Program Summary

  • Embrace is one of four co-responder pilot programs established by 2022 Illinois legislation (65 ILCS 5/11-1.5).
  • The program embedded two social workers within the East St. Louis Police Department, and later, the East St. Louis Fire Department, to enhance crisis response and victim assistance.
  • In practice, Embrace focused on responding to mental health-related calls for service and providing short-term crisis stabilization and referrals in a community with limited behavioral health resources.

Key Findings

  • The program responded primarily to mental health-related crises and provided on-scene and follow-up support, including referrals to partner organizations and family support services.
  • The program demonstrated adaptability in responding to service gaps created by staffing shortages and partner turnover, while maintaining a focus on crisis response and referrals for community members in need.

Participants and Service Response

The following referral categories are not mutually exclusive and may overlap, as participants were able to receive more than one type of service during a single response, depending on identified needs. For this reason, percentages should not be interpreted as summing to 100%.

From May 2023 to April 2025, the program served 161 participants.

  • Social workers reported that 96% (155) of participants were Black, reflecting both neighborhood demographics of those served by the program and broader racial disparities in crisis-related calls for service in East St. Louis.
  • Social workers categorized 52% (84) of participants’ cases as mental health-related.

Of the total participants served, program staff referred:

  • 35% (56) of participants’ cases to partner organizations for services.
  • 20% (32) of participants’ cases to family support services.
  • 11% (18) of participants’ cases to crisis intervention support services.

Program Performance

  • Crisis Response: Embrace staff provided on-scene advocacy, referrals, and emotional support during and after crisis incidents.
  • Community Outreach: The program strengthened collaboration and service integration through regular outreach and coordination activities.
  • Adaptability: Embrace filled service gaps and, despite limited staffing, provided services beyond minimum statutory requirements, including community outreach activities.
  • Trust-building: The program developed into a reliable and approachable resource for residents through its consistent presence in the community.
  • Capacity Constraints: Response capacity was limited because the program had only one full-time social worker. The program’s second social worker split their time as program manager.
  • Program Implementation: During the early start-up period, limited staffing and multiple simultaneous crises at times constrained the program’s ability to respond during peak periods.