Dear Chicago: Don’t forget the mentally ill

Dear Chicago: Don’t forget the mentally ill
Helena Carnes-Jeffries, 35, suffers from bipolar disorder and has been in and out of therapy and mental hospitals. WBEZ/Shauna Bittle
Dear Chicago: Don’t forget the mentally ill
Helena Carnes-Jeffries, 35, suffers from bipolar disorder and has been in and out of therapy and mental hospitals. WBEZ/Shauna Bittle

Dear Chicago: Don’t forget the mentally ill

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The tight economy has governments cutting back where they can, and that has many Chicago residents worried the social safety net is getting frayed.

For example, outside of Medicaid, the state provides the bulk of mental health care funding, which is channeled to the City of Chicago and private non-profits who provide direct services. But the state cut funding levels last year, and that left thousands of the working poor without mental health care.