Systems in Sync: Partnering for Equitable Mental Wellness
We did it!
The Alliance for Health Equity would like to thank our amazing co-hosts, the Transforming Communities Initiative (Loyola Medicine/Quinn Center), Cook County Department of Public Health, and NAMI Metro Suburban, for helping make Systems in Sync: Partnering for Equitable Mental Wellness a success! Also a thank you to all of our presenters, panelists, community experts, tabling orgs, and everyone who attended! The event slides are available here. Check out some photos from the event in the gallery below. Watch videos of the Panel and Program Presentations by clicking the buttons above. All photos and video by Timmy Samuel, Starbelly Studios.
What’s Next?
We are not stopping here! The event was just a kick off to a continuing effort to support partnership and collaboration in the behavioral health space in Chicago and Suburban Cook County. We are reviewing feedback from the post event survey which will help inform how we continue this work. If you were not at the event and would like to share your thoughts, you can fill out a survey below. Please complete the survey before 5pm on Friday, October 3. Once we have gathered feedback we will share information and discuss next steps at the Systems in Sync: Next Steps webinar.
Systems in Sync: Next Steps Webinar
Date: Wednesday, October 8, 2025
Time: 10am to 11:30am
Location: Zoom
How to Attend: If you attended Systems in Sync, you will automatically get a link to register. If you did not attend, fill out the General Feedback Survey below. The registration link is on the confirmation page.
Share your thoughts on what we do next!
For those that attended Systems in Sync
For those that did not attend Systems in Sync
All photos by Timmy Samuel, Starbelly Studios
Systems in Sync was a free event to bring together community organizations, healthcare, health departments, and community members to collaborate, connect, and share best practices to improve mental wellness and reduce inequities in Chicago and Suburban Cook County. The event was held on September 18, 2025 at Bulger Park Community Center in Melrose Park. The event was co-hosted by NAMI Metro Suburban, Cook County Department of Public Health, and the Transforming Communities Initiative. The event included:
Presentations and posters on behavioral health programs from:
Cook County Department of Public Health
Chicago Department of Public Health
NAMI Metro Suburban
Trinity Services
Transforming Communities Initiative
NAMI Chicago
Sinai Urban Health Institute
The Community Information Exchange
A panel discussion on collaboration in the current political environment featuring:
Ed Stellon, Chief External Affairs Officer, IPHI (Panel Host)
Alicia Gattis, Community Programs Director and Lead Therapist, PEER, Inc.
Lindsey LaPointe, IL State Representative, 19th District
Nanette Larson, Deputy Director Wellness and Recovery Services, IDHS
Breakout sessions focused on relationship building and collaboration
View the full agenda here.