Health News Illinois reported: A new city-run community health clinic and continued support for a program that provides mental health response teams are among the initiatives in Mayor Brandon Johnson’s $17.6 billion budget proposal unveiled Wednesday.

The site of the clinic, nor its cost, were not included in his budget package, but Johnson said it would open in a “community (that) previously had their clinic closed.”

He said the decision comes as the city’s current seven clinics have seen demand for services increase by more than 52 percent from 2023 to 2025.

“That growth tells us that more Chicagoans are turning to our city’s mental health clinics for support,” Johnson said.

The budget also allocates $5 million to make permanent a program to dispatch a mental health team to certain 911 calls. The program was previously funded through now-expired federal funds in the American Rescue Plan Act.

The program recently expanded its hours from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m.

The budget also proposes an additional $30 million to address homelessness, including rental assistance and social services.

Much of the funding for the new services comes from the city’s social media tax, which collects 50 cents per Chicago user after the first 100,000 users.

While the city is on pace to collect more than $49 million by the end of the year, those funds are being held in escrow pending litigation.

###