The Work Continues…
Our capacity for hope stems from the courage to believe healing is possible. In 2023, NAMI Chicago prioritized mental wellness and extended a lifeline of support to individuals in our community at every stage in the mental health journey. We showed up. We reframed the conversation. We continue to do the work.
NAMI Chicago embedded staff in several systems to create an immersive, de-centralized approach to emotional support and care coordination. We provided essential clinical case management for adult individuals in the Mental Health Court Program. We hosted learning collaborative events to bridge the gap for on-campus wellness initiatives. And we answered the call with Helpline specialists who spent over 18 minutes on over 10,000 calls to provide a listening ear or direction to the right resources.
This work continues thanks to you. With your support, NAMI Chicago will be there in 2024 for more people, in more places than ever before.
Looking Back + Moving Ahead: Five Areas of Focus
NAMI Chicago programs intersect with all stages of the care continuum. The following areas of focus represent select achievements from the past year, as well as a hint at some key initiatives that are inspiring us forward.
A CLOSER LOOK: YOUTH
This is what true partnership looks like.
In 2023, NAMI Chicago and the Boys and Girls Club of Chicago came together to provide youth participants and staff with direct access to wellness and mental health support at the James R. Jordan Club on the near west side, and the True Value Club in Little Village. Our wellness staff provides mental health training to staff, have developed restorative spaces for reflection, and are building valuable relationships with the young people at these locations. We are thrilled to be creating rapport that inspires trust and confidence, and encourages youth participants to reach out for emotional and grief support.
And this is the PATH forward.
What happens when 12 organizations –led by Saint Anthony Hospital – form an innovative collaborative focused on providing a holistic, integrated behavioral health option for children, adolescents and families on Chicago’s south and southwest sides? Welcome to the new Pediatric and Adolescent Transformative Healthcare [PATH] collaborative. The center is looking at a grand opening in spring 2024, and NAMI Chicago is proud to provide peer support, education and engagement, and expanded Helpline support as part of this exciting interdisciplinary, shared model of care.
A CLOSER LOOK: CARE COORDINATION
Life-changing case management.
For the hundreds of individuals in need of clinical case management in the Circuit Court of Cook County Mental Health Court Program, NAMI Chicago provided essential support needed to rebuild their lives. From gaining control of addiction and working towards recovery after residential substance treatment to attending community-based meetings for mental health support, graduates of the program report life-changing outcomes thanks to their NAMI Chicago case managers.
And continued support to enforce real change.
NAMI Chicago's Clinical Support Team continues to provide emotional support and care coordination to those experiencing serious mental illnesses, almost doubling its caseload in the past year. Our ongoing work with Chicago law enforcement provides a way for officers to refer individuals exhibiting concerning behavior to NAMI Chicago for mental health assessment and support.
A CLOSER LOOK: POLICY REFORM
We’re experiencing a full-circle moment.
In 2019, NAMI Chicago drafted and led the passage of the Mental Health Early Action on Campus Act. The law provides for the expansion of peer and clinical services on campuses. Another provision is that a statewide Technical Assistance Center (TAC) be established to guide implementation of the law and adherence to best practices. To bridge the gap before the TAC was established, we joined forces with Young Invincibles to host learning collaborative events. We are thrilled to report that in late 2023, the state has formally launched the TAC based on our previous work – and NAMI Chicago now serves on its advisory council.
While continuing to bridge the gap in the mental health crisis continuum.
Building on many years of advocating for a more effective and supportive mental health care continuum, we are focusing this year on creating a system that is truly responsive to the needs of all neighbors in crisis. NAMI Chicago is taking the lead – at both the city and county levels – to identify and advance opportunities for creating a truly complete system that provides access to a listening ear and an active response for those experiencing a mental health emergency.
A CLOSER LOOK: CRISIS SUPPORT
Answering the call with barrier-free support.
For individuals, families and providers, NAMI Chicago's Helpline provides emotional support and resources needed to achieve mental wellness. Our dedicated Helpline specialists spent more than 18 minutes on over 10,000 calls in 2023, many of whom were in crisis. The support is immediate and far reaching, from ensuring safe transportation to emergency departments to keeping those in need on the line and supporting them emotionally along the way. We are here for you, Chicago.
That launched a new lifeline for the city of Chicago.
In 2023, we were enormously proud to have been awarded a grant to launch a 988 Crisis Lifeline. This award is a reflection of NAMI Chicago’s incredible work and established expertise helping individuals navigate the mental health system in our region. In January 2024, we officially began receiving 988 calls, with an incredible team on the phones from 4PM until 8AM every day. This addition to our existing call capacity means that we can be there for Cook County residents around the clock – and we can’t wait to learn how this access will make a positive difference in the lives of people in our community.
A CLOSER LOOK: RECOVERY
Innovations in peer-led support.
NAMI Chicago continues to provide recovery support groups, hosting more than 390 group and class sessions. In 2023, this included an innovative pilot program at Speer Academy that focused on helping teens with lived experience receive training to support other young people. An initial cohort of eight students completed the course to become peer mentors, and this school year they will run peer-led support groups as an after-school activity.
And a new pilot to facilitate the transition to community.
In 2023, NAMI Chicago was invited to develop a new program that would place full-time support associates with lived experience within four local rehabilitation facilities. Support associates are trained to provide invaluable care coordination to class members transitioning back into the community – and we are so excited to welcome 14 new full-time individuals who are leading this initiative in 2024.
Financials FY 2023
July 1, 2022–June 30, 2023
THANK YOU, DONORS
Your generosity makes everything we do possible.
