Building Relationships-Generationally Effective Systems, or BRIDGES, funded by the Illinois Children's Healthcare Foundation, is a collaborative effort by Rush, Community Organizing and Family Issues (COFI), West Side home visiting and doula agencies and our infant and early childhood mental health partners to help families heal from trauma and build resilience. BRIDGES seeks to help families heal from trauma and build resilience by:
- Linking families to services that build supportive relationships
- Seeking and implementing interventions that help families heal
- Connecting families to support for social needs
- Addressing and removing barriers to care 
Meet the Team
Gina Lowell, MD
Principal Investigator
Avelina Padin, PhD
Principal Investigator
Ellen Schumer
Principal Investigator
Emily Cole
Leadership Team Member
Brenda Huber, PhD
Leadership Team Member
Vikki Rompala, MSW
Leadership Team Member
Gabriela Tenorio
Leadership Team Member
Karen Reyes
Project Director
Greda Erazo
BRIDGES Navigator
Parent leaders are an essential part of our BRIDGES team. Our parents participate in every aspect of the BRIDGES system of care, from system design to delivering some of our peer-to-peer services.
Michelle Morton
Delia Perez
Rosalia Salgado
Stacey Simon
Resources for Families and Caregivers
Rush Building Early Connections Center
- Populations served: Parents/caregivers, families and children ages 0-8
- º£½ÇÔ´´ provided: Parent coaching, parenting groups, developmental screening, brief behavioral interventions for children
- Contact information: (312) 942-7100
Populations served: Parents/caregivers, families, children ages 0-8
º£½ÇÔ´´ provided: Pediatric mental health services for children ages 0-5, developmental screening/assessment for children ages 0-8, occupational and speech therapy
Contact information: (312) 792-0508 (English) | (312) 932-6446 (Español)
Rush Women’s Behavioral & Mental Health
- Populations served: Pregnant and postpartum adults, sexual violence survivors
- º£½ÇÔ´´ provided: Individual therapy
- Contact information: (312) 942-8258
- Populations served: North Lawndale, East/ West Garfield Park and Near West side residents
- º£½ÇÔ´´ provided: Individual and family therapy, all services are free
- Contact information: (773) 638-5703
- Populations served: Cook County residents
- º£½ÇÔ´´ provided: Pregnant/postpartum services to individuals struggling with substance use, services are free
- Contact Information: (312) 391-9447
- English Flyer
- Spanish Flyer
- Populations served: West Side residents
- º£½ÇÔ´´ provided: Home-visiting and doula services; peer support groups
- Contact Information: (773) 722-7440
- Populations served: North Lawndale residents
- º£½ÇÔ´´ provided: Doula and early childhood home visiting services
- Contact Information: (773) 722-5057
- Populations served: Residents of Chicago and the western suburbs
- º£½ÇÔ´´ provided: Doula services, prenatal education, home visiting, parenting education
- Contact Information: (773) 252-3253
- Populations served: Expectant parents and children of various Chicago neighborhoods
- º£½ÇÔ´´ provided: Home-based services
- Contact Information: (773) 521-1196
- Populations served: Pregnant women and families with infants, toddlers, and preschool-age children who are residents of the Near West Side
- º£½ÇÔ´´ provided: Home-based services
- Contact Information: (773) 522-8400 (North Lawndale) | (773) 521-1600 (Little Village)
- Populations served: Chicago residents
- º£½ÇÔ´´ provided: Case management, home visits, psycho-educational groups, parent-child play groups, developmental screenings and referral services
- Contact Information: (312) 948-6003
- Populations served: Residents statewide
- º£½ÇÔ´´ provided: Home-visiting and doula services; early childhood education
- Contact Information: (312) 922-3863
- Populations served: Humboldt Park, East/ West Garfield Park, Lower West Side residents
- º£½ÇÔ´´ provided: Family services and early learning centers
- Contact Information: (773) 373-5055
- Populations served: Parents/caregivers of infants
- º£½ÇÔ´´ provided: Free telephone consultation for parents/caregivers struggling with their infants’ crying, sleeping or feeding
- Contact information: (888) 431-2229
- Populations served: Chicago families with newborns
- º£½ÇÔ´´ provided: Free in-home nurse services
- Contact information: (312) 745-BABY (2229)
Check out the Building Early Connections (BEC) resource directory.
Visit
Call the Rush Social Work and Community Health º£½ÇÔ´´ Helpline at 1-800-757-0202.
Learn more about , who strives to strengthen the power and voice of low-income and working families at all levels of civic life.
To learn more or to get involved in BRIDGES, reach out to us at BRIDGES@rush.edu.
Events and Trainings
2026 Dates
- June 10 - 12, 2026
- October 9 - 11, 2026
COFI offers a regular series of workshops in Chicago for individuals and organizations that are interested in incorporating The COFI Way into their own social justice mission and efforts. The interactive and dynamic workshops, which follow the , are designed specifically for staff and leaders in community groups, schools, and agencies. Join the more than 800 community organizers, social service providers, school administrators, advocates, policymakers, and veteran parent leaders who have attended COFI Center for Action and Learning workshops to-date!
Event Details
- For Organizations:
- For Parents:
Stay tuned!