Interview with Ald. Rosanna Rodriguez Sanchez
Committed to “Treatment not Trauma”
During her interview with League member Elona Vaisnys, Ald. Rosanna Rodriguez Sanchez of the 33rd Ward said her priority for the remainder of her first term is to expand the small pilot program that began last year to send a paramedic and mental health professional, in one case in lieu of and in another case along with, police responding to a mental health crisis 911 call. There will be a March 4 hearing at 11 am on this topic in the City Council’s Health & Human Relations Committee, of which she is a member.
Among other things we learned in this interview:
To help deal with gun violence, Ald. Rodriguez Sanchez believes strongly in an evidence-based approach, and she awaits the results of a Northwestern University professor’s study on street outreach. She also says that there is not enough discussion of the impact of trauma from gun violence. She strongly favors adding to the five current mental health clinics in the city.
The northside 33rd Ward includes Albany Park, Irving Park, Avondale and a very small piece of North Center. Ald. Rodriguez Sanchez said that people can dine around the world in the many restaurants, particularly in Albany Park.
The alderperson cited the rising cost of housing (including property taxes) as one of her ward’s top issues.
One change she would like to see in the operation of the City Council: instead of the mayor appointing committee chairs, the chairs should be elected by the Council members, and the chairs should have some basic knowledge of the subject matters covered by their committees. Ald. Rodriguez Sanchez said that under the current system, the mayor can block legislation she doesn’t like through her appointed chairs.