Anxiety in Teens: Understanding and Supporting Chicago-area Youth

The Rise of Teen Anxiety (2020–Present)

Over the past few years, rates of anxiety and depression in adolescents have surged nationwide – and Chicago’s youth are no exception. The disruptions of the COVID-19 pandemic, from school closures to social isolation, took a heavy toll on students’ mental well-being. In a 2021 CDC survey, 44% of U.S. high school students reported feeling persistently sad or hopeless in the prior year chicago.suntimes.com. Chicago-area hospitals saw a spike in youth psychiatric emergencies during the pandemic luriechildrens.org, and nearly half of Chicago parents reported new or worsening mental health symptoms in their children (e.g. anxiety, tantrums, sleep problems) compared to before COVID-19 luriechildrens.orgluriechildrens.org. Even before 2020, Chicago parents had ranked mental health issues as their top concern for youth health luriechildrens.org, but the pandemic magnified the crisis. By 2023, leaders were calling youth mental health a “crisis” and directing new resources toward solutions chicagobusiness.com.

Several factors have contributed to elevated anxiety among Chicago teens in recent years: prolonged remote learning, academic setbacks, and grief from the pandemic; economic hardships in many families; and the enduring threat of violence in some neighborhoods. One in four Chicago children under 18 lives in poverty (43.5% for kids under age 5, and as high as 90% in some communities) abetterchicago.org, conditions that often coincide with trauma and stress. Such challenges can trigger chronic anxiety – especially when combined with exposure to community violence.

Impact of Violence and Trauma on Youth Anxiety

For thousands of Chicago’s teens, gun violence and crime are not distant headlines but daily realities that deeply affect their mental health. Research shows a clear link between exposure to violence and psychological distress in young people. In Chicago’s under-resourced neighborhoods, many youth endure the trauma of hearing gunfire, losing loved ones to shootings, or constantly fearing for their safety. These experiences can manifest as anxiety, hypervigilance, depression, or post-traumatic stress.

The following data points illustrate the toll that violence takes on Chicago-area youth:

• Frequent exposure to violence: Nearly two-thirds of Chicago young people have witnessed violence in some form, and almost 25% of youth report seeing violent acts weekly abetterchicago.org. In some high-crime neighborhoods, gunfire is a part of life – over one in four Chicago parents (27%) say their children have heard gunshots while at home luriechildrens.orgluriechildrens.org. On the city’s South Side, nearly half of children hear gunshots in their neighborhood, over 3× the rate of children on the North Side (49% vs. 14%) luriechildrens.org. This constant threat causes many kids to feel unsafe and anxious in their own community.

• Youth as victims of violence: Tragically, children and teens are often direct victims. About 20% of Chicago’s shooting victims in 2023 were juveniles (under 18), a proportion that has risen since 2020 luriechildrens.org. During 2021 alone – a year of especially high gun violence – at least 276 Chicago children (age 16 or younger) were shot cbsnews.com. Neighborhoods like Englewood, Garfield Park, and North Lawndale on the South and West Sides saw the highest numbers of youth shot cbsnews.com. Each incident leaves not only the victim but an entire community traumatized. As one community leader in Little Village put it, “We live in a traumatized community. Everyone has PTSD… There are no resources for these children to heal” cbsnews.com.

• Mental health effects of trauma: The psychological fallout from such violence is profound. Citywide, 1 in 5 Chicago parents say their child’s mental health has been negatively affected by exposure to gun violence luriechildrens.org. Among those children, the most common symptoms are heightened fear (reported by 57% of parents) and increased anxiety or worry (55%) luriechildrens.org. Kids may also experience trouble concentrating (26%), sadness or depression (23%), and social withdrawal luriechildrens.org. The more directly a child experiences violence, the greater the impact – 41% of children with direct exposure (hearing gunshots, witnessing a shooting, or being a victim) showed negative mental health effects, compared to 13% for children with only indirect exposure (e.g. seeing news reports) luriechildrens.org. Over time, repeated trauma can even alter developing brains and contribute to long-term anxiety disorders luriechildrens.org.

