Cook County Health awards over $14 million in community grants for behavioral health interventions

Initiative will expand behavioral health and harm reduction services in suburban Cook County

Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle, Cook County Health Chief Executive Officer Israel Rocha, and Cook County Department of Public Health (CCDPH) Chief Operating Officer Dr. LaMar Hasbrouck, announced CCDPH will be awarding over $14 million in grant funding across four years to expand mental health and substance use prevention, treatment and support in suburban Cook County.

“[This] announcement demonstrates our commitment to the well-being of all Cook County residents,” said President Preckwinkle.

“This investment in behavioral health as part of our Building Health Communities Initiative ensures that we’re taking a holistic approach to healthcare that prioritizes mental health, as well as physical health.”

Grants will range from $250,000 to over $1 million each, and are part of the Building Healthy Communities Behavioral Health Initiative, funded under the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA).

“This initiative will allow us to support our residents, getting them access to be sound in body and mind,” said Cook County Commissioner Frank J. Aguilar.

“By making these grants available to stakeholders and community organizations that our residents are familiar with and trust, we will be able to reach many of our residents with services they otherwise could not access. I want to thank my colleagues on the Board and at Cook County’s Department of Health for once again showing their support for our resident’s health, both mental and physical.”

Data shows that behavioral health needs have increased globally and in the U.S. The global presence of depression and anxiety increased by more than 25% in the first year of the pandemic. Nearly 50% of Americans reported recent symptoms of an anxiety or depressive disorder, and 10% felt their mental health needs were not being met.

According to the National Institutes of Health, people who are more likely to experience mental illnesses or disorders during the COVID-19 pandemic, include: children, mothers and pregnant people; black, indigenous, and people of color; people with financial or housing insecurity; people with disabilities; and people with pre-existing mental illnesses or substance use problems.

“We are excited to work with our communities to meet the needs of our residents and families and chart a healthier path forward,” said CCDPH Behavioral Health Unit Director Jennifer Brothers.

“We are calling on all organizations who are eligible to apply. Whether you are a small community-based organization housed in the basement of a local church, a local middle school that is committed to raising future generations, or a community health center that has been working in the community for decades: We want to work in partnership with you.”

The Building Healthy Communities Behavioral Health Initiative will be built on a foundation of equity and inclusivity. To that end, CCDPH streamlined the grant application process to encourage all interested organizations and agencies to apply.

For those not familiar with receiving grants: optional, capacity-building workshops are being offered to familiarize applicants with legal requirements and grant application skills, such as program design, monitoring and reporting.

Applications are now being accepted thru Dec. 7, 2022, and awards will be announced in January, 2023. For more information and to apply online, visit our website at: BHCopencall.com.

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Ray Hanania is an award-winning opinion columnist, author & former Chicago City Hall reporter (1977-1992). A veteran who served during the Vietnam War and the recipient of four SPJ Peter Lisagor Awards for column writing, Hanania writes weekly opinion columns on mainstream American & Chicagoland topics for the Southwest News-Herald, Des Plaines Valley News, the Regional News, The Reporter Newspapers, and Suburban Chicagoland.

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