Mental Health & Community Wellness

Healthy communities are empowered communities. We make a healthy lifestyle more accessible with workshops, support groups, and counseling, all through a culturally-sensitive and trauma-informed lens.

Proyecto Cuídate

In our Proyecto Cuídate — literally translating to “Project Take Care” — programs, we provide an array of services to support, inform, and educate the community on topics that strengthen the individual and family unit. Working primarily in Little Village, our aim is healing, building relationships, and creating safe spaces to promote wellness in the community.

Proyecto Cuídate also collaborates and partners with agencies and schools throughout Chicago and in partnering towns to provide educational supports around trauma, mental health, domestic violence, bullying prevention, and restorative justice, as well as other community wellness and safety topics.

Proyecto Cuídate is one of Illinois’ Family Advocacy Centers under the Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS).

Learn more about Proyecto Cuídate

Individual Counseling Services

Through Proyecto Cuídate, our clinical therapists provide free, individual, social-emotional and behavioral counseling services to support children, teens, adults and families when they need it most.

And in our Early Childhood Education, School-Age, and Youth Options Unlimited (YOU) programs, students have access to our on-site clinical psychologist and team of graduate interns who provide those in need of socio-emotional support with individual, age-appropriate counseling to promote healthy growth and development.

DCFS Case Support and General Case Management

Our Proyecto Cuídate team advocates for families and foster care alumni as they work with the Department of Children and Family Services.

We also coordinate services provided for families by offering referrals such as family law supports, connections with immigration representation for survivors of violence, and/or linking clients with agencies (including in-Erie House services) to best support their needs.

Additional Support for Children & Youth

School-based Supports

Working in partnership with CPS schools, our Proyecto Cuídate department offers youth Social-Emotional Learning (SEL) programs, violence prevention, intervention, and healing support, referrals, and workshops to support the entire school community.

Youth Teams

In our cohort-based, youth-centered Proyecto Cuídate programs including mentorship, leadership development, support, and case management based in Little Village, we strive to build youth power, support, confidence, and positive identifies to inspire resiliency in our communities.

And through our Youth Options Unlimited (YOU) programs, students also have the opportunity to join gender-specific groups to have a safe space for an open, honest dialogue on topics such as depression, sexuality, and managing stress.

Healthy, Active Lifestyles

Children and youth of all ages in our programs learn about active play and exercise through our Super H initiative and get moving in our motor skills room, gym, and outdoor playground areas.

Learn more about programs for Children & Youth

Nutrition Education and Workshops for All Ages

We host workshops and cooking demonstrations, provide coaching, and deliver other resources to support wellness, including diabetes prevention and cardiovascular health.

Learn more about our nutrition & wellness programs

Join an upcoming workshop

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Supportive Groups for Women and Parents

Women's Empowerment

We provide safe spaces for women to explore, discuss, and learn about building coping skills for emotional well-being, with topics ranging from self-care and self-esteem to communication and healthy relationships.

Parenting

In a series of weekly sessions, we provide educational, dynamic trainings for parents in topics including: developing realistic expectations of children, appropriate discipline, developmental states and areas of child development, and utilizing self-regulating techniques.

Our Impact

Last year, Proyecto Cuídate counselors provided 446 sessions to survivors of domestic violence.

In a single year, over 500 adults participate in our nutrition education workshops, and more than 200 children participate in weekly nutrition education workshops and activities.

100% of children in Early Childhood Education who are identified as needing additional support are referred for services, and last year, 63 children received play therapy with our in-house clinicians and clinical interns.

Read our annual reports

Volunteer with us

Check out our list of volunteer positions with our programs — including virtual opportunities to get involved.

Learn more about volunteering

Support our work

You can help us continue and expand our critical work to reach more individuals and families in need of mental health and community wellness support.

Donate now