Programs and Services

Provides home-based intervention to families formed through adoption or subsidized guardianship. Counseling, crisis intervention and 24-hour on-call assistance help address adjustment, grief/loss resolution, attachment, educational and emotional issues. This DCFS-supported program provides therapeutic respite, psycho-educational and support groups, workshops, and help securing resources.

Counseling Services are provided for all ages and build on individual and family strengths, desire and capacity for change while addressing emotional, behavioral and life stress challenges. Counseling services at the North Center are offered to children, families and seniors.

Provides Head Start and child care for children ages 2-5 in the Belmont Cragin, Portage Park and Hermosa communities. Activities engage thinking skills with play and lay the foundations for self-esteem and social skills. Parents participate in workshops, classes and family events to enhance their supportive and nurturing abilities.

Community Schools operate during non-school hours and expand positive choices and opportunities for youth while achieving academic success. Tutoring, homework help, recreation, life skills, cultural opportunities and case management services are included.

Domestic Violence Clinical Services are for survivors of partner abuse and their children, and for teens and children who have witnessed domestic violence. Staff provide safety planning, individual and group counseling, case management, information and referrals. Funding is provided by the Illinois Department of Human Services and the Chicago Department of Family and Support Services.

Provide expectant and new parents with education and support they need at the time of their child’s birth and during the most crucial first five years of life. Sessions in the home focus on providing young children experiences that foster healthy growth and development and positive parent-child interactions. Families also meet for activities, to socialize and attend workshops.

Family Connects Chicago (FCC) provides home visits to all Chicago families with newborns, aiming to support the well-being and health of both the newborns and their families. The program follows an evidence-based approach and offers up to three visits by skilled registered nurses, who also assist in connecting families with necessary community resources, all provided at no expense. Metropolitan convenes the FCC Region F Community Alignment Board, supporting the Northwest Side of Chicago. For more information, click HERE.

Metropolitan Family Services North, in partnership with the Northwest Center, is part of the Chicago Department of Public Health’s Healthy Chicago Equity Zones initiative, in the northwest region. The program focuses on hyper-local strategies to confront the social and environmental factors that contribute to health and racial inequity – with the ultimate goal of closing Chicago’s racial life expectancy gap.

In partnership with the GRAMMY™ Award Nominated Sones de México Ensemble and the Ralla Klepak Foundation for Education in the Performing Arts, The Mexican Music Program offers multigenerational guitar and violin classes in Spanish with a repertoire based on Mexican Folk Music. The program welcomes participants of all ages and offers access to additional programs and services at the North Center.

Senior Homeowners Program serves low- to moderate-income homeowners age 60 or older who have difficulty maintaining their homes. The program provides referrals to reputable home repair contractors, and links seniors to city departments and programs to help maintain their property. We also conduct workshops on topics such as reducing consumer fraud. It includes in-home or office assessments, family and individual counseling, support groups, case management and links to community resources.

Substance Abuse Prevention Program (SAPP) helps young people develop positive commitments to their families, schools, peers and communities to encourage healthy, drug-free lives. The goal is to increase prevention-related drug knowledge and resistance skills.

Workforce Investment Opportunity Act (WIOA) is an innovative workforce program for individuals ages 18 – 24.  Program empowers youth to find and sustain employment and certification through services including pre-apprenticeship, alternative education paths, job coaching and placement, and hands-on training. Certifications include First Aid/CPR, NCCER Core, OSHA 10, and NCCER Carpentry.