SPOTLIGHT: Current CIMH Initiatives

Reimagining Mental Health Supports for Migrants -

Reimaginando los Apoyos de Salud Mental para los Migrantes

November 2022 to present

FREE Online Course ~ Launched Oct. 2024

Additional Media Links:

WBEZ News Recording (December 2023): Volunteer-led support groups provide mental health care to Chicago migrants (Listen HERE)

Fast Company (March 2024): This Emerging Program In Chicago is Pioneering a More Affordable WAy to Improve Mental Health Among Migrants. (Read HERE)

NPR (January 2024): For Chicago’s New Migrants, Informal Support Groups Help Ease the Pain and Trauma (read HERE)

In March 2021, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott’s launched “Operation Lone Star” as a border security effort in response to increased encounters with unauthorized migrants crossing along the U.S.-Mexico border. Part of this operation included the busing of migrant arrivals to Democratic-led states with “sanctuary city” designations such as New York, Washington D.C., and Chicago. The first Texas-chartered bus arrived in Chicago on August 31, 2022 and Chicago has now welcomed over 10,500 arrivals who come via bus and other means. Acute trauma and adjustment stress is often woven into the narratives of individuals and communities who move to survive like the arriving migrants, and reports from frontline staff at bus stations and emergency housing are communicating and documenting increasing mental health concerns among arrivals. 

Rebecca Ford-Paz and Aimee Hilado (CIMH Steering Committee members; Co-chairs, CIMH Migrant Mental Health Response) have been working with the Chicago Department of Public Health and the Illinois Department of Human Services, Division of Mental Health to support a city/state mental health plan for asylum-seeking migrant arrivals. In December 2022, Rebecca, Aimee and their respective teams from Lurie Children's Hospital and the University of Chicago developed a two-part emotional wellness curriculum entitled "Reimagining Mental Health Supports for Migrants."

By The Numbers (as of March 1, 2024):

7 Training Cohorts have been launched since December 2022.

698 Frontline Staff have been trained in the initiatives from DFSS shelters sites, IDHS Welcoming Centers, Communitiy-based Organizations, and Police Precincts.

Funders: Schreiber Catalyst Fund (Cohort 1), Immigration Funders Collaborative and Crossroads Fund (Cohort 2), Illinois Department of Human Services (Cohort 3-10)

PART 1 Description: Part 1 of the curriculum provides an overview of trauma-informed care tenets and universal strategies for promoting mental wellness among migrant arrivals. Participants are given helpful frameworks and helpful language for engaging trauma-experienced newcomers, and opportunities to practice how to respond to individuals in distress, model adaptive coping strategies, and connect newcomers with additional resources. Part 1 also focuses on the importance of self-care and wellness among frontline workers.

PART 2 Description: In Part 2, participants are trained to deliver emotional wellness psychoeducational content to migrants with whom they work in non-stigmatizing ways. Through Café y Comunidad charlas (small group discussions), frontline staff have additional opportunities to address emotional distress, normalize stress/trauma reactions, and promote adaptive coping among arrivals.

Reflective Consultation: A cornerstone of this intervention is the opportunity to have ongoing technical and emotional support from licensed mental health providers from CIMH. CIMH providers will facilitate bi-monthly virtual Reflective Consultation to cohorts of 9-10 trainees at no cost to participants.

A special thank you to our licensed CIMH mental health providers who answered the call to action (as of Feb. 2024): Cristina Aguilar, LCSW; Jessica Cruz, LCSW; Maria Ferrera, Ph.D., LCSW*; Rebecca Ford-Paz, Ph.D.*; Erika Gustafson, Ph.D.; Aimee Hilado, Ph.D., LCSW*; Amy Hill, LCSW*; Valeria Lazo, LCSW; Emily Ledesma, LCSW; Margaret Marion, LCSW; Bianca Mena, LCSW; Nisha Paliwal, LCPC; Bianca Ramos, LCSW; Lu Rocha, LCSW; Lizbeth Rosas-Reyes, LCSW; Yukako Sortino, LCSW; Stephanie Torres, Ph.D.; Mayela Varela, LCSW; (*=denotes member of CIMH Leadership team)

CIMH Migrant Mental Health Response Co-Chairs:

Curriculum Development and Training Team:

Rebecca Ford-Paz, Ph.D. (Lead - CIMH, Lurie Children’s Hospital)

Aimee Hilado, Ph.D., LCSW (CIMH, University of Chicago)

Bianca Vargas Ocasio, LCSW (CIMH, Lurie Children’s Hospital)

Oscar Becerra Hernandez (CIMH, University of Chicago)

Bianca Mena, LCSW (CIMH, DePaul University)

Stephanie Torres, Ph.D. (CIMH, UIC)

Pati Aguirre, LCSW (CIMH, Lurie Children’s Hospital)

Rocio Martinez, MD (CIMH, Lurie Children’s Hospital)