Chicago Shuts Down 6 of the Cityâ€
Story Transcript
VOICEOVER: By the end of April, the city of Chicago had shut down 6 of its 12 public mental health clinics in a move that has sparked outrage among the cityâ€
RAHM EMANUEL, MAYOR, CHICAGO, ILLINOIS: I want people to remember, I take the issue of providing benefits and care to those who need mental health benefits seriously. We’re not pulling back from service. In fact, we’re giving more service to more people and we’re adding a new benefit.
VOICEOVER: Under the cityâ€
KELLY HAYES, OCCUPY CHICAGO: This is an ongoing austerity issue itâ€
VOICEOVER: The Occupy Movement has joined in on the fight to save the clinics that has largely been led by the patients themselves. Care recipients and advocates have been engaged in a number of ongoing protests and public awareness campaigns, and at one point a group attempted to barricade themselves inside and briefly occupy the Woodlawn Mental Health Clinic slated for immediate closure in April. They have maintained a constant vigil at 2 of the closed centers, and also demonstrated outside of City Hall and more recently in front of the Mayorâ€
LINDA HATCHER, FORMER CLIENT, WOODLAWN MENTAL HEALTH CLINIC: Since theyâ€
VOICEOVER: Some worry about the costly impacts that the closures could have on emergency rooms and jails, which will be forced to absorb and provide care to more patients with mental health problems. Dan Bader used to work as a clinical therapist at Northtown Rogers Park Mental Health Center before it was closed in April. He has since relocated to one of the remaining open centers, where both himself and a large influx of uninsured care seekers have already been feeling the pressure of the centersâ€
DAN BADER, CLINICAL THERAPIST, CHICAGO PUBLIC MENTAL HEATH SERVICES: When they shut down the 6 clinics they also laid off about 40-45 percent of the clinical staff so those who remain are going to immediately have huge caseloads, I have about 60 people for example, who I do not know, who are coming from therapists who have been laid off, these consumers these clients are very upset about that and now they have to try to adjust to me and I have to get to know 60 people at once plus we have new people coming in from the neighborhoods who also want services, I had about 30 or so I carried over with me from Northtown Rogers Park I have a base line of about 90 clients which will continue to grow itâ€
VOICEOVER: On May 25th, the Illinois legislature approved $1.6 billion dollars in Medicaid spending cuts as health services for Chicagoâ€