The Budget for Black Lives (B4BL) campaign was formed to move the Justice for Black Lives Resolution into action, with the goal of identifying funds within the Cook County Sheriff’s budget and redirecting them into supportive services that actually prevent incarceration and create safety. This work aims to shift a culture of divesting from Black communities and leaving them unstable and unsafe to stability, sustainability and security.

Treatment Not Trauma (TNT) is an example of this reallocation of resources. For years Chicago has suffered from shrinking support and resources for public mental healthcare services, on top of an inadequate mental health crisis response that criminalizes our community members instead of providing care. TNT is fighting to build a public infrastructure rooted in humanity and demands universal access to mental healthcare, a 24/7 non-police crisis response (CARE Teams), and the reopening of all closed public mental health centers.

Since Mayor Johnson's administration began, we've made some progress with the reopening of a some mental health centers, as well as the creation and implementation of new CARE teams. This progress, however, is not the end. Care teams need to be expanded to operate around the clock and expanded a number able to serve the entire city of Chicago. We also need all of our public mental health centers to reopen their doors.

Chicagoans deserve Treatment Not Trauma.


To learn more or get in touch with our organziers, email info@soulinchicago.org.