Join the CESSA Coalition

CESSA Coalition Overview

Coalition Purpose:

The CESSA Coalition promotes the Community Emergency Services and Supports Act (CESSA), conducts public education on CESSA, and participates as a stakeholder in the CESSA implementation process. The Coalition also follows and weighs in on trends in legislator and local policies related to implementation of non-police mental/behavioral health responses across Illinois.  

Further reading: Frequently Asked Questions about CESSA

Coalition Goals:

1. Strengthen advocacy relationships through outreach and public education on CESSA implementation  
2. Share research on best practices related to key components of CESSA 
3. Prepare and respond to questions/stakeholder opportunities regarding CESSA as a law, the CESSA implementation process, and key trends in the area of non-police response for mental and behavioral health crises 
4. Organize strategies to ensure effective implementation of CESSA at the local, state and federal levels 

Who is eligible to be a member of the CESSA Coalition?

Interested persons should have at least one of the following:

• Lived experience with mental health crisis and police response 
• Professional experience with mental health service delivery 
• Connections to a community-based organization or agency that is related to the mental health continuum of care 
• An interest in advancing racial equity and justice

Desired Knowledge Areas of new Coalition members:

For additional information, contact:

The CESSA Coalition at Access Living is made possible through the support of the Joyce Foundation.