Rahm's Clinic Closer CHASED OUT of the South Side

Mayor Emanuel's 2012 Chicago City Budget proposes to close half of Chicago's mental health clinics and privatize all 7 of its neighborhood health centers, cutting off access to care to some of Chicago's most vulnerable residents and under-served communities.

The Mental Health Movement, launched by Southside Together Organizing for Power (STOP)'s in partnership with the Community Mental Health Board of Chicago and AFSCME Council 31, has been trying to meet with Mayor Emanuel since he was just a candidate. We delivered 4,000 letters explaining that closing clinics is dangerous for communities and will carry unanticipated costs in extra hospitalizations and police response to preventable crises.

He ignored our letters and announced his plan to close and privatize our clinics. After asking for over a year to face the people his decision could kill, we sat-in for 10 hours at his office the day before the budget vote. Nonetheless, due to political arm-twisting, his budget passed 50-0.

The Chicago Department of Public Health (CDPH) has NOT consulted with the people this decision will affect. The Commissioner refused to appear at a town hall, meeting only with small groups who consistently told him that this decision will cost lives because many people cannot survive a transition to other clinics far away or cannot afford the co-pays charged in the private sector. But we continue the struggle.

This video is from 12/20/2011 when Rahm's Health Commissioner Bechara Choucair came to the Martin Luther King Jr. Center at 43rd and Cottage Grove to meet with some of the employees from clinics he is closing.

The Mental Health Movement is one of the only groups in Chicago history that won a head-to-head confrontation with then-Mayor Daley, when he tried to close four of these same clinics in 2009. That struggle launched a human rights movement lead by mental health consumers/survivors that continues growing to this day.

We will not back down.

Category:

Nonprofits & Activism

Tags:

• Mental
• Health
• HumanRights
• STOP
• Southside
• Chicago
• Public
• #chibudget

[openminded1]

i doubt this outburst stopped anything

[StopChicago]

@openminded1 It's not an isolated outburst. It's part of a coordinated and strategic campaign that has included delivering 4,000 letters, sitting-in for 10 hours at Rahm's office, meeting with and pressuring Alderman, building up a house-by-house, hood-by-hood base of concerned citizens, putting Alderman who stand in our way on blast (the night before this we had 40 people outside the office of the head of the health committee and it was lead story on both major Spanish TV stations). More 2 come

[kel2580]

These idiots always want to meet with poeple after the meeting is over. Run that fuck right out dam it! This city is not nearly as broke as they say it is. Rahm, you are an asshole, I voted for you and believe me, I will correct that mistake next election. Politicians live to hurt the working people as much as possible, saying they are working for the tax payers. Cut their salaries in half, then we might believe you.

[arabellaonasis]

the system is collapsing every day, little by little, these are the signs of the last days, the power is slowly dimenishing, No political or religious leader will be able to repair this.... its only going to get worse, its prophesized

[BrinkmanTraining]

There you go...you got what you want Chicago! 

[openminded1]

@StopChicago now thats what i want to hear!!

[MrRyanNanni]

Amazing!!!

[tonio77]

What the outburst did was get people to see that you cant come in and feed people bull. Im proud of the community for speaking up. You cant keep kicking poor people. The most embarassing part is that the CITY WALKED OUT.

[MindsClear]

great video

[animesuxxxx]

Great work!