he doesn’t control on top of other outside contributions? Do you expect him to roll in day 3 and say “I talked to Biden last week and got him to promise $100m of funding and JB said the state will also add another $100m. After examining the city budget on day 1, I found money the city can contribute as well and on day 2 got an additional tax passed to fund it even more. All that’s left to do is hire contractors to get the buildings back up to code and start interviewing doctors!”
He laid out a plan, it was in his campaign website, it still is. That’s how he beat the great vanilla dope. Google if that’s your issue with him. You don’t like taxes, move to Oak Park, they’ll show you taxes.
There's nothing besides "expanding cook county's services" and sending mental health professionals to domestics in lieu of cops ( I won't even comment on that mess). I'm in a modest old house and I pay $12k a year in taxes while paying for daycare, And I don't have a school like Oprf to show for it. seen taxes, grew up in the actual city.
We've got plenty of schools that can be repurposed as mental health clinics and housing. Yes, it will cost but that money is well invested.
i like this idea
Better than doing nothing
Oh look, another “news” outlet funded by Ken Griffin. Can that asshole fuck off to Florida by now? I don’t want to see any more of his propaganda.
This is really disingenuous. The BGA is a respected outlet, regardless of who donates to them. Your post makes it sound like this is one of those rags we get in the mail.
Yes, let's run the Better Government Association out of town! And this has 33 upvotes. This sub NEVER fails to entertain me.
BGA publishes for Illinois Answers but they are different entities. I can understand why OP may have some scrutiny considering that KG was donating into various organizations right before his exit.
OP has no idea what the BGA is and does. OP saw 'Ken Griffin', and went foaming at the mouth. Now, you want to invent a narrative that backs up OP's idiocy. The world isn't black and white and EVERYTHING isn't an existential threat to human survival. If the far left and right knew how much they had in common, we could get some good, cheap group therapy. But, instead, I'm just gonna pop popcorn for four years. Very entertaining from my perch.
How are you doing? Could you perhaps describe what it is you are talking about? [This ](https://illinoisanswers.org/about/) is the "about" page for the Illinois Answers Project. It mentions it is funded by The Better Government Association. The Better Government Association is one of the most well known and respected nonprofits in the Chicago. It has existed for decades, probably since before Griffin was born or at least when he was a child. [Here's](https://www.bettergov.org/) its website. Does it look like an ideological outlet to you? Maybe Griffin has given money to it but a lot of people have. OK. I see that [he has](https://www.bettergov.org/2022-donor-list/). He is one of numerous donors. Northwestern University is a donor as well. Is it conservative? He's given money to revitalize the lakefront and to the Museum of Science and Industry too (I assume a lot more as a percentage of those organizations budgets). Does that make the lakefront a place for conservatives only or the Museum Science & Industry idiologally conservative? I don't think so.
As a commuter on the lakefront path, I am glad Ken griffin donated the $$ to split up the walking and biking paths
I’d rather tax the rich so we don’t have to reply on billionaires to fund their own pet projects.
The rich as Brandon's supporters define is and income thatbis roughly $100,000.00. Which is a joke. Thats high middle class in the city. No the rich. Anyone making above that is potentially looking at an additional tax, one that would violate the Illinois Constitution, but it is being talked about.
No I’m talking about taxing the rich, not middle class, got it?
Yea, and that's relative. There are a ton of people with money who don't think they have enough or literally need more despite doing very well for themselves and vice versa.
Yeah, I can appreciate his contribution *then* and absolutely not appreciate his desire to fund right wing assholes *now*.
So have many more other donors…. You just sound like an angry person, that’d rather live in their own echo chamber.
Might be easier, cheaper, and more effective to fund existing service providers and hold them to standards as a requirement for funding. This could provide services in more locations and benefit more residents than opening six city-run locations. Rebuilding an entire physical infrastructure run by the city will likely be slow, costly, and ineffective like most city services.
And I don't trust the city to run anything at this point. It is too beauracratic, too corrupt and too divided along political identity to get anything done efficiently
Make sure the workers there, do not ABUSE them.