The Village of Oak Park | 123 Madison St.  Oak Park, IL 60302 | village@oak-park.us

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Village convenes taskforce to explore response to mental health emergencies

Key stakeholders from across the community are taking part in an Alternative Calls for Service Taskforce as the Village moves into the next phase of its community safety project.

The taskforce was established by Village Manager Kevin Jackson last fall to bring together a wide range of experts, community members and specialists to advise on an alternative call response model to specifically help individuals suffering from a mental health crisis. 

Currently, when an emergency call is made related to an individual suffering from a mental health crisis in Oak Park, members of the Oak Park Police Department are the first to respond. 

The taskforce’s sole function is to explore alternative calls for service models and make a recommendation whether one of these alternatives would be suited for Oak Park emergency calls related to mental health crises.

Principles of diversity, equity and inclusion are at the center of the taskforce’s work, with a particular emphasis on racial equity, listening and learning, and innovation.

The formation of the taskforce stemmed from recommendations made as part of a comprehensive community safety assessment delivered by consultant BerryDunn (see related article on this page).

For more information about the Alternative Calls for Service Taskforce, visit www.oak-park.us/communitysafety or contact communitysafety@oak-park.us or 708.358.5770.

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The Alternative Calls for Service Taskforce includes representatives from the following community organizations:

  • Housing Forward
  • Mosaic Counseling Center
  • National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI)
  • Oak Park Elementary School District 97
  • Oak Park Homelessness Coalition
  • Oak Park River Forest High School District 200
  • Oak Park Library
  • Oak Park Township
  • Park District of Oak Park
  • PCC Wellness
  • Riveredge Hospital
  • Rush Hospital
  • Thrive Counseling Center
  • Treatment Alternatives for Safe Communities (TASC)
  • Village of Oak Park
    • Citizens Police Oversight Committee
    • Fire Department
    •  Health Department
    • Police Department
    • Village Manager’s Office
  • Way Back Inn
  • West Suburban Consolidated Dispatch Center

Taskforce Co-Chairs:

  • Allison Davenport – Chief Executive Officer, Riveredge Hospital
  • Cheryl Potts – Executive Director, Community Mental Health Board of Oak Park Township