Children’s Research Triangle

Children’s Research Triangle (CRT) has provided more than 21,000 high-risk children and their caregivers in the Chicagoland area with essential behavioral and mental health services since 1998. CRT believes that access to mental health services is a social justice issue for Chicago’s Black and brown children and has become a highly respected model with a track record of effective mental health service delivery at no cost to children at greatest risk.

Mental health services are a known protective factor to balance the risks from Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs), which left untreated result in short and long term behavioral and health outcomes that can impact a child’s lifelong success in school, work, and life and perpetuate a cycle of poverty. While Black and brown children living on the South and West sides of Chicago have tremendous needs for mental health services to balance the risks from ACEs, the structural racism that is at the root of the risk factors has also created barriers in these communities to accessing mental health services.

CRT’s mental health services are specifically designed to serve children with barriers to accessing these services so that they will have the critical tools needed to overcome their challenges. CRT extends programming beyond our Chicago Loop clinic by partnering with 26 community-based organizations and schools, 17 of which are located on Chicago’s South and West sides, to provide accessible evidence-based trauma-focused mental health services for children experiencing complex trauma, including family and community violence.

In 2021, CRT served 774 children and 173 parents/caregivers and trained 1,558 child serving professionals, parents, and caregivers. CRT has a strong track record of success in improving mental health outcomes for children and families served. Program data collected over the past 13 years indicates that youth served exhibit decreased trauma symptoms and improve emotional and behavioral functioning, while caregivers demonstrate decreased risk for child maltreatment and report decreased parenting stress