Chicago, IL — 91��ɫ has been awarded a new three-year Mental Health Awareness Training (MHAT) grant from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) to expand practical, evidence-based mental health awareness and crisis response training across Chicago. Helping more people recognize mental health needs, respond safely, and connect individuals to care.��

Through the grant, 91��ɫ will train 900 people over the next three years in practical, evidence-based, trauma-informed skills, including Mental Health First Aid, suicide prevention and intervention, crisis de-escalation, and recognizing the signs and symptoms of mental illness. ��

The initiative will focus on communities on Chicago’s North and South Sides, building on the strong community networks surrounding 91��ɫ’��Centers for Mental Wellbeing Ravenswood and South,��which are both federally Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinics (CCBHCs).��

Training will extend beyond traditional behavioral health providers to organizations that regularly encounter individuals experiencing mental health challenges or crises. Potential partners include hospitals, schools, law enforcement and first responders,��jails, transit providers, managed care organizations, faith communities, housing providers, employers, educators, and other trusted community organizations.��

In addition to providing training, 91��ɫ will strengthen community partnerships and referral pathways, so people who recognize someone in crisis know where to turn for help. Participants will receive information about resources including 988, Mobile Crisis Response services, Living Rooms, CCBHCs, and other community supports.��

“The grant allows 91��ɫ to take the expertise we use every day responding to mental health crises and bring it further into the community,” said Sherin Khan, Chief Strategy��Officer at 91��ɫ. “By equipping more people with practical knowledge and skills, we can help ensure that individuals experiencing mental health challenges are met with compassion, supported safely, and connected to care.”��

The project is funded for three years at over $450,000, with potential to extend the work in future years.��

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This summer, 91��ɫ welcomed four rising sophomores from the University of Notre Dame as interns through the ND Bridge Program, which connects students with organizations working to address complex social issues. For interns at 91��ɫ, this means diving headfirst into community settings where behavioral healthcare, housing, employment, and recovery connect every day.��

Ady Bremner, Ella Dassah, Naomi Teklemariam, and Thea Bendaly spent eight weeks living and working in Chicago, learning alongside 91��ɫ staff and clients. They visited a variety of programs, shadowed staff, explored locations across the city, and researched topics rooted in bettering our communities.��

At the end of their internships, each student presented their research to 91��ɫ clinical staff. Their topics ranged from healthcare barriers for people living with serious mental illness to the impact of hospital closures, social worker burnout, and the transition from institutional settings to community-based housing.��

While each student came to 91��ɫ with a different academic background and career interests, their experiences connected their areas of study to the people and communities affected by the systems they’ve learned about.��

Supporting the Supporters��

For Naomi Teklemariam, a neuroscience major on a pre-med track, shadowing staff led her to a bigger question.��

After conversations with staff about the demands of behavioral healthcare work, Naomi became interested in social worker burnout and its connection to structural disinvestment in Chicago’s West and South Sides.��

“I really fell into this research question within my first week at 91��ɫ,” Naomi said. “I was talking with my supervisor and heard personal stories from staff about how they combat stress and burnout, which really drew me to this research focus.”��

As Naomi explored the issue, she also saw how important it is for organizations to recognize and address those pressures. Her experience at 91��ɫ showed her that supporting staff is part of providing quality care to clients. By providing opportunities for staff to support one another, she saw an organization that acknowledges the realities of behavioral healthcare work while creating space for staff to sustain it.��

Naomi’s research provided a valuable look at how decades of disinvestment in Chicago communities can contribute to the pressures facing social workers today. But she also saw the importance of workplace culture in helping staff manage that work.��

“No matter the team, there was always so much laughter and mutual support between staff and clients. I think that made a huge difference in how that care was delivered and received,” she said.��

Protecting Lifesaving Policies��

Thea Bendaly arrived at 91��ɫ eager to explore how criminal justice reform and mental healthcare connect in practice.��

A political science major, Thea is involved in Notre Dame’s Student Policy Network and studies mass incarceration, reentry, and prison reform. She knew there was a connection between those issues and mental healthcare but wanted to better understand that connection firsthand.��

