NAMI Chicago’s 2021-22 Policy Priorities

After a months-long process of community surveys and focus groups, and in response to ongoing feedback and experiences we hear from those that we serve, NAMI Chicago has developed our 2021-22 policy priorities to advance our vision of a well and supportive City of Chicago and beyond. Our priorities are broken down into four broad issue areas: treatment availability, equity, prevention, and community supports. These four categories will guide NAMI Chicago’s advocacy over the next two years.

NAMI Chicago envisions a city where everyone has meaningful and equitable access to mental health treatment as well as services and resources that promote individual and community wellness and recovery. Learn more about each issue area below.


1. Treatment Availability

Everyone deserves access to the mental health services they need, when they need them, and in the manner that works best for them. Promoting “treatment availability” in Chicago requires complex solutions, because treatment looks different for everyone. People differ in their preferences and the levels of support they need.

Areas that fall under “treatment availability” policy work include: expanding mental health crisis response services, reducing barriers to paying for services, increasing service capacity in currently underserved communities, and ensuring the availability of both in-person and virtual services.

NAMI Chicago’s ongoing work in this area

  • Advocating for the development of infrastructure for the mental health crisis response system in Chicago and Illinois. This includes the development of co-responder and non-police crisis response models that are interconnected with 9-1-1 emergency services.

  • Advocating for increased state funding for the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline ahead of the full implementation of 9-8-8 in July 2022.

  • Advocating for reform of the state forensic mental health system to foster recovery among individuals within this system.


2. Equity

Equity weaves through all of NAMI Chicago’s work. However, it’s critical to call out the central necessity of ensuring that all Chicagoans, regardless of language, national origin, race, ethnicity, or gender, are able to live in well communities and have access to high quality mental health services from competent and appropriate providers.

NAMI Chicago will advocate for policies that expand opportunities for people with diverse backgrounds and lived experience to join the peer workforce, increase service capacity in BIPOC communities, address community trauma, and promote prevention and early intervention.

NAMI Chicago’s ongoing work in this area

  • Expanding outreach, education, and engagement around mental wellness on the South and West Sides of Chicago to build community power

  • Advocating for the expansion of availability of mental health services for low-income Illinois children through Medicaid.

  • Building our own organization’s capacity to train and empower a peer workforce, with intentional work to recruit from communities that reflect those we serve


3. Prevention

Prevention is about providing mental health education and empowerment on a community level, that equips people to build the tools they need to support mental wellness. It is also about intervening as soon as possible after the onset of a person’s mental health symptoms, to provide treatment that improves their quality of life in the short- and long- term.

NAMI Chicago will advocate for policies that keep individuals and families healthy and stable as well as ensuring individuals are able to connect to services right away, before they get to a point of crisis.

NAMI Chicago’s ongoing work in this area

  • Expanding access to mental health support on college campuses across Illinois

  • Increasing diversion for individuals with mental health conditions away from the juvenile and adult criminal court systems, into treatment

  • Increasing the flexibility of mental health service options, so that waitlists and delays in care do not interfere with people’s ability to access mental health care early and when needed


4. Community Supports

Each person’s mental health is affected by the situations and society in which they live. NAMI Chicago recognizes the importance of home, community, and purpose to people’s mental health experiences. We support policies and practices that improve access to community supports that foster mental wellness.

NAMI Chicago will advocate for policies that promote access to safe, affordable and appropriate housing, heal community trauma, and address the impacts of structural racism on communities.

NAMI Chicago’s ongoing work in this area

  • Advocating for the full implementation of the City of Chicago’s 2019 Healing Communities report

  • Expanding the availability and funding of permanent supportive housing through state legislation.

  • Advocating for trauma-informed practices to address community trauma, which disproportionately impacts communities of color in Chicago.


With questions about NAMI Chicago’s policy and advocacy work, contact Tony Ohlhausen, Research Coordinator, at tony@namichicago.org. To get involved as an advocate, visit namichicago.org/advocate.

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