Title
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A Presentation and Discussion on E.C.H.O. (Engaging Community for Healthy Outcomes) Phase 1
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Introduction
overview
Staff will present on the status of Phase 1 of the E.C.H.O. program.
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Recommended Action
There is no action requested by the Board.
Prior Board Action
The Board has taken the following prior action(s):
• ID 25-416: A Presentation and Discussion on E.C.H.O. Phase 1
• Motion 24-185: A Motion to Adopt Phase 1 of an Alternative Response to Calls for Service Pilot Program
• ID 24-246: A Presentation and Discussion of Alternative Response to Calls for Service
• ID 23-294: A Presentation on the Alternative Calls for Service Response Taskforce Report
Background
On June 11, 2024, the Village Board approved a two-year pilot program for Phase One of the alternative response to calls for service.
Staff have moved forward with implementation via the E.C.H.O. program, launched in January 2025. One program manager and two care coordinators have been hired. These roles are providing service connections and case management to community members who have engaged with emergency responders and may need additional services that are not available through a traditionally dispatched/emergency response. Care Coordinators follow up with residents and/or their families and provide a warm introduction to service providers in the community. Care Coordinators also includes rapid response to calls made directly to the Village or Village-initiated calls for service related to unhoused community members and traumatic community events and generally serve as subject matter experts housed within the Village.
Timing Considerations
There are no specific timing considerations associated with this item.
Budget Impact
There is no current budget impact associated with this agenda, as it is an operational update on this program. The Phase One pilot will end December 31, 2026. Staff will bring forward conversations later this year about potential continuation of the program, as well as the start of Phase Two.
Operating Impact
There is no operating impact associated with this item. The item aligns with the department’s core service delivery.
DEI Impact
Care Coordination is an important tool for members of the community, in particular, those members of the community who rely on 911 as a primary source of medical care. While many community members call 911 for service, certain impacted communities, including those who are elderly, low-income, unhoused, or individuals with disabilities, are more likely to rely on 911 for immediate access to medical care. Care Coordination provides these residents with resources to best address medical needs outside of an emergency response system.
Community Input
The pilot program was developed through years of community calls for reimagining public safety, the State of Illinois’ passage of the Community Emergency Services and Support Act (CESSA), the BerryDunn Community Safety Study recommendations, the Village Manager’s Alternative Response Task Force for Mental Health Crises, the Village Board’s adopted goals for 2024-2025, and meetings and collaboration with the Village’s internal and external public safety and emergency response providers.
Staff Recommendation
There is no formal action associated with this item. Input received from the Village Board will be incorporated into the pilot program.
Alternatives
There are no alternatives associated with this item, this is a presentation and discussion.
Anticipated Future Actions
This is the first of a series of conversations for the Board in 2026 about alternative response calls for service. Staff will return in the spring to discuss the rollout of the CESSA pilot with West Suburban Consolidated Dispatch. Staff will return in late spring/early summer to discuss the status of the Phase One pilot and staff recommendations for Phase Two.
Prepared By: Vanessa Matheny, Community Services Administrator
Reviewed By: Jonathan Burch, Assistant Village Manager/Neighborhood Services Director
Approved By: Kevin J. Jackson, Village Manager
Attachment(s):
1. Presentation