Chicago: ICYMI: Mayor Brandon Johnson Builds On Community Safety, Violence, And Overdose Reduction Progress—Blasts Trump Cuts

CHICAGO – In case you missed it, despite a barrage of new threats by the President to cut vital funding, this week Mayor Brandon Johnson maintained his focus on making the critical investments that are driving historic decreases in homicides and overdose deaths in communities across Chicago. To continue the work of building safer communities, Mayor Johnson launched a first-of-its-kind reentry support center focused on women on Thursday in Pilsen.

Mayor Johnson shared with a national audience the work the administration is doing to close the life-expectancy gap between Chicago's neighborhoods during an interview with CBS Evening News.

Yesterday, Mayor Johnson celebrated the launch of the City's first-ever women-focused Community Reentry Support Center (CRSC). The Women's CRSC will assist women returning from incarceration to access support resources, including interventions and services for survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault; mental and behavioral health care connections; and housing and employment navigation—helping ensure a safer, more stable transition back into the community.

"True safety means ensuring that every Chicagoan has access to opportunity, support, and healing, especially those living in historically disinvested and neglected communities," said Mayor Johnson during the launch event. "Through the Office of Re-entry, my administration is fostering true safety by investing in opportunities, support, and healing for returning residents so that they may find stability and dignity in their return to our neighborhoods."

The new CRSC represents the Johnson administration's latest investment to strengthen Chicago's reentry support network. It comes just over a month after the Mayor's Office of Reentry and Chicago Department of Public Health (CDPH) awarded the inaugural Returning with Hope Microgrants, which are helping local reentry service organizations expand program offerings and mental health services for returning residents.

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On Wednesday, Office of Reentry Director Joseph Mapp joined Chicago Tonight's Brandis Friedman to discuss the Johnson administration's progress over the last year in shaping policy and programming to better support Chicagoans returning from incarceration.

View Reentry Director Mapp's interview on WTTW's Chicago Tonight here.

Photos from the Women's CRSC launch are available here.

Mayor Johnson spoke with CBS's Tony Dokoupil Wednesday night about Chicago's progress driving down violent crime and reducing overdose deaths. Broadcasting live from Chicago's own Eleven City Diner in the South Loop, the conversation focused on the Johnson administration's investments in youth employment, affordable housing, and education, as well as the work that still needs to be done to address the historic disinvestment that has afflicted communities on the South and West Sides.

"We have transformed, essentially, how we are approaching leadership in this moment. By focusing our attention on neighborhoods that need these critical investments, whether it's youth employment, whether it's education, whether it's health care, particularly mental health care that's what my focus has been," said Mayor Johnson. "I'm confident that as we continue to do the work that's necessary to invest in these communities, we can improve the quality of life for all Chicagoans."

Mayor Johnson's full appearance on CBS Evening News can be viewed here.

Mayor Johnson responded forcefully after the Trump administration announced it intended to cut nearly $2 billion in grants to support mental health and addiction services programming, calling for an immediate reversal.

"My older brother Leon was a caring father who was taken from us far too soon because he did not get the help he desperately needed. Our family lost Leon to untreated trauma and addiction. Ensuring that our communities have the resources that they need to save lives and prevent overdose deaths should not be a partisan issue," said Mayor Johnson. "The President's decision to senselessly cut billions in funding from addiction and mental health will cost lives and destabilize communities. Every overdose death and suicide is a preventable tragedy. In the name of all of those who have lost loved ones to addiction and mental illness, I am calling on the President to immediately reverse this callous and dangerous decision."

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It was reported Thursday that the Trump administration walked-back the cuts to these critical programs following overwhelming backlash.

Earlier this week, Mayor Johnson brought together Community Violence Intervention (CVI) workers, Chicago Police Department (CPD) officers, and City leaders to reflect on the progress of anti-violence efforts over the past year in the 5th Police District and discuss ideas for building on impactful collaboration efforts. The Mayor spoke with 5th District Commander Karla Johnson and leaders from CVI organizations UCAN, Acclivus, Phalanx, Chicago CRED, and the Far South Chicago Coalition to better understand how the City can strengthen support for both CPD officers and anti-violence professionals working to calm tensions and prevent violent incidents before they occur.

Video of the full roundtable discussion is available for here.

On Tuesday morning, Mayor Johnson met with 3rd District Cmdr. Melvin Branch to talk through what worked in terms of inter-agency partnerships, effective policing efforts, and collaboration between CPD and CVI groups in South Shore, which experienced some of the largest decreases in crime and violence anywhere in Chicago during 2025.

Later that morning, Mayor Johnson sat down with Commander Branch and leaders from seven local community organizations for a discussion centered on what each organization learned over the last year, which efforts have been most successful, community feedback, and how the City can better serve and support anti-violence partners.

The Chicago Sun-Times has more on the South Shore discussion here.

Photos from the event can be accessed here.

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