Raja Krishnamoorthi

06/17/2022 | Press release | Archived content

Congressman Krishnamoorthi Joins Schaumburg Mayor Dailly In Event Recognizing $340K In Funding The Congressman Secured For The Village’s Mobile Response Unit For Mental Health[...]

SCHAUMBURG, IL - Last night, Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi joined Schaumburg Mayor Tom Dailly and Deputy Police Chief Kristine Provenzano to present the Schaumburg Police Department with a check for $340,000 in recognition of federal funding he secured for the village's mobile response unit for mental health and substance misuse. This unit, which will be implemented by the Schaumburg Police Department, Elk Grove Police Department, the Start Here Addiction Rehabilitation and Education Program, the Foglia Treatment Center, the Kenneth Young Center, and Live4Lali, will allow the department to address 911 calls through crisis intervention overseen by trained social workers and community response professionals with experience related to mental health and substance disorders. This unit will provide acute and proactive care for those who need it most. The mobile response unit will accompany police on dispatches and assist with both on-site and long-term treatment and care for the individuals in need.

"I was proud to join Mayor Dailly and Deputy Chief Provenzano to announce the $340,000 in federal funding I secured to better protect our community," said Congressman Krishnamoorthi. "Over the course of the pandemic our nation has seen an exponential increase in 911 calls directly related to mental health care, with the Disaster Distress Hotline seeing an uptick of 891% in call volume in just a single year. Despite the courageous efforts of our police officers, resources are stretched thin. This mobile response unit will tackle the complex issues of mental health and substance abuse by using multi-disciplinary approaches that are proven to provide effective de-escalation through welfare checks, emergency counseling, and transportation to treatment centers. Protecting our community demands we provide our first responders with the resources they need, and this program will do precisely that.