“Homelessness, poverty, mental health care, and mass incarceration all intersect,” Thea said. For her, the eight-week internship offered a way to deepen her understanding of a social justice issue she hopes to work on throughout her career.��

Through her experiences and research, Thea gained a deeper appreciation for funding advocacy and how dangerous cuts can be for clients.��

“We talk so much in school about federal funding cuts,” Thea said. “Getting to actually interact with people who are affected by federal funding cuts has been really impactful for me.”��

Her presentation focused on the Williams Consent Decree and the transition from institutional settings to community-based housing. Through her research, she explored how co-occurring substance use and serious mental illness can add complexity to the transition while finding that engagement and individualized support play an important role in successful community living.��

Looking Beyond a Diagnosis��

Ady Bremner’s research focused on a question that sits at the intersection of mental and physical healthcare: What factors make it challenging for people living with serious mental illness to access the healthcare they need?��

As she spent time with 91��ɫ’ community teams, Ady saw how factors such as lack of transportation, financial resources, health literacy, and social stigma can create barriers to care. Those observations shaped her research, which explored the systemic challenges affecting healthcare access and the ways 91��ɫ works to address them.��

Her time at 91��ɫ also reinforced the importance of seeing the whole person behind the services they receive.��

“One of the biggest things I learned here was the value of not limiting clients to their diagnosis,” Ady said. “Being able to see someone for who they are and their humanity was a core memory for me.”��

That perspective carried into the way she thought about healthcare disparities. Rather than viewing access to care as simply a matter of individual choices, Ady understood how much larger systems can influence a person’s ability to get the support they need.��

“A lot of it isn’t a conscious choice by one person, but rather systematic barriers,” she said. “It’s about treating the entire person exactly as they are: a person!”��

Seeing the Bigger System��

Ella Dassah’s research examined another part of that system: the impact of hospital closures on behavioral healthcare access and advocacy. During her internship, Ella visited programs across Chicago’s West Side and western suburbs. She saw how much coordination goes into helping clients maintain stability and access care.��

“Each experience gave me a valuable perspective on community mental health,” Ella said. “Nothing happens without everyone being all in and on the same team. I saw how much collaboration went into every effort.”��

Her research examined how the closure of a “safety-net hospital” can create additional pressure throughout an already strained healthcare system. When one part of that system is disrupted, the effects can extend to emergency departments, community providers, and organizations like 91��ɫ that help people stay connected to ongoing care.��

For Ella, the experience reinforced that behavioral healthcare cannot be viewed in isolation. It is part of a larger network of hospitals, primary care providers, community organizations, and other services that people rely on to stay healthy and connected to their communities.��

91��ɫ Takeaways

The students arrived with different interests, but each left with a similar sense of pride, understanding, and motivation to apply what they learned to their future. One of the biggest surprises they shared was the breadth of 91��ɫ’ work.��After working alongside residential programs, employment services, clinical support, homeless outreach, and more throughout their eight weeks, the interns each noted the importance and impact of building relationships between staff and clients.����

“I feel like we’ve all realized truly how involved staff are in the recovery and the mental health care of the people they serve,” Thea said. “The staff are there going through this journey alongside the clients, and are always putting their best foot forward.”��

For the students, some of their favorite moments came from simply talking with clients. Seemingly small conversations about Marvel, sports, nature, future goals, and everything in between helped them see people beyond the diagnoses or systems they had been studying.��

“I feel like most of my favorite memories were when we spent time with the clients,” Ella reflected. “I recommend that everyone come in with a really open mind and make the most of this opportunity. That’s what I did!”��

Those conversations became an important part of the internship’s impact, challenging assumptions and giving the students a more personal understanding of the issues behind their research.��As the students return to Notre Dame for the new school year, they take with them a deeper understanding of community-based care and the people who make it possible.��

