THE CHICAGO COALITION TO SAVE OUR MENTAL HEALTH CENTERS

What THE CHICAGO COALITION TO SAVE OUR MENTAL HEALTH CENTERS does

The Coalition to Save Our Mental Health Centers is a Chicago-based nonprofit advocacy organization founded in 1991 to protect and expand community-controlled mental health services across the city's neighborhoods. Its core product is a repeatable organizing and policy framework, the Expanded Mental Health Services Program (EMHSP), under which a community's residents vote to impose a dedicated local property-tax increase, the revenues from which fund a permanent, community-governed mental health center overseen by a local Governing Commission. The Coalition provides the technical assistance, voter education, needs assessments, and political organizing needed to put each EMHSP on the ballot and stand it up.

To date, the Coalition has helped eight Chicago communities — including Logan Square, Bronzeville, the West Side, Englewood, Chatham, and the Southwest Side — pass and stand up EMHSPs. When fully implemented, these programs are stated to serve a population of over 1,000,000 Chicago residents. Operating centers include the recently opened Logan Square community mental health center (April 2024) and the West Side Community Mental Health Center (2019), with additional centers in progress across the new 2024 districts.

The Coalition's own revenue model is consistent with a small grassroots 501(c)-style entity: website donations, foundation or in-kind support, and possibly small grants fund its advocacy work, while the underlying mental-health service delivery at each EMHSP is financed by voter-approved local tax districts rather than the Coalition's P&L. The organization has a single named operational contact (Michael Snedeker), operates from 5760 W. Irving Park Road, and has no disclosed headcount, audited financials, or technology stack; its go-to-market is community-led, voter-driven organizing supplemented by earned media coverage in outlets such as CBS News Chicago, Block Club Chicago, South Side Weekly, and WBBM Newsradio.

Name

THE CHICAGO COALITION TO SAVE OUR MENTAL HEALTH CENTERS

Legal name

Coalition to Save Our Mental Health Centers

Website

https://saveourmentalhealth.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1991

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

The Coalition to Save Our Mental Health Centers is a Chicago-based nonprofit, founded in 1991, that helps neighborhoods establish voter-approved, community-governed mental health centers funded by local property-tax districts. It has assisted eight communities to date, collectively serving over 1,000,000 Chicago residents.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Community Mental Health Advocacy Services

NAICS

Social Assistance (624), Voluntary Health Organizations (813212), Social Advocacy Organizations (8133)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Mental Health & Crisis Support Services (BPAGACAD)

akta.pro secondary industries

Community Mental Health Centers (CMHCs) & Public Behavioral Health Providers (HLAFACAI), Public Health & Health Equity Organizations (BPAGACAL), Community Health & Health Equity/Social Determinants Units (HLAJAAAO)

Keywords

• Community mental health services
• Mental health advocacy
• Community health funding
• Mental health centers
• Community organizing

Headquarters

HQ city

Chicago

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Community Tax Funding: The Coalition helps communities pass tax increases to fund Expanded Mental Health Services Programs. Voters in communities approve tax increases to support local mental health center development and operations.
2. Donations: The organization accepts donations through its website to support advocacy and coalition activities.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Marketing channels2 records

Core offering

The Coalition helps Chicago communities initiate, fund, and oversee their own community mental health centers through Expanded Mental Health Services Programs (EMHSPs). Communities vote to approve tax increases that fund locally governed mental health clinics serving underinsured and uninsured residents. The Coalition has assisted eight communities in creating EMHSPs that, when fully implemented, will serve over 1,000,000 Chicago residents.

Product overview

The Coalition offers a community organizing and advocacy service focused on Expanded Mental Health Services Programs (EMHSPs). Their core offering is helping Chicago communities initiate, fund, and oversee local mental health centers. They provide educational resources, guides, community needs assessments, and coordination services. The primary program (EMHSPs) enables communities to vote on tax increases to fund mental health services and establishes community-governed mental health clinics.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Expanded Mental Health Services Programs (EMHSPs) Community-initiated, funded, and overseen mental health centers that give Chicago communities the ability to establish and manage their own mental health services. Each program is governed by a community-based Governing Commission, with services funded through voter-approved tax increases and directed to underinsured and uninsured residents. The Coalition has helped eight communities create EMHSPs, serving over 1,000,000 Chicago residents when fully implemented.

Quantifiable outcome

• 1,000,000+ Chicago residents will be served when 8 EMHSP programs are fully implemented
• +1 more outcomes

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Governing CommissionscoreOthersEach EMHSP is governed by a community-based Governing Commission that provides oversight for the local mental health center. This is a core structural partnership with communities.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Regional players

• Heartland Alliance: Chicago-based anti-poverty and human services nonprofit with significant mental health programming. Comparable as a large Chicago social services organization serving similar underserved populations.
• Metropolitan Family Services: Chicago-area human services nonprofit offering counseling, mental health, and community support services. Comparable as a Chicago-area community-based mental health and social services provider.
• Community Counseling Centers of Chicago (C4): Chicago nonprofit providing outpatient mental health and substance use services to underserved communities. Comparable to the Coalition's mission of expanding community-based mental health access in Chicago neighborhoods.
• Thresholds: Large Chicago-based provider of mental health, substance use, and housing services. Directly comparable as a Chicago community mental health provider that the Coalition partners with and that operates many of the centers EMHSPs help fund.

Broad incumbents

• National Council for Mental Wellbeing: National membership organization representing mental health and substance use treatment providers. Comparable as a convening/advocacy organization for the community mental health ecosystem, though broader in scope.

Direct peers

• Illinois Coalition for Mental Health and Access: State-level advocacy coalition focused on expanding mental health access and funding in Illinois. Comparable as an advocacy coalition working on mental health policy and funding, though at state rather than city level.
• Mental Health America: Community-based nonprofit focused on mental health advocacy, public education, and screening. Operates a similar advocacy-and-service-navigation model with affiliate networks, comparable to the Coalition's voter-driven expansion approach.
• NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Illness): The largest U.S. grassroots mental health advocacy nonprofit. NAMI is directly comparable as a mental health advocacy organization that mobilizes communities and lobbies for expanded mental health services, although it operates at the national rather than city level.
• Treatment Advocacy Center: National nonprofit dedicated to eliminating barriers to treatment for severe mental illness through policy advocacy. Comparable mission of using advocacy and policy reform to expand community mental health services.

Emerging players

• Howard Center (Vermont): Community-based mental health, substance use, and developmental services provider. Comparable as a community mental health center model, though operating in a different state and as a direct provider rather than advocacy coalition.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• TikToktiktok.com/t/ZP8PVA4cu
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/chicago-coalition-to-save-our-mental-health-centers

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about THE CHICAGO COALITION TO SAVE OUR MENTAL HEALTH CENTERS