Who are we?
The University of Chicago and Friend Health offer mental health services to youth and adults who are HIV+ or vulnerable to acquiring HIV. Services are available in-person or virtually, and referrals can be provided for additional treatment, as necessary. Our mental health services focus on treating trauma, understanding the ways that stigma and shame can impact a person’s mental health, and assisting you in moving your life from surviving to thriving. Treatment strategies such as art, talk, movement, relationship management, and mindfulness are used to help you build the skills to get there.
Psychiatry
The University of Chicago HIV care services team team now offers limited slots for psychiatric care for our clients. Psychiatry appointments can be used to evaluate your mental health from a diagnostic perspective, prescribe medicine to support your mental health or re-evaluate the medicines you have been taking if they do not seem to be working.
Our team is specifically trained and prioritizes the affirmation and honoring of your various identities, expressions of gender and personhood, and HIV status. We center the lived experiences of youth and adults of color and recognize you as an expert in your own life. We feel thankful and humbled to enter into the sacred journey of healing with you.
How do I sign up?
We currently have a waiting list for therapy and psychiatry services and can share the following resources. Please check in again to see if we’re able to accept new patients.
Sista Afya (for female-identifying individuals)
Resources identified by the City of Chicago can be found by entering your zip code and looking for a provider near you.
Filter by insurance at Psychology Today
NAMI and SAMHSA are also always good resources.
If you or someone you know are feeling thoughts of suicide or self-harm, please call 988.
“Care can mean being a listening ear to patients who haven’t felt safe in disclosing their medical status for fear of rejection, scrutiny or shame.”
— Elaine Seaton, Medical Case Manager