We are so grateful to Ady, Ella, Naomi, and Thea for their curiosity, thoughtfulness, and willingness to learn from our clients and staff throughout the summer. We wish them the best in the year ahead and look forward to seeing where their experiences take them!��

Interested in gaining hands-on experience in behavioral healthcare? Explore internship and career opportunities at 91��ɫ and find your place on Team 91��ɫ: ��

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

91��ɫ’ Statement on U.S. Department of Justice Olmstead Memo

Chicago, IL – For more than 60 years, 91��ɫ has provided community-based behavioral health and supportive housing services across Chicagoland, helping more than 13,000 people with serious mental illnesses each year find home, health, and hope. The heartbeat of our mission is to empower clients to live independently in their communities and avoid unnecessary institutionalization.

This is why we are sounding the alarm about the recent Department of Justice (DOJ) that lays out a deeply troubling and significantly narrower interpretation of existing statute and case law pertaining to disability rights, particularly for those disabled by a behavioral health condition.

While the federal position does not change existing law, it signals a dangerous retreat from decades of progress protecting the right of people with disabilities to live in the least restrictive setting possible. By adopting a significantly narrower interpretation of Olmstead’s community integration mandate, the Administration risks undermining hard-won protections and raises concerns that longstanding protections supporting community-based services may be severely weakened. Along with the , the memo reinforces longstanding misconceptions about people experiencing homelessness and mental health conditions that adversely influence public policy, despite substantial evidence that these individuals are far more likely to be victims of crime than perpetrators.

The Administration’s stance could significantly limit critical federal enforcement if states begin to move away from community reintegration. This could have significant consequences for access to various optional Medicaid services as well as the implementation of the Williams and Colbert consent decrees in Illinois. These consent decrees represent Olmstead-related settlements resulting from years of illegal institutionalization of thousands of Illinoisans with mental health conditions in violation of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and the Rehabilitation Act.

In the years since, 91��ɫ has proudly transitioned 1,784 class members of the out of nursing homes and Specialized Mental Health Rehabilitation Facilities (SMHRFs) back into the community. This powerful work builds on the legacy of the important safeguards established by the Community Mental Health Act, the Americans with Disabilities Act, and the Olmstead decision.

The evidence is clear – pairing affordable housing with supportive services is a powerful combination. It is successful by the outcomes – of the 1,784 individuals 91��ɫ helped move, 1,255 have avoided any return to institutional care. It is successful by the cost – a housing voucher and the highest level of community care 91��ɫ offers is less expensive than nursing home care.

But it is most clear in the stories of those whose lives have been transformed by deinstitutionalization. Laney is a client of 91��ɫ who lived in a nursing home due to her bipolar disorder, her only option besides living on the street. She says it was only a place to survive, not to get better. With the support the consent decrees gave her, she has now been living successfully in her own apartment for three years. She says, “My experiences and expectations are different since living independently. I was in a place where I didn’t feel safe. But when you have a roof over your head, you have the stability to focus on what comes next.”

With our partners in the Healthy Minds Healthy Lives Coalition, 91��ɫ helped this spring to remind legislators of the critical bipartisan work Illinois has done to strengthen our community-based, evidence-backed system of care. We urge reconsideration of the DOJ’s new position and call on Congressional and state leaders to hold the line on what has proven to be effective and cost efficient – community-based treatment and permanent supportive housing.

We cannot return to the dark days of institutionalization. The well-being of our communities and our nation depends on continued investment in care that honors our shared humanity and fulfills the promise of the Community Mental Health Act.

91��ɫ provides services and resources for persons with mental health and substance use conditions in Illinois. We work with many populations, including youth and young adults, veterans, young mothers, deaf, and individuals experiencing homelessness, among others. We believe that everyone deserves the opportunity to live an independent, healthy life.

