At AIDS Foundation Chicago (AFC) and Center for Health and Housing (CHH), we believe that mental health is a vital part of your life that impacts things like your productivity, emotions, work, school and more. Mental health is just as essential as physical health considering that mental disorders can also raise a risk for physical health problems down the line. In order to improve emotional health, management of mental illness or substance use, and reduce the barriers to medical treatment, AFC and CHH provide behavioral health services that are more accessible for clients.
Read to learn more about our program and our coordinators that offer all our amazing options! Please feel free to contact any behavioral health staff member for support, guidance and consultation. Discuss these options with your clients and refer them to programs as necessary.
SOAR Program
Hello, I am Chiayu McGill, the SOAR program coordinator! Having a regular income is one of the most important predictors of health, and we can help your clients get an income. The SOAR (SSI/SSDI Outreach, Access, and Recovery) program helps individuals apply for disability benefits who are not able to work due to a physical or mental health disorder. . The SOAR case managers work with medical providers to help individuals apply for Social Security disability benefits and navigate the overwhelming process. Please feel free to contact me at [email protected] or 312-989-6535 with any questions and/or for a referral form.
Connection to Recovery (C2R)
Hi, my name is Carolyn Bloom and I work as a counselor on the Connection to Recovery (C2R) program. C2R is a harm reduction-based program created to support your participant in any positive change they want to make to their relationship to drugs and/or alcohol. Our program offers any or all of the options below:
- Treatment Navigation: We will assist your participant in connecting to treatment that he/she/they believe best supports their needs, whether that’s an inpatient, outpatient or a medication-assisted treatment program. Going to treatment is a personal decision and NOT required or coerced at any time.
- Support Groups: Peer support can be a great source of connection. C2R can help your participant find a peer support group that is convenient for them, or that’s accessible online or by phone.
- In-Home Counseling: A C2R counselor will meet regularly with your participant in-person or via telephone. A counselor is available to listen and support your participant in any areas of their life that they feel will help support a desire for change.
Complete our referral form or, for more information, call me at 312.439.0046.
In-Home Behavioral Health
Hi! My name is Jamie Hock. I am the program manager for Behavioral Health and a Licensed Clinical Social Worker. The in-home behavioral health program meets your clients where they are at on their mental health journey. A behavioral health specialist will meet with your client in their home (or over the phone) once a week to listen, support and talk about their many needs and goals. The behavioral health specialist can help with anxiety, depression, grief, addiction and many more areas. Behavioral health specialists will listen without judgment.
Please feel free to reach out with any needs. You can now easily refer clients to the program through CaseWorthy. For more information, please complete contact me at 312.508.9768 or [email protected].
Seasonal Affective Disorder
Each year, around 10 million Americans experience Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD). Due to COVID-19 and restrictions on gathering and traveling, there is a possibility for an increase in seasonal depression. Pay attention to any signs and symptoms in clients (and yourself) and seek support as necessary. Please feel free to contact any behavioral health staff member for support, guidance and consultation.
Welcome to the first edition of Wellness Quarterly! Each quarter, the Behavioral Health Team at AFC/CHH will be releasing a newsletter with information and updates about our programs, mental health tips and tricks, relevant updates about behavioral health issues affecting clients, and much more. We would love to hear your feedback about what you would like to see or think would be beneficial to include in this newsletter. Please email Jamie Hock at [email protected] with any feedback and suggestions. We wish everyone a safe holiday season and a happy new year!
