The Chicago Transit Authority Board approved a year‑long pilot that will place trained non‑police mediators and mental‑health professionals on Red, Blue and Green line trains beginning in September 2026. The initiative, budgeted at $10 million, is designed to intervene in violence and crisis situations directly on board the system’s busiest routes.
The pilot adds a new layer of staff to the CTA’s recent security enhancements. While the authority has already increased the number of uniformed officers and security personnel, the new program focuses on crisis‑intervention expertise rather than law‑enforcement. Trained mediators and mental‑health specialists will travel with passengers, offering de‑escalation techniques and support for individuals experiencing mental‑health emergencies.
The decision follows a series of incidents involving violence and mental‑health crises on CTA trains, prompting officials to seek alternatives to traditional policing. By deploying specialists who can address underlying issues in real time, the CTA hopes to reduce the frequency and severity of such events. The pilot will operate for one year, after which the authority will assess its impact and determine whether to expand the model system‑wide.
Funding for the program comes from the CTA’s budget allocation for safety improvements. The $10 million investment will cover training, staffing, and operational costs associated with the on‑board personnel. The board’s announcement emphasizes that the initiative is intended to complement, not replace, existing security measures, providing a more nuanced response to passenger needs on the Red, Blue and Green lines.