MEDIA INQUIRIES:

Emily Moen – Chief Communications Officer

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CHICAGO, IL (June 4, 2026) Today, we celebrate the incredible career of Mark Furlong, and wish him well on his retirement journey.��

“We take care of our staff, and we take care of our members. This is our��north��star. Every decision goes through that lens.”��-Mark Furlong����

Mark’s commitment to these values has not wavered since he started at 91��ɫ in 1986 as a job coach for the Young Adult Program. While this ethos has always been a core part of agency culture, Mark has been a standard-bearer throughout the four decades of his 91��ɫ career.������

From 1987 to 1989, Mark provided mobile job support to members as part of a research project that contributed to the development of the IPS model of employment services. From 1989 to 1992, Mark was a Community Support Specialist at Bridge North. Entering the Jane Addams College of Social Work with Debbie Pavick, Sheila��O’Neil��and Carrie Mastoris in 1987, Mark received his��Master’s degree in social work��in 1993. From 1993 to 2015, his clinical experience at 91��ɫ spanned many programs. He worked in intake for 91��ɫ South, served on a Mobile Assessment Unit (now HOP), returned to Bridge North as a team leader, an assistant program director and program director, became vice president of South Side programs, and from 2011 to 2015 was senior vice president of clinical operations.������

Some of Mark’s most cherished memories from his time as a clinical leader came between 1999 and 2006 when 91��ɫ held an annual all-agency Music Camp. One weekend a year, a group of about 25 staff and 50 members would travel to a camp in the woods and spend the days writing songs, making instruments, singing around campfires, and recording music. Beyond Music Camp, Mark fostered artistic collaboration throughout the year, recording members’ musical talents for two CD compilations and helping to organize an annual member arts and music festival.������

Mark has been part of launching a few of the many 91��ɫ innovative programs. In 2005, Mark helped to supervise the startup of the Peer Success program. In 2006, Mark helped to oversee the DirectConnect project that successfully transitioned the first 50 class members from nursing facilities to independent apartments in the community. This pilot became the model for the State of Illinois for services under the Williams Consent Decree. In 2010, along with Brent Peterson and Fernando Valles, Mark was part of launching the 91��ɫ Veterans Project. ��

In 2013, Mark received a Master of Nonprofit Administration degree from North Park University.��When Mark became 91��ɫ’ Chief Operating Officer in 2015, his commitment to members and staff became system-focused, working with his team to provide support and service to the 91��ɫ staff who serve members every day.��Beyond 91��ɫ, in 2017, Mark joined the board as a founding member of the Illinois Health Practice Alliance (IHPA), a state-wide collaborative of 120 behavioral health providers. The IHPA is an independent practice association that has helped align payer and provider incentives to move the system of care toward one that is value-based and focuses on higher quality care, better outcomes, and reduced total cost of care.����

One of the most meaningful experiences as COO has been working closely with his team and watching them continuously thrive and deliver amid increasing challenges, especially during the COVID pandemic. Mark spearheaded the COVID Continuity of Operations Planning Committee or COOP, a committed group of clinical and administrative leaders who coordinated the agency’s response to a myriad of challenges presented by the pandemic, from how clinicians delivered community-based services to how facilities staff kept program and residential buildings safe and clean. Mark’s weekly all-staff emails during the first few months of the pandemic were a master class in leadership, keeping everyone informed in his trademark calm and gracious way.��������

“I’m��so grateful to the entire staff at 91��ɫ, who have always stepped up to do what is needed.��I’m��inspired by 91��ɫ members who work so hard on their recovery. And��I’m��incredibly proud to have been a part of 91��ɫ all these years.”����

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Early yesterday, the Illinois General Assembly finalized the Fiscal Year 2027 budget and concluded its legislative session. The budget and other measures approved by the legislature now go to Governor Pritzker for consideration. While the budget is largely flat compared to last year, there is still much to celebrate across the behavioral health and supportive housing sectors.

“Despite difficult financial headwinds, we deeply appreciate the Governor and General Assembly’s measured approach and continued commitment to supporting vulnerable Illinoisans, including those living with mental health and substance use conditions,” said Mark Ishaug, President and CEO of 91��ɫ.

