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TO: Mayor John Laesch
FROM: Lt. Andrew Wolcott, Aurora Police Department
DATE: June 4, 2025
SUBJECT:
A Resolution authorizing the execution of a service agreement between the City of Aurora, and Family Service Association of Elgin Illinois in support of the Aurora Police Department Crisis Intervention Unit for the period of July of 2025 through June of 2026.
PURPOSE:
To obtain the City Council’s approval of a proposed resolution that would authorize the Director of Purchasing to enter into a service agreement with the Family Services Association of Elgin (FSA) for contracted social worker services needed as part of the Aurora Police Department Crisis Intervention Unit.).
BACKGROUND:
The Aurora Police Department understands that many police interactions with citizens in crisis include a substantial mental health component which must be addressed for the safety of the police officer and the citizen. The Aurora Police Department also knows that incidents often occur where a citizen in crisis may display behaviors otherwise considered criminal in nature, but for which an enforcement intervention is not the proper strategy. For these and other reasons, the Aurora Police Department endeavored to adopt a police/social worker co-response model wherein highly trained police officers are paired with highly trained mental healthcare providers to provide crisis intervention in a safe and meaningful way.
The Aurora Police Department has been working in partnership with the FSA for several years and has constructed a Crisis Intervention Unit which focuses on in-progress and post-incident care for the citizens of Aurora who find themselves in a mental health crisis and also often interact with police. This model provides safety for the citizen, the social worker, and the officer, while utilizing approaches to mental health interventions aimed at the care of the citizen-patient versus traditional police enforcement tactics.
An agreement was previously approved for 2022-2023 (Resolution #R23-217) between FSA and the City of Aurora and 2024-2025 (Resolution #R24-046) between FSA and the City of Aurora.
DISCUSSION:
The Aurora Police Department intends to enter into a service agreement with the FSA to continue our partnership in crisis intervention in the City of Aurora with an eye toward outreach and continued expansion of services.
The Aurora Police Department has operational funding approved in prior decision packages for this service agreement, which will be paid out of account 215-3536-421.50-50.
IMPACT STATEMENT:
The partnership between FSA of Greater Elgin and the Aurora Police Department in this co-response model has been a tremendous success. This service agreement is necessary so that we can continue to have social workers working hand and hand with our police officers, which is an expectation of the community.
RECOMMENDATIONS:
We respectfully recommend that the Aurora City Council grant approval to enter into a service agreement with the Family Services Association of Elgin.
cc: Committee of the Whole
CITY OF AURORA, ILLINOIS
RESOLUTION NO. _________
DATE OF PASSAGE ________________
title
A Resolution authorizing the execution of a service agreement between the City of Aurora, and Family Service Association of Elgin in support of the Aurora Police Department Crisis Intervention Unit for the period of July of 2025 through June of 2026.
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WHEREAS, the City of Aurora has a population of more than 25,000 persons and is, therefore, a home rule unit under subsection (a) of Section 6 of Article VII of the Illinois Constitution of 1970; and
WHEREAS, subject to said Section, a home rule unit may exercise any power and perform any function pertaining to its government and affairs for the protection of the public health, safety, morals, and welfare; and
WHEREAS, the City of Aurora Police Department is committed to continuing our Crisis Intervention Unit and the services the Unit provides, including those of social workers; and
WHEREAS, the Family Service Association of Elgin has been selected to partner with the Aurora Police Department by providing mental health clinicians to the Aurora Police Department; and
WHEREAS, the City of Aurora has budgeted funds in order to contract with the Family Service Association of Elgin, being paid with funds in account 215-3536-421.50-50.
WHEREAS, if required your last whereas statement should reference the section of code that allows your action (i.e. pursuant to Aurora Code Section 2-335(a)(3) the desired product is provided by only one source in this situation; and) )
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the City Council of the City of Aurora, Illinois, as follows: finds as facts all of the preamble recitals of this Resolution and hereby authorizes the Director of Purchasing to execute a service agreement between the City of Aurora, and Family Services Association of Elgin in support of the Aurora Police Department Crisis Intervention Unit as described in Exhibit A.