Garfield Park Behavioral Hospital

02/02/2026

Big shout-out to the squad that keeps our whole hospital fueled and smiling! 😁 They're some of the unsung heroes of Garfield Park Behavioral Hospital.

Many people don't realize this, but food is a big part of healing. It supports mental health, helps the body recover and brings comfort when it’s needed most. And our dietary team consistently delivers all that with the perfect blend of kindness and flavor. (Seriously, "the food slaps" according to the reviews we've received from our patients! 😋)

Their work supports the hospital in ways most people never see, but we feel it every single shift. Happy Pride in Foodservice Week! 🎉

01/29/2026

We loved spending time with the University of Chicago Crown Family School of Social Work, Policy, and Practice students and staff!

We're very proud of our psychology training programs here at Garfield Park Behavioral Hospital, where students get real hands-on experience to prepare them with everything they need (and then some!) for the next step in their behavioral health careers.

And guess what 👉 we are currently interviewing for next year's cohort! So if you are a student or if you know one that might be interested in seeing what we're all about, 📧 email our team for more info on how to apply: garfieldpsychtraining@uhsinc.com.

01/28/2026

From the outside, everything can look perfectly fine. But oftentimes we only see the surface. We never really know what a child, teen or parent might be carrying behind a smile or a quiet moment. 😔

Empathy costs nothing, but it can mean everything to someone who’s struggling on the inside. Compassion helps our patients feel seen. It helps families feel supported, and it helps kids and teens feel safe enough to open up.

So choose kindness. 💚

Empathy is a cornerstone of compassionate, Trauma Informed Care. By understanding and connecting with individuals' experiences, empathy helps create a safe, ...

01/27/2026

Very happy to have Keith Henderson, SPHR, now leading our human resources department! 🎉

He and his team manage employee relations, recruitment and staffing here at Garfield Park Behavioral Hospital.

💬 "Overall we are here for the employees, making sure we are fair and consistent while also looking out for the overall business operations."

Welcome to the team, Keith!

👋 Meet Keith Henderson, SPHR, the new Group Director of Human Resources for both Hartgrove Behavioral Health System and Garfield Park Behavioral Hospital!

If his office wall looks like a football hall of fame, well, that’s because it kind of is 🏈. Keith spent four years playing college football on a full athletic scholarship where he made Second-Team All-American as a wide receiver, and he even signed with the Kansas City Chiefs as an undrafted free agent. And those Starting Lineup figures on the wall? That’s him. You know, no big deal. 😉

His football days gave him grit, teamwork and leadership skills for his 23-year (and counting!) career in HR. After getting his bachelor's degree in HR management and his master's degree in HR industrial relations, he spent 10 years in educational HR and the last 13 years in healthcare HR.

He enjoys the team‑oriented leadership culture here and says people looking into a behavioral health career need to understand that it’s tough (but incredibly important!) and you must have a certain type of mindset to do the work: 💬 "We have a lot of tenured team members, and that in itself says a lot about the great people that work here. The fact that we are an organization that helps a lot of people gets me really excited to be here."

01/26/2026

People say it takes a village to raise a child. When substance use enters the picture, that saying really rings true.

For kids and teens, recovery works best when families, providers, schools and communities all work together. Support looks different for every family, but no one should feel like they have to figure it out alone.

As Substance Use Disorder Treatment Month nears its end, we’re recognizing the power of that village and the role it plays in helping young people and their family members heal, grow and move forward. If your family needs support, whole teams are ready to help.

01/24/2026

Last year some of our patients painted this mural with our expressive therapy team. 🎨

Read what it says, and never forget it: YOU MATTER.

And when you get a chance today, let someone else know that they matter, too. 💚

01/23/2026

Six degrees below zero!? 🥶

Yep, that's the real temperature in Chicago (and it feels 20 degrees colder!). But we're still open, because mental health challenges don't care about the cold.

When your child needs help, we're here 24 hours a day 🕛, 365 days a year 📅.

If you go outside this weekend, bundle up! 🧥🧣🧤

Help You Can Rely On In case of a medical emergency, psychiatric crisis, or if you are at risk of harming yourself or others, CALL 911 or seek the nearest emergency room. If you need to reach us immediately,

01/21/2026

It's National Human Trafficking Prevention Month, so we're taking a moment to talk about something very important to us. That's Megan Raubolt, LCSW, MSW, Group Director of Emergency Services, from a little while back where she presented Garfield Park Behavioral Hospital's Worthy Program to a group of local elected officials.

