The Kedzie Center is a program of Expanded Mental Health Services of Chicago NFP (EMHS). A 501(c)3 nonprofit organization, EMHS was founded in 2010 by a group of mental health professionals and advocates who were concerned about an increasing shortage of accessible, quality community mental health services in Chicago. This group came together to develop innovative approaches to expand access to mental health services that reflect the needs and strengths of individuals, families, and communities receiving care.

Building on this philosophy, EMHS conducted a comprehensive needs assessment of Chicago's North River Area in 2013. This assessment guided the development of The Kedzie Center, allowing EMHS to develop programs and services that align with community concerns and reduce barriers to care. Through support from North River residents and the North River Expanded Mental Health Services Program, EMHS opened The Kedzie Center in October 2014. EMHS is excited to continue the work of the North River mental health consumers and residents who came together to make The Kedzie Center a reality.

LAND ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

In partnership with the American Indian Center, we are sharing this land acknowledgement to help us rethink our relationships with the city, the land and our environment.  This acknowledgment expresses a commitment to beginning the process of healing from and working to dismantle the ongoing legacies of settler colonialism.

Chicago is the traditional homelands of the Council of the Three Fires: The Odawa, Ojibwe and Potawatomi Nations. Many other Tribes like the Miami, Ho-Chunk, Menominee, Sac and Fox also called this area home. Located at the intersection of several great waterways, the land naturally became a site of travel and healing for many Tribes. American Indians continue to call this area home and now Chicago is home to the sixth largest Urban American Indian community that still practices their heritage, traditions and care for the land and waterways. Today, Chicago continues to be a place that calls many people from diverse backgrounds to live and gather here. Despite the many changes the city has experienced, the American Indian and our community recognize the importance of the land and this place that has always been a city home to many diverse backgrounds and perspectives.