The Erie Behavioral Health team strives to increase patients’ access to effective care in order to improve their overall health. To accomplish this, our clinicians provide an array of services (to established Erie medical patients) including short-term counseling services, brief mental health and crisis interventions, and linkage to other levels of care.
Behavioral Health (BH) is an important part of a person's overall health. Erie's Behavioral Health Consultants (BHCs) work with Erie medical providers and staff to support our patients' overall well-being. We provide care using a trauma-informed approach by acknowledging the widespread impact of trauma and implementing potential paths for healing. Our goals are to recognize the signs and symptoms of trauma in patients, staff, and others involved in our care and respond by integrating knowledge about trauma into policies, procedures, practices, and settings.
Erie offers same day BH services, short-term individual therapy, and group therapy to children, teens, and adults. If a person needs a long-term behavioral health support, we facilitate a connection with external partners.
Behavioral health services can only be offered to current patients who receive medical services from Erie. If you are interested in receiving behavioral health services, please talk to your Erie healthcare provider. We like to meet our patients in clinic on the same day of their medical visit.
We would like for you to talk with your medical provider about your concerns. If you are not available on the day of your medical visit, call our BH coordination number at 312-432-2059.
You may also visit MindApps to find apps based on the issues you're currently struggle with.
Our Services
- Mental health evaluation
- Behavior and mood management
- Suicidal/homicidal risk assessment
- Substance abuse assessment and intervention
- Trauma and anxiety management
- Short-term individual therapy
- Mental health education for patients
- Stress management
- Insomnia and sleep hygiene
- Mental health aspects of chronic disease and pain management
- Confidental visits for ages 12 years old and up
Unfortunately we are unable to offer the following services: medical marijuana evaluation, disability evaluations, attorney-drafted forms related to disability, conservatorship evaluations and forms, payee forms, child custody evaluations, DCFS mental health or alcohol and drug evaluations, court-ordered services, emotional support animal letters, FOID evaluations, hardship evaluations, U-Visa evaluation, bariatric evaluations. We may be able to make referral recommendations.
Erie’s group therapy is available to registered Erie patients and groups are led by our BH clinicians. Group therapy involves one or more clinicians who lead a group of Erie patients. Typically, groups meet either weekly, biweekly, or monthly for an hour or two weekly or monthly.
Many groups are designed to target a specific problem, such as depression, obesity, panic disorder, social anxiety, chronic pain or substance abuse.
Spanish Woman's Group
- Meets twice a month froom 4 to 5:30 p.m.
- Language: Spanish
- Format: Telehealth or on site
- Description: Provide women ages 40-70 years a space to have an open dialogue about mental health concerns and life stressors.
Post-Partum Support Group
- Meets at 1 p.m.
- Language: Every Wednesday (Spanish)
4th Tuesday of every Month (English) - Format: Telehealth
- Description: A safe space to explore various topics that are significant to motherhood.
Worry Warriors
- Meets weekly on Mondays from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. for 8 weeks
- Language: English
- Format: Telehealth
- Description: Group for children ages 8-11 with anxiety where they can explore feelings and develop coping skills to manage those anxious feelings.
Grief & Loss
- Meets the 2nd and 4th Thursday from 5 to 6:00 p.m. (English)
- Language: English
- Format: Telehealth
- Description: This group is to provide support and guidance for patients who are experiencing grief, regardless of when the loss occurred for adults.
Parenting Support Group
- Meets Thursdays, 10:30 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.
- Language: English
- Format: Telehealth
- Description: This group provides support and a safe place to explore the difficulties and joys of parenting in this very complex time. Open to any parents who are Erie patients.
LGBTQ+ Adolescent Group
- Meets weekly, Mondays 5:30 to 6:30 p.m.
- Language: English
- Format: Telehealth
- Description: An open adolescent group, discussing identities, complexities related to coming out, and other topics important to the group members.
LGBTQ+ Adult Group
- Meets weekly, Wednesdays 5:30 to 7 p.m.
- Language: English
- Format: Telehealth
- Description: An open adult group aimed to provide a space to discuss identities, coming out, and other topics important to group members.
Medication Assisted Treatment (MAT) Group
- Meets weekly, Mondays 9:00 to 10:30 (starting 4/17 the time will change to 10 to 11:30 AM).
- Language: English
- Format: In-person, at
Erie Foster Avenue Health Center
5215 N. California, 7th Floor
Chicago, IL 60625 - Description: An open adult group aimed to provide a space to discuss progress with medication assisted treatment.
Ready to Recover from Substance Use?
Erie can help you, or a loved one, recover from addiction. Our medical providers and counselors are trained to offer:
- Individual therapy
- Group therapy
- Medications
Our team can also assess how your substance use started, how it affects you now, and how to treat any related medical or mental health conditions.
Opioids include prescription and illegal drugs.
- Fentanyl, Heroin
- Norco, Oxycodone, Percocet, Tylenol #3, Morphine and Vicodin
- Opioids can also be mixed in with other drugs, like cocaine.
Medication-Assisted Treatment (MAT) can help you recover from alcohol and opioid use disorder.
MAT helps you reduce or stop substance use by controlling cravings. Two common medications used in MAT are naltrexone (which comes as a monthly injection called Vivitrol) and buprenorphine-naloxone (Suboxone).
Each medication can play an important role in your recovery, but you do not need to take any medication to access our treatment services.
Start your recovery today.
