The Chicago Department of Public Health (CDPH) is proud to announce the next phase of its Mental Health Equity Initiative (MHEI), a partner network launched in 2020 to complement direct service delivery through CDPH mental health clinics (MHCs). From 2020-2025, MHEI enrolled over 173,000 new clients and invested $57.9 million in expanding behavioral health services. Learnings from five years of MHEI implementation informed CDPH’s program design of the 2026 launch of the Healthy Chicago Mental Health Collective (HC-MHC). HC-MHC establishes a bold new chapter that mobilizes CDPH’s Mental Health Centers and 53 new partner organizations to expand behavioral health services across Chicago. Highlights of the expansion include:
Community-Collocated Providers: Deliver mental health services in settings collocated with other medical and social services (such as libraries and food pantries). This integrated approach reduces barriers to care and supports person-centered mental health care alongside other essential services.
Clinic-Based Providers: Provide comprehensive behavioral health services within traditional healthcare settings.
School-Based Providers: Deliver services directly within school settings and often coordinate with educational and student support services. This model increases access to care, supports early identification and intervention, and integrates mental health support into students’ daily learning environments.