Champaign council directs staff to launch 24/7 mental‑health emergency response unit

The Champaign City Council on April 8 directed staff to implement a city-run mental‑health emergency response model that would pair licensed clinicians and advocates with first responders to respond to mental and behavioral health crises.

The measure grew out of a presentation from Rachel Joy, director of the Equity and Engagement Department, who told the council the goal is a racially equitable, trauma‑informed and language‑accessible co‑responder program operating 24 hours a day. Joy said the proposal would establish a new division housed in her department with one licensed clinical social worker (LCSW) to manage the unit and four advocates to respond in the field and provide case coordination and follow‑up.

The plan matters, Joy and public safety officials told the council, because mental and behavioral health incidents make up a large and growing share of emergency calls. “From 01/01/2020 to 03/11/2025, the Champaign Police Department responded to 80,251 calls for service with mental and behavior health crisis being a significant part of our workload,” Police Department staff said during the presentation, citing department call records. City staff described frequent calls to several care facilities — including Strides, The Pavilion and Eden supportive living — that together have pushed local police resources.

City staff proposed a staffing, training and equipment package with recurring and one‑time costs. The total estimated first‑year cost is approximately $915,000, including recurring personnel and…