Press launch from the Chicago Police Division:
March 12, 2021
The Chicago Police Division (CPD) immediately introduced Alexa James, Chief Government Officer of the Nationwide Alliance on Psychological Sickness (NAMI) Chicago, as Senior Advisor of Wellness for the Division. James will proceed to function CEO of NAMI Chicago and convey the expertise of her staff to assist the individuals of CPD. She brings years of expertise and deep institutional information of psychological wellness to the Division in an effort to start fostering a group of wellness for CPD internally and externally.
Whereas her function as a guide is new, James isn’t any stranger to CPD. As CEO of NAMI Chicago, she has labored carefully with the Division to advance Officer Wellness and Disaster Intervention Workforce coaching efforts. On this function, she is going to proceed working alongside Skilled Counseling Division and Worker Help Program (EAP) Director Dr. Robert Sobo, specializing in supporting and implementing a method round constructing a tradition of wellness throughout the Division and in addition the varied communities CPD works to serve and shield.
“We’re thrilled to be welcoming Alexa James to the Chicago Police Division the place she will probably be working with our officers to foster wellness each throughout the division and the broader group,” mentioned CPD Superintendent David O. Brown. “This previous 12 months has proved the important significance psychological wellness has within the lives of officers and group members, and now we have full confidence that Alexa is the suitable individual to bolster a greater understanding of psychological well being and the sources accessible to our officers.”
James will give attention to bolstering a greater understanding of psychological well being and the sources accessible to members. She is going to work with key leaders within the Division, together with Superintendent Brown, to construct technique and implement adjustments that foster elevated consciousness and understanding of psychological well being. She can even assist officers to study and higher make the most of the sources accessible to them whereas assessing and addressing any present gaps. This inside work will then inform group interactions, fostering a broader tradition of care all through all of Chicago to higher reply to psychological well being associated calls and crises.
“I’m happy to be getting into this function on the Chicago Police Division to construct a tradition of wellness and take care of our cops, which may then be used to tell interactions with residents and communities they serve,” James mentioned. “This can be a important time to make sure that we’re offering all the required sources and helps that folks want for psychological wellness, particularly for these on the frontlines of the response to the COVID-19 pandemic.”
This strengthened effort to boost officer wellness throughout the Division is made attainable with the assist of the Chicago Police Basis (CPF). The muse is offering funding that may help the Division within the implementation of further sources and insurance policies to finest serve CPD officers.
“The Chicago Police Basis is proud to serve those that serve us,” mentioned CPF Chairman Richard Simon. “In reflecting on occasions which have adversely affected the women and men of CPD, we perceive how essential it’s to put money into the Division’s most respected asset, our officers.”
James has spent the previous 9 years establishing NAMI Chicago as a number one voice within the dialog round psychological wellness, the challenges of the psychological well being system, and psychological well being schooling in Chicago and past. Underneath her management, the group has constructed partnerships that stretch all through Chicago and Illinois to strengthen the group’s response to psychological well being.
James beforehand represented NAMI Chicago and served on the COVID-19 Restoration Job Pressure below Mayor Lori Lightfoot, and on Mayor-elect Lightfoot’s Well being & Human Providers Transition Committee. She is going to proceed to hold out her function at NAMI Chicago to create and maintain packages that improve therapeutic in the neighborhood, whether or not its enterprise, colleges, or elsewhere.
Regulation enforcement and first responders have been an space of focus and partnership for years, and her function at CPD is inside NAMI Chicago’s mission to assist and normalize psychological well being and improve wellness.
Previous to her begin at NAMI Chicago, James labored with youngsters and adults residing with psychological well being situations and people impacted by poverty and trauma. She holds a bachelor’s diploma in Psychology and a grasp’s diploma in Social Work from Loyola College, in addition to a grasp’s diploma in Baby Improvement from Erikson Institute.
About NAMI Chicago
Since 1979, NAMI Chicago has fought for households and people impacted by psychological well being situations by way of selling group wellness, breaking down obstacles to psychological well being care and offering assist and experience for households, professionals and people in Chicago and past. Guided by the experiences of these residing with psychological well being situations and rooted in fairness, NAMI Chicago educates to struggle stigma and discrimination, fiercely advocates for our group, and shares hope, connection and experience with individuals on their psychological well being journey. To study extra, go to https://www.namichicago.org/.
This press launch was produced by the Chicago Police Division. The views expressed listed below are the creator’s personal.
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