Funds will help create programs serving children, youth, and families on South, Northwest sides of Chicago

Chicago – Trilogy is pleased to announce that it received a grant from Cook County Health’s Stronger Together: Building a More Equitable Behavioral Health System in Cook County Initiative. Trilogy was awarded $998,672.86 for ​​the Chicago Youth Mental Wellness Project​, which will address the growing need for mental and behavioral healthcare supports for children and youth. The award was announced June 10 by Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle and County Commissioners.

“The demand for mental health services that address the needs of children and youth have skyrocketed in recent years,” says Susan Doig, LCSW, LPHA, CADC, Trilogy President & CEO. “This is especially true in communities of color, and in communities that have historically had less access to critical resources. We’re incredibly grateful to Cook County Health for this funding that will allow Trilogy to provide preventative care to youth and families as a whole.”

Grant funds enable Trilogy to begin providing services for children, youth and families at Trilogy’s new Chatham Wellness Center at 8541 S. State Street, in addition to expanding service capacity on the Northwest side. Like all of Trilogy’s programs, these new services will be accessible to individuals who use Medicaid to access care. “We believe that high-quality mental healthcare should be accessible to all, regardless of your ZIP code or socioeconomic status,” added Doig. “We’re thrilled for this opportunity to jump-start additional programming in underserved areas.”

The Stronger Together Initiative aims to address behavioral health inequities across the region’s system of care through increased systems alignment, enhanced system quality, and the expansion of access to early intervention and prevention, treatment, support, recovery, and crisis assessment and care.

Fifty-three organizations were selected, with applicants that serve communities that score the highest on the Social-Vulnerability Index receiving priority. 

This initiative, led by the Office of Behavioral Health at Cook County Health (CCH) is supported by funds from the U.S. Department of Treasury, under the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) allocated to CCH by Cook County Government. 

“This initiative highlights how government and other sectors of our community can work together to benefit the greater good,” Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle said. “This is a historic opportunity to make meaningful change in Cook County for generations.”  

“I am grateful to President Preckwinkle, and the Cook County Board of Commissioners for entrusting us as stewards of these funds to help address the broad behavioral health needs we see across Cook County,” said Cook County Health Interim CEO Dr. Erik Mikaitis. “The community-focused institutions awarded today will make a significant impact in expanding access to comprehensive, culturally appropriate behavioral health prevention, treatment, and recovery services. As a leader and convener in this space, Cook County Health knows that we are truly stronger together.” 

About Trilogy
Trilogy is a nonprofit organization that provides comprehensive integrated care that enables people in mental health recovery to build meaningful and independent lives. For 50 years, Trilogy has supported people who struggle with significant mental illnesses like bipolar disorder, schizoaffective disorders, depression, and other issues, often in tandem with barriers like substance use or homelessness. Every day, Trilogy provides a full array of mental and behavioral healthcare to some of the most marginalized populations in Chicago. More at TrilogyInc.org. 

About Cook County Health
One of the largest public health systems in the nation, Cook County Health (CCH) serves as the safety-net for health care in Chicago and suburban Cook County. CCH is comprised of two hospitals, a robust network of more than a dozen community health centers, the Ruth M. Rothstein CORE Center, the Cook County Department of Public Health, Correctional Health Services, which provides health care to individuals at the Cook County Jail and the Juvenile Temporary Detention Center, and CountyCare, a Medicaid managed care health plan. Through the health system and the health plan, CCH cares for more than 500,000 individuals each year, and its physicians are experts in their fields, committed to providing their patients with comprehensive, compassionate and cutting-edge care. Today, CCH is transforming the provision of health care in Cook County by promoting community-based primary and preventive care, growing an innovative, collaborative health plan, and enhancing the patient experience.

About Cook County Government
Cook County is the second largest county in the United States representing 5.2 million residents in Illinois. The President of the Cook County Board of Commissioners is the chief executive officer (CEO) of Cook County and oversees the Offices Under the President and presides as president of the Forest Preserves of Cook County.