91��ɫ��is��proud��to partner with state Senator Mike Simmons��to��secure��a $250,000 investment to renovate��The Glenn Apartments, a single room occupancy (SRO) building in Uptown that we purchased last year to preserve affordable housing for our clients and neighbors.

In partnership with the Healthy Minds Healthy Lives coalition, we also a resolution that��raises awareness of��concerning federal actions and encourages��policymakers��to recommit to evidence-based, community-backed, and person-centered treatment and housing models.

Although additional��funding for Housing Is Recovery was not included��in the budget, we are proud of��the progress we made in��raising awareness of this vital��rental��assistance��program and laying��the groundwork for future investment. Additionally, we supported the reinstatement of proposed cuts to Home Illinois��– an important win for supportive housing amid concerns around the��future of the��federal Continuum of Care (CoC) program,��the nation’s largest investment in homeless��assistance��and permanent supportive housing.

Several��initiatives��aimed at strengthening providers’��ability to be paid fairly and on time also passed, including the��Community Partner��Fair Contracting Act and��various��provisions in the Medicaid Omnibus.

We also commend the legislature for extending a one-time $400 payment to households that have lost partial or full Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits due to new federal requirements,��helping individuals during the transition.

Budget negotiations were shaped by��the reality that beginning January 1, 2027, Illinois will lose significant federal dollars due to major changes to Medicaid and SNAP��outlined in HR1.��In response, the��General Assembly��identified��new revenue��sources which will be��critical to��avoiding painful cuts and��sustaining��health and human services.

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91��ɫ is proud to announce that we have once again been recognized as one of .

Presented annually by the , the Best & Brightest program honors organizations that are committed to creating exceptional workplace cultures and supporting employees through innovative and thoughtful practices.

For 91��ɫ, this recognition reflects the people behind our mission. Every day, staff across the organization bring compassion, dedication, and expertise to their work — supporting individuals and families across Illinois through mental health care, substance use treatment, housing, crisis response, recovery services, and more.

Whether responding to someone in crisis, helping a person secure stable housing, supporting employment goals, or building meaningful community connections, 91��ɫ employees lead with empathy and purpose.

“At 91��ɫ, our people are the heart of everything we do,” said Mark Ishaug, President and CEO of 91��ɫ. “This recognition reflects the incredible commitment of our staff and the culture they help create every day — one rooted in support, collaboration, and care for one another and the communities we serve.”

91��ɫ remains committed to fostering a workplace where employees feel valued, supported, and empowered to grow. From professional development opportunities and wellness initiatives to a mission-driven culture centered on belonging and connection, we believe investing in employees strengthens our ability to deliver high-quality care across our communities.

As we celebrate this recognition, we are deeply grateful to the staff members who make 91��ɫ a place where people can thrive — both personally and professionally.

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91��ɫ is proud to be recognized as a 2026 Silver recipient of the Bell Seal for Workplace Mental Health by Mental Health America — the nation’s leading recognition for employers committed to creating mentally healthy workplaces.

This marks another year that 91��ɫ has been honored with the Bell Seal, reflecting our continued investment in building a workplace culture where employees feel supported, valued, and able to thrive.

The Bell Seal for Workplace Mental Health is a national certification awarded to organizations that demonstrate excellence in supporting employee mental health and well-being. Employers are evaluated on workplace policies, benefits, culture, and wellness initiatives. At 91��ɫ, this commitment is deeply connected to our mission. As one of Illinois’ largest providers of mental health and substance use recovery services, we know that creating a culture of wellness must begin within our own organization. Receiving the Bell Seal affirms our ongoing efforts to foster a workplace where employees feel respected, supported, and empowered to ask for help when they need it.

91��ɫ employs more than 1,400 staff across a wide range of roles, all united by a shared commitment to supporting recovery and resilience in our communities. We are proud to offer a workplace that prioritizes well-being through:

• Comprehensive benefits and generous paid time off
• Access to employee assistance programs
• Ongoing training and professional development
• Clinical supervision and career growth opportunities
• A culture that values lived experience and inclusion

These efforts help ensure that our staff are not only equipped to do their work—but supported as whole people.