Worthy is the first known inpatient psychiatric program built specifically for teens who have been or are at risk of being s*x trafficked. Human trafficking is complex, traumatic and deeply misunderstood. Survivors (especially kids and teens) often face challenges like PTSD, anxiety, depression, disrupted attachment, identity struggles and difficulty trusting others. Many learned to survive in environments where safety wasn’t guaranteed.

That's why we created Worthy: to fill the gap in evidence-based care for young survivors and provide a place where healing can truly begin. Our experienced team uses highly specialized, trauma-informed approaches to help patients ⚒️ rebuild safety and stability, 🧠 process complex trauma at their own pace, 📚 learn healthy coping skills, 💪 strengthen self-worth and 🙋‍♀️ connect with trusted adults in a safe, structured environment.

Megan shared how working closely with multiple law enforcement agencies, including the FBI, allows us to ensure that each patient receives coordinated, compassionate care from every angle.

Awareness and access to care matter, and these patients deserve it. Learn more about Worthy on our website here: https://garfieldparkhospital.com/treatment-services/specialty-programs/worthy-program/.

01/20/2026

Understanding addiction and how it affects young people is one of the best ways we can protect and support our teens.

During Substance Use Disorder Treatment Month, we’re spotlighting how the adolescent brain responds to risk and the factors that can increase vulnerability.

Here are a few key risk factors:

🏡 Home and Family: When substance use happens at home, teens may be more likely to experiment themselves.

👥 Peers and School: When teens feel pressure or lack support, it can open the door to harmful choices.

🧠 Early Use: The developing brain is especially vulnerable.

🔥 Method of Use: How a substance is taken can affect the likelihood of dependency.

Raising awareness gives families, caregivers and communities the tools to understand what teens are up against and how we can all show up for them. Together, we can help them make safer choices and feel supported every step of the way.

01/19/2026

Today we reflect on Martin Luther King Jr.'s belief that everyone deserves a fair chance at a healthy life, which includes access to the care they need to thrive.

It starts with our young people. Supporting kids’ mental health today builds the future Dr. King dreamed of: one where every child feels safe, valued and able to shine. Every child deserves access to quality mental healthcare.

Asking for help, talking things out and taking care of your mental well‑being are all acts of courage, so let’s remind every young person that their feelings matter, and support is within reach.

01/16/2026

👏 Shout-out to our friends over at Aunt Martha's Health and Wellness, who always do so much for the community!

We are incredibly proud to partner with them 🤝, as our collaboration means smoother handoffs, better access to care and more seamless support for kids and teens who really need it. Working together strengthens the safety net for our patients and their families.

Nothing better than spending quality time with great community partners doing such important work. 👊

Aunt Martha's Health & Wellness is a community health hub providing primary care, behavioral health and support services to families across Illinois. Their integrated, whole-person approach connects kids, teens and adults with the kind of coordinated care that makes a big difference long after a clinic visit.

We loved stopping by to say hello and drop off a little something for their team. They’re in the community every day supporting the people that need it the most. Having a strong relationship like this means people get connected to care faster, transitions feel smoother and families have more support along the way.

We’re grateful for the collaboration, trust and the shared commitment to serving the community. Big thanks to our friends at Aunt Martha’s; we’re honored to work alongside you! 💙

01/15/2026

Get a load of these two clowns! 🤡 That's James and Zack, and they're part of Clowns in Action, a clown troupe that volunteers at Garfield Park Behavioral Health Hospital to host comedy workshops for kids with our expressive therapy team.

Made up of a few Columbia College Chicago performing arts grads 🎭 that originally partnered with us through their school's class, Clowns in Action extended that collaboration by adding their own flair with silly games and goofy activities that get our patients smiling, laughing and having a ton of fun.

Here's what James had to say about the partnership: "We love working with the kids and we love giving back. There are not a ton of resources geared toward children dealing with mental health, so it's important to add to that education and raise awareness in any way we can."

Visits and events like these bring something super special to treatment. They help kids feel more relaxed, open and more like themselves, which can make a real difference during their time here. This is one of those partnerships that makes our hospital feel different in the best way. 💚