To take the next step in your recovery, talk to your Erie primary care provider or call our Behavioral Health services at 312-432-2059.
We know that substance use recovery is hard and you may face many other obstacles. We have resources to help you with transportation, housing, and medical insurance.
Please note: you need to be an established Erie patient to receive MAT services.
To access same or next-day addiction support through the state of Illinois, call 833-234-6343.
You can also use the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration's (SAMHSA) resources locater to seek same-day services in your area.
The following educational handouts provide healthy coping strategies for managing common mental health issues. Each handout has both English and Spanish.
These handouts are not diagnostic tools. Please speak with a mental health professional or your primary care provider if you are interested in behavioral health services. If you are having thoughts of self-harm or suicide, call 911 or go to your nearest emergency room.
You may also visit MindApps to find apps based on the issues you're currently struggle with.
Trauma
Substance Use
Grounding Exercise
Grief
Anxiety
Depression
Insomnia
Vicarious Trauma & Compassion Fatigue
ADHD
Mindfulness & Meditation for Families
Sloth's Bedtime Meditation for families
Take a look through our educational video library for information about common mental health issues, as well as coping techniques for difficult times.
These videos are not diagnostic tools. Please speak with a mental health professional or your primary care provider if you are interested in behavioral health services. If you are having thoughts of self-harm or suicide, call 911 or go to your nearest emergency room.
What is Anxiety?
¿Qué es Ansiedad?
What is Depression?
¿Qué es la Depresión?
What is Grief?
¿Qué es el Duelo?
What is ADHD?
¿Que es el TDAH?
What is Trauma?
¿Que es el Trauma?
What Causes Insomnia?
¿Qué es el Insomnio?
Substance Use Disorder
Trastorno por consumo de sustancias
Grounding and Breathing Exercises
Square Breathing
4-7-8 Calm
Breathing Exercise
5-4-3-2-1 Method
Técnicas para poner los pies sobre la tierra
This resource section provides a list of adolescent behavioral health therapists at Erie, as well as tips, guidance and tools to help parents create a safe environment for their children by learning and practicing good mental health habits. The Parent Toolkit contains activities, videos, apps, books, IEP/504 plan guidance, and information on your child’s developmental stages.
We also offer confidential behavioral health visits for young adults ages 12 and older. You may schedule a visit by calling 312-432-7524. Visit our School-Based Healthcare and other Erie locations to learn more about the services we offer.
Yasmin Zaragoza
Behavioral Health Supervisor
Erie Teen Center
Chevonne Toney
Behavioral Health Trauma Informed Clinical Advisor
Erie Johnson
312-432-7524
Anna Lyman
Behavioral Health Consultant
Erie Amundsen
312-432-2000
Kayla Pedraza
Behavioral Health Consultant
Erie Clemente
312-432-7475
Maria Isabel Almanza
Behavioral Health Consultant
Erie Lake View
312-432-2030
Handouts for Parents
Parent Vanderbilt Assessment Form
Teacher Vanderbilt Assessment Form
Spanish Parent Vanderbilt
Assessment Form
Spanish Teacher Vanderbilt
Assessment Form
Frequently Asked Questions
Browse thought the following FAQs to find answers to commonly asked questions. For additional information or follow up questions, please call the behavioral health department at 312-432-2059.
We practice a short–term model to address current issues impacting your daily life and overall health, and practice with various evidence-based therapy modalities (ie. CBT, ACT, DBT, etc). Our course of treatment is brief with an average duration of 6 months, dependent on circumstances and other factors.
For Medicaid patients, payment is preferred at time of service. Your copay is determined by your Medicaid plan. Patients without insurance are charged on a sliding fee scale, which is based on family size and household income.
At this time, we are unable to see commercially insured patients for therapy; however, certain commercial plans are accepted for other services such as medical, dental and psychiatry.
Learn more about insurance Erie accepts, or our sliding fee scale.
Behavioral health consultants do not have medical licensure so they are unable to prescribe you medications. However, they are licensed professionals that can properly assess you and provide you with referrals to a psychiatrist and/or other medical providers to evaluate you for medication and other treatments.
Contact the Behavioral Health line at 312-432-2059 or contact your therapist directly via their direct phone number provided to you at your initial visit.
Please note that to receive MAT services, you will first need to establish care with a primary care provider at Erie. Your primary care provider will refer you to our MAT program and the MAT Community Health Specialist will contact you to complete an initial assessment and schedule your intake appointment with an MAT provider. If you are already an established patient at Erie, you can contact the MAT Community Health Specialist at (312) 432-2059 for additional information.
At Erie, the MAT medical providers are only prescribing the following medications for treatment of substance use disorders: Suboxone (Buprenorphine/Naloxone), Naltrexone, Vivitrol (injectable version of Naltrexone), Sublocade (injectable extended-release Buprenorphine). Your MAT medical provider will discuss a treatment plan with you and prescribe you medication, as appropriate. The MAT medical providers at Erie do not prescribe Methadone. If you are interested in Methadone, we can provide you referrals to Methadone clinics and still provide you with medical care and behavioral support.
Call (312) 666-3494 to schedule an appointment.
For our suburban locations call (847) 666-3494
Erie Family Health Centers received the USA Today Top Workplaces 2024 Award, the Top Workplaces 2024 Purpose and Values Award, and the Top Workplaces 2024 Healthcare Industry Award, recognizing that our shared belief in Erie's mission and values drives everything we do.
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