Chicago’s Crisis Assistance Response and Engagement (CARE) program added a second shift on Monday, October 5. Teams of a mental health clinician and an emergency medical technician now respond to eligible 911 calls from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. on weekdays, more than doubling the program’s previous daytime hours.
Key Takeaways
- CARE teams now operate 8 a.m. to 10 p.m., Monday through Friday, with a new evening shift.
- Each CARE team pairs a licensed mental health clinician with an emergency medical technician. No police officers or firefighters are on the team.
- The Chicago Department of Public Health (CDPH) told aldermen it has seven vans in service and three backups to cover shift changes.
- CARE has served the entire city since May 2026, after starting as a pilot in a handful of police districts.
- CDPH officials say the long-term goal is round-the-clock coverage, but overnight and weekend calls are not yet included.
- Some City Council members support the expansion as a public health measure, while others question how much the program costs.
The Evening Shift Covers Hours the Program Previously Missed
Before October 5, the Crisis Assistance Response and Engagement program ran only during a shorter daytime window that ended in the late afternoon. That left a gap in the hours after work and school when many calls about people in distress come in. With the new evening shift, a person in crisis at 8 p.m. on a Tuesday can now be connected to a clinician through 911 instead of only receiving a police response.
The Chicago Department of Public Health said the change was possible because of a recent round of hiring and training. The department told aldermen it spent the summer staffing CARE teams and training 911 dispatchers and other first responders to route eligible calls correctly. Tiffany Patton-Burnside, CDPH’s senior director of crisis services, said the expansion is what the department had been working toward.
How CARE Teams Are Dispatched
CARE teams respond to non-violent mental health crises and socio-emotional distress. Calls arrive through 911 dispatch, and the program also accepts non-emergency requests by email. When they arrive, team members assess the person’s mental health, provide basic medical care if needed, and connect the person to ongoing services.
The program has changed significantly since it launched in 2021. Police officers and fire department paramedics originally rode with CARE responders. In 2024, the program moved fully under the Chicago Department of Public Health and police and fire personnel were removed from the teams. The program then grew district by district before covering the whole city in May 2026.
One challenge remains for dispatch. At the October 2 announcement, Mayor Brandon Johnson acknowledged that identifying calls suited to CARE when the caller does not specifically ask for it has been a difficulty as the program has grown. Better dispatcher training is part of the department’s plan to address this.
What the Change Means for Neighborhoods
For residents, the main change is availability. CARE first operated mostly on the South and West Sides, along with Uptown, the Loop, and several North Side areas. Residents across all 77 community areas can now reach a CARE team during weekday daytime and evening hours.
The program’s limits are still important to understand. CARE teams do not work overnight or on weekends, and they do not respond to calls involving violence or weapons. Outside CARE’s hours, 911 still sends police and emergency medical services. The 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline offers phone support 24 hours a day, and some community triage centers in Chicago accept walk-ins around the clock.
City Council Members Disagree Over the Program’s Cost
The expansion has divided some members of the City Council. Ald. Rossana Rodriguez Sanchez (33rd), who chairs the Committee on Health and Human Relations, said mental health crises should be handled by trained professionals instead of law enforcement and that the longer hours will reach more residents.
Ald. Raymond Lopez (15th) called the program a good idea in theory but questioned how much the city is spending on it, saying Chicago keeps reinventing the same approach. His concern reflects a broader debate as Chicago manages a tight budget and decides how much to invest in public health responses compared with traditional emergency services.
Deputy Mayor Arturo Carrillo described the second shift as another step toward a crisis response system residents can depend on. The administration has framed CARE as part of a broader mental health plan that includes reopening city mental health clinics.
The Goal Is Round-the-Clock Coverage
Chicago Department of Public Health officials say they eventually want CARE teams available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Community groups that have pushed for the program have long argued that mental health crises do not follow business hours. With citywide coverage in May and evening hours in October, CARE has expanded twice in 2026, though officials have not given a timeline for overnight or weekend service.
How quickly the program grows will depend on hiring, dispatch performance, and funding decisions in the City Council’s upcoming budget process.
FAQs
What Are the New CARE Program Hours in Chicago?
Starting October 5, 2026, CARE teams respond from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m., Monday through Friday. The program does not yet operate overnight or on weekends.
Who Responds to a CARE Call in Chicago?
Each CARE team includes a licensed mental health clinician and an emergency medical technician. Police officers and firefighters are not part of the team.
How Do Chicago Residents Request a CARE Team?
Residents call 911, and dispatchers route eligible mental health calls to CARE. The Chicago Department of Public Health also accepts non-emergency requests by email.
Does the CARE Program Cover All of Chicago?
Yes. CARE has served every Chicago community since a citywide expansion in May 2026, after starting as a pilot in a limited number of police districts.
What Should Someone Do During a Mental Health Crisis Outside CARE Hours?
Outside CARE’s hours, 911 dispatches police and emergency medical services. The 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline offers free phone support around the clock.
