Young people living on Chicago’s West Side have a new resource to help improve their mental health called SPARK.
In November, Saint Anthony Children’s Hospital launched its SPARK program, which stands for Supportive Psychiatry and Resilience for Kids, a mental health resource for children under the age of 18.
Saint Anthony Children’s Hospital’s SPARK program offers psychiatric evaluations, psychotherapy, medication management, rehab services, occupational and speech therapy, and support for parents. SPARK accepts most insurance plans, including Medicaid.
“It’s a one-stop shop, where patients can get all these different modalities of treatment under one roof,” Dr. Anoop Takher, medical director of child psychiatry at St. Anthony, told Austin Weekly News.
SPARK was created to help children and teens with their mental health, at a time when people everywhere are experiencing low accessibility to, and high wait times for, psychiatry and therapy programs.
“Long wait times for the child and adolescent psychiatry population is widespread across the board,” Takher said. “No matter where you go, whatever major academic institution or major hospital is out there, with time, you run into just the sheer volume of patients that end up needing these services.”
While some hospitals have months-long wait times, those who want to access SPARK can schedule an appointment within a few days of asking for one. This helps reduce wait lists at other nearby institutions.
“How can we support and alleviate other providers in the area,” Takher said of SPARK, “and help them treat this population the best that we all can and all be a source of support for the community?”
St. Anthony Children’s Hospital staff saw a specific need for something like SPARK in West and Southwest Chicago, the primarily areas it serves. SPARK offers a safe and supportive environment to a community that has experienced systemic divestment, trauma and crisis.
Chicago’s West Side has one of the highest rates of violent crimes in the city, according to the Chicago Police Department’s ClearMap. And a high rate of homicides and gun violence can contribute to trauma, especially among young people.
“The West and Southwest communities of Chicago deserve quality care for, not only their physical ailments, but also for their mental needs. SPARK will provide assistance that is so greatly needed for our children,” said Guy A. Medaglia, president and CEO of St. Anthony Hospital, in a statement.
Takher said SPARK also has the potential to collaborate with schools in West and Southwest Chicago. If a child has a mental health concern and could benefit from an individualized education plan, Takher said he can work with the child’s family and teachers.
“Whatever a family is looking for or needing support with, our team will do our best to help them with that,” Takher said.
“To be able to make an impact in this community is what we strive to do,” Takher added. “Seeing the patients and how our services are able to make an impact and support these families has been the goal all along.”
For more information about SPARK, visit sahchicago.org or call (773) 446-2960.