Black and Latino families in Oak Park looking for mental health support that doesn't require insurance, a referral, or even a diagnosis can find it two doors apart on Harrison Street.
NAMI Metro Suburban, the nonprofit that opened its Living Room crisis support center at 816 Harrison St. in April, published a guide on July 16 listing free, bilingual programs available through BIPOC Mental Health Month and beyond. The post positions itself as a practical follow-up to awareness campaigns: here's where to actually go.
The answer, according to NAMI Metro Suburban, is a cluster of peer-led programs within walking distance of the Green Line.
What's available
NAMI Connection peer support groups meet weekly in English and Spanish at locations in Oak Park, La Grange, and Summit. Groups are led by people with lived mental health experience. Schedules are available at namimetsub.org.
Family-to-Family is a free, eight-session course for relatives of adults living with a mental health condition. No diagnosis or insurance is needed to enroll.
Raíces and Remembrance, a free eight-week workshop blending gardening, storytelling, and creative expression, meets Saturdays from 1 to 2 p.m. at The Living Room, 816 Harrison St.
The Living Room itself is open daily from noon to 8 p.m. at 816 Harrison St. Trained peer support specialists offer walk-in help to anyone 18 or older navigating emotional distress.
The Drop-In Center, at 814 Harrison St., is open Monday through Friday from 1 to 7 p.m. and weekends from 2 to 6 p.m. A Military Support Group for veterans meets there Saturdays at 2 p.m.
Why it matters locally
The Living Room opened after Oak Park's village board voted to provide $450,000 in grant funding over three years, $150,000 annually, to support the program. NAMI had already committed more than $205,000 per year in its own funding, according to Wednesday Journal reporting from April 14.
Rush Oak Park Hospital reported 757 psychiatric crisis emergency visits in 2023, with more than 27 percent involving Oak Park residents, according to NAMI's proposal to the village board. West Suburban Consolidated Dispatch received over 2,500 psychiatric distress calls, most from Oak Park.
NAMI Metro Suburban staff wrote in the July 16 post that facilitators reflect the racial, ethnic, and linguistic backgrounds of the communities they serve, and that programs complement faith leaders and family rather than replace them.
How to connect
BIPOC Mental Health Month runs through the end of July. Residents can call NAMI Metro Suburban at 708-524-2582 or visit namimetsub.org to learn about session schedules and enrollment. No referral is required for any program.
