Anna Lucia Rizzo

The Embrace co-responder pilot program embedded licensed social workers within the East St. Louis Police Department to provide crisis response, short-term stabilization, and referrals for individuals experiencing behavioral health-related emergencies. This brief summarizes participant demographics, service patterns, and implementation challenges using administrative data collected from May 2023 through April 2025. During this period, the program served 161 participants, most of whom were Black, and over half of all cases involved mental health-related needs. Program staff connected participants to partner organizations and social support resources while operating with limited staffing and referral infrastructure.

The Memorial Behavioral Health (MBH) co-responder pilot program served individuals experiencing a crisis in Springfield, Illinois. Through the program, mental health providers collaborated with the Springfield Police Department to provide crisis response and victim assistance. This brief summarizes participant characteristics, service responses, and program patterns using administrative data collected between July 2024 and January 2026. During this period, the program served 704 participants, most of whom entered the program through 911 dispatch, and all of whom had experienced a mental health-related crisis. Staff regularly connected participants to social service organizations and provided referrals to support services.

The Social Services Unit (SSU) co-responder pilot program embedded a licensed social worker within the Peoria Police Department to provide crisis response, short-term stabilization, and referrals for individuals experiencing behavioral health-related emergencies. This brief summarizes participant demographics, service patterns, and referral connections using administrative program data collected from January 2025 to July 2025. During this period, the program served 128 participants, regularly connecting individuals to partner organizations, mental health supports, and hospitals while operating with limited staffing capacity.

The Waukegan Community Outreach Group (COG) co-responder pilot program served individuals experiencing crisis in Lake County, Illinois, by having licensed social workers partner with the Waukegan Police Department to provide crisis response, victim assistance, and social service referrals. This brief summarizes participant characteristics, service responses, and early implementation patterns using administrative program data collected between November 2023 and May 2025. During this period, the program served 276 participants, most of whom entered the program through police referral, and nearly half of whom experienced a mental health–related crisis. Staff regularly connected participants to partner organizations and provided referrals to support services while operating within space and funding limitations.