Thrive Counseling Center Receives One Million Dollars to Expand Psychiatry Program
In February 2023, Cook County Department of Public Health (CCDPH) announced grant awards totaling nearly $17 million for 20 communities targeted by CCDPH’s Building Healthier Communities: Behavioral Health Initiative grants, which are supported by funding from the U.S. Department of Treasury under the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA). The grants will be used to address positive youth development, opioid overdose prevention and harm reduction programs, and behavioral health needs, which data shows have increased globally during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Building Healthier Communities Behavioral Health Initiative aims to reduce inequities in mental health and substance use in suburban Cook County by strengthening the capacity of organizations to increase and enhance access to a full continuum of integrated and equitable behavioral health and substance use services, support, and treatment in suburban Cook County. Thrive Counseling Center in Oak Park is one of the organizations that received a grant to expand and enhance its psychiatry services.
“We are excited to have this level of support to reimagine and redevelop our psychiatric services in a thoughtful and sustainable way over the next four years. Our goal is to support the role of medications in the treatment of mental illness through a more integrated and holistic approach using a nursing care model.” says Thrive Clinical Director Dr. Sarah Wiemeyer.
Thrive Counseling Center is a Community Mental Health Center providing comprehensive mental health support through therapy, psychiatric services, case management, 24/7 crisis response, and community education. Based in Oak Park, the agency serves many suburban communities identified as under resourced, including Berwyn, Cicero, Maywood, Melrose Park as well as the west side of Chicago.
“Our mission is to provide equitable behavioral healthcare. Our doors are open to anyone who needs our help, regardless of their health insurance or ability to pay. Finding psychiatric prescribers who take Medicaid insurance plans is extremely difficult and more than 300 individuals rely on Thrive for their psychiatric medication,” says Thrive President/Executive Director Jennifer Rook.
Thrive will further develop their outpatient psychiatric program to include 2 Full-Time Advanced Nurse Practitioners who will collaborate with a supervising psychiatrist to provide psychiatric medications and health education. The program will also include two psychiatric nurses and a Psychiatric Services Coordinator.
“Our community is deeply committed to mental health and Thrive has been a critical partner for more than 125 years. I am extremely grateful they now have the resources they need to fully develop their psychiatry team, and ultimately serve more people,” says Oak Park Village President Vicki Scaman.
“We know the pandemic has exacerbated mental health and substance use challenges for Cook County residents and their families,” said CCDPH Chief Operating Officer LaMar Hasbrouck, MD. “So, we’re looking forward to working with our community partners to help meet the critical needs of our residents and their families.”
Thrive Counseling Center intends to begin accepting new patients for psychiatry early this summer. For questions and more information, call (708) 383-7500 or visit www.thrivecc.org.