Program Summary

  • COG is one of four co-responder pilot programs established by 2022 Illinois legislation (65 ILCS 5/11-1.5).
  • Through COG, three licensed social workers provided crisis response and victim assistance in partnership with Waukegan police.
  • In practice, COG emphasized referral coordination and service linkage, with program staff responding to a high volume of crisis-related calls in residential settings.
  • Referral pathways were primarily officer-initiated, and no dispatch-related barriers were documented during the pilot period.

Key Findings

  • The program connected participants to housing, legal, family, and other support services through on-scene and follow-up engagement.
  • The program demonstrated flexibility and strong referral partnerships despite funding and space-related restrictions that limited overall capacity.

Participants and Service Response

The following referral categories are not mutually exclusive and may overlap, as participants were able to receive more than one type of service during a single response, depending on identified needs. For this reason, percentages should not be interpreted as summing to 100%.

From November 2023 to May 2025, the program served 276 participants.

  • 53% (146) entered the program through officer referral.
  • Social workers reported that 39% (108) of participants were Hispanic/Latino, with a substantial proportion who were Spanish-speaking only. Two social workers spoke fluent Spanish.
  • Social workers identified 45% (124) of participants’ cases as involving a mental health-related crisis.
  • Social workers provided referrals to mental health treatment for 29% (80) of participants.

Of the total participants served, program staff:

  • Responded to private residences in 82% (226) of participants’ cases.
  • Referred 61% (168) of participants’ cases to support services.

Program Performance

  • Crisis Response: COG staff provided on-scene advocacy, referrals, and emotional support during and after incidents.
  • Community Outreach: The program strengthened collaboration and service integration through monthly social worker coalition meetings.
  • Adaptability: COG maintained crisis response and referral functions despite space- and funding-related constraints.
  • Trust-building: The program became a reliable and approachable resource for community members through its consistent presence.
  • Capacity Constraints: Social workers’ opportunities for confidentiality were limited by the need to share office space with police, which constrained social workers from being able to discuss sensitive information and coordinate privately.
  • Program Implementation: The program began the pilot period fully staffed with three licensed social workers, which supported consistent operational coverage.