AHE Mental Health Workgroup
About the AHE Mental Health Workgroup
The Alliance for Health Equity Mental Health Workgroup was formed as a response to the Cook County-wide Community Health Needs Assessment (CHNA). Mental health and substance use repeatedly come up as a top health issue in communities across Chicago and Suburban Cook County. The workgroup is designed to align and amplify efforts by hospitals, health departments, and community organizations to improve mental health and wellness through collaboration, partnership, and support. The workgroup is guided by priority areas and cross cutting strategies that were chosen in partnership with workgroup members to best support their efforts and the community.
The Mental Health Workgroup meets monthly for one hour, generally on the second Tuesday at 10am. The workgroup supports members by working closely with the Cook County Department of Public Health and Chicago Department of Public Health to align and support efforts. The workgroup also seeks out funding and partnership opportunities to further the programs and priorities of the group and group members. In past years, the workgroup has created an Opioid Task Force, hosted Mental Health First Aid trainings, and conducted Trauma Informed Care training with providers.
In 2025, the Mental Health Workgroup launched a new initiative, Systems in Sync: Partnering for Equitable Mental Wellness focused on partnership and collaboration. The initiative is described in more detail below.
Interested in joining the Mental Health Workgroup?
About Systems in Sync
Systems in Sync is an initiative of the Alliance for Health Equity Mental Health Workgroup focused on building and supporting collaboration and partnership between behavioral health-related organizations and institutions in Chicago and Suburban Cook County. By centering health equity, community expertise, peer support, and collaboration, Systems in Sync is working to bridge gaps between organizations to maximize impact. In collaboration with partners across sectors, Systems and Sync launched in September 2025 with an in-person event co-hosted by the Cook County Department of Public Health, NAMI Metro Suburban, and the Transforming Communities Initiative. The event was attended by representatives from over 50 organizations and institutions and included a panel and presentations on mental health programs throughout the county. After the event, attendees and AHE Mental Health Workgroup members shared feedback on how the initiative should move forward.
Systems in Sync has big plans for 2026 including an annual in person event, quarterly meetings for learning and program updates, and a monthly newsletter with information, resources, and opportunities for partnership. All of these efforts will be collaboratively designed and implemented.
All photos by Timmy Samuel, Starbelly Studios