Gurnee Police CARE Team
The CARE Team (Crisis Assistance & Response Engagement) consists of a co-responder team that partners a licensed clinical social worker and an officer. The team is designed to assist those who live within our community and are experiencing a mental health crisis.
This team rides together and is available to assist in various ways. The goal of the crisis support unit is to reduce the stigma of mental health, mitigate the fear associated with law enforcement, and provide a coordinated response and follow-up to those in need.
The CARE Team:
- Responds to calls for service involving those with various diagnoses who are experiencing a crisis
- Performs follow-ups in the home and via phone to assist in the coordination of resources
The CARE Team works diligently with our community partners to improve our response to individuals with mental illness, intellectual developmental disorders, and the homeless, and continues to develop innovative model strategies that assist the citizens of Gurnee.
Examples of a Police Social Worker’s role can involve providing crisis intervention or de-escalation services to individuals in need; connecting families to social service providers in the county; assisting officers on calls where mental illness is a factor; supporting crime victims or families during fatal events; facilitating trainings on officer wellness; and, at times providing short-term counseling to individuals for stabilization purposes.
Please call 847-599-7036 or 847-599-7000 to speak with the Police Social Worker. From there, you will be able to set up an appointment to further discuss the issue at hand.