As a Bell Seal recipient, 91��ɫ joins a select group of organizations across the country working to create psychologically safe, supportive environments for their teams. “Creating a culture of mental wellness starts from within,” said President and CEO Mark Ishaug. “We are honored to be recognized among national leaders in workplace mental health and proud to set an example for what a supportive, equitable workplace can be.”

While we are proud of this recognition, our work does not stop here. We remain committed to continuously strengthening our workplace culture, listening to our staff, and advancing practices that support mental health and well-being. Because when our employees are supported, they are better able to support the thousands of individuals and families who rely on 91��ɫ every day.

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There are some evenings that stay with you—and , was one of them.

More than 550 supporters came together in a powerful show of generosity and shared purpose, filling the room with energy, compassion, and a collective belief in what’s possible. It was a night to celebrate community—and to shine a light on the life-changing work happening every day across 91��ɫ.

At the heart of the evening was a tribute to our Crisis Response teams. These dedicated professionals provide immediate, compassionate care to individuals experiencing mental health emergencies—meeting people where they are, helping them stabilize, and connecting them to the support they need to move forward. Their work is urgent, human, and deeply impactful.

Together, we raised an incredible $1.27 million to advance 91��ɫ’ mission of delivering life-changing services for people living with mental health and substance use conditions. This support moves us closer to a future where care is more accessible, more equitable, and available when it’s needed most.

We are deeply grateful to our Presenting Sponsor, Fifth Third Bank, along with the many generous sponsors who made the evening possible. Our heartfelt thanks also go to our Gala Committee hosts and co-chairs, Frank Haywood and Sharon Neal, and committee members Judy Ashworth, Keith Douglas, Megan Greer, Johna Hedden, Sue Roberts, and Minal Varma. Their leadership and commitment helped bring this special evening to life.

A special thank you to our keynote speaker, Christine Yu Moutier, whose honesty and advocacy left a lasting impression. Her voice continues to shape the national conversation around mental health—and underscores the urgency of this work.

We were also proud to honor the remarkable contributions of the James P. and Brenda S. Grusecki Family Foundation, Sasha-Ann Simons, and Darrious Hilmon. Their leadership and generosity reflect the profound impact individuals and partners can make in advancing mental health and recovery.

What happened that night reaches far beyond a single room. It supports our clients, strengthens our staff, and builds a foundation for lasting hope in the communities we serve.

We are honored to continue this work—together.

Explore more from the evening:

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“I get more from 91��ɫ than I give to it. And I’ve been trying to close that gap ever since I joined the board.”

When my husband and I planned to move to the Midwest, I went online before we’d even arrived, searching for ways to connect, to find something meaningful where I could be of service. I’d spent years in medical research, working on substance use, trying to develop medications that could help people struggling with addiction. I knew the world of stigmatized, overlooked populations. I knew how hard it was to get people the help they needed. I just hadn’t found the right place to put that to work.

Then a neighbor, a 91��ɫ board member, found out what I did and thought I might belong at 91��ɫ.

He was right.

My understanding of 91��ɫ’ impact deepened when I joined two members of the Homeless Outreach Program for a ride along. We were moving between visits, helping find a family living in a bus, clients in tents, people in apartments barely holding on, when one of the outreach workers got a phone call. A member they had worked with had died of an overdose. Someone they had known, cared for; someone they thought had been doing okay.

Both of them were devastated. And within minutes, they were instructed to come straight back to headquarters. There was support waiting for them. People ready to sit with them, talk with them, help them carry that heaviness.

I thought:��this organization takes care of its own just as it takes care of those it serves. I want to advance its mission in any way I can.

Judy has given her expertise, her energy, and her heart. If her story moved you, consider giving what you can. Every dollar goes directly toward 91��ɫ’ mission: to help people living with mental illness build lives of stability, dignity, and purpose — through housing, meaningful work, and the kind of steadfast human support that shows up and never stops showing up. The link to give is in our bio��and here.��.

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