• Trauma comparable to war zones: A recent survey in Chicago Public Schools found that 38% of 9th–11th grade girls showed signs of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) – twice the rate seen in soldiers returning from Iraq/Afghanistanchicago.suntimes.com. This sobering statistic underscores how living in violent environments can affect youth mental health on a scale comparable to combat trauma. Young women and girls, especially in Black and Latino communities, often bear an extra burden of stress and anxiety from both community and domestic violencechicago.suntimes.com.

• Stress and violence form a vicious cycle: Chronic stress not only results from violence – it can feed into it. Studies have found that high stress and trauma in youth are risk factors for later involvement in violence, either as victims or perpetratorscbsnews.comcbsnews.com. For example, budget cuts that reduced after-school programs in Illinois were correlated with a spike in youth violence, as fewer outlets existed to alleviate teens’ stress and keep them positively engagedcbsnews.com. Breaking this cycle is crucial: reducing community violence can improve youth mental health, and improving mental health (through support and opportunities) can in turn reduce violence.

Strengthening School-Based Support Systems

Schools are on the front lines of Chicago’s youth mental health crisis. For many teens, school may be the only place to access counseling or a trusted adult mentor. In recent years, efforts have ramped up within Chicago Public Schools (CPS) and at the state level to address student anxiety, trauma, and social-emotional needs.

Expanded mental health services in schools: In 2022, CPS adopted a Comprehensive Mental Health and Suicide Prevention Policy to implement mental health education, train staff in trauma-informed practices, and standardize how schools respond to at-risk studentspmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov. The district has been hiring more social workers and counselors, though significant gaps remain. A 2023 Harris Poll revealed stark disparities: only 63% of Chicago city parents said their child’s school has a nurse or health care provider on site, and just 53% said their school offers mental health counseling chicagobusiness.com. (By contrast, suburban schools have more resources – 80% of suburban parents reported a school nurse and 61% had mental health counselors chicagobusiness.com.) To close this gap, Illinois leaders have directed funding to high-need schools. Governor J.B. Pritzker announced grants (e.g. $10 million in federal funds in 2023) to help schools expand mental health services and hire support staffchicagobusiness.com. Over 90% of parents in the Chicago area agree that schools should prioritize student mental health services and that government should provide more aid for these supportsiomc.orgchicagobusiness.com.

Mental health days and awareness: Illinois passed a law, effective January 2022, allowing students to take up to five mental health days off from school as excused absences (no doctor’s note required) news.wttw.com. This policy was a response to rising youth stress and suicide rates during the pandemic. The goal is to give teens permission to care for their mental well-being just as they would their physical health, and to reduce stigma around seeking help news.wttw.com. When a student takes more than one mental health day, schools can also connect them with counselors or support services news.wttw.com. Educators and health professionals hope this proactive approach empowers students to address anxiety or depression early, before it escalates.

Trauma-informed school programs: Many Chicago schools, especially in violence-affected communities, are adopting “trauma-informed” approaches – creating safe, supportive environments that recognize and respond to students’ trauma. For example, CPS’s Healing-Centered Framework trains staff to identify trauma symptoms and build resilience in students luriechildrens.org. The district, in partnership with Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital, has expanded Behavioral Health Teams in dozens of schools to better support children with significant emotional or behavioral needs luriechildrens.org. These teams coordinate care for traumatized students and link families to outside counseling when needed. Early results are promising: schools with robust social-emotional supports report improvements in attendance, behavior, and school climate.

Chicago schools have also embraced targeted programs that tackle anxiety, trauma, and social skills in innovative ways. One standout is Youth Guidance’s “BAM” (Becoming a Man) and “WOW” (Working on Womanhood) programs, which place counselors and mentors in schools to work with at-risk teens. BAM, geared toward young men, and WOW, for young women, use weekly group therapy sessions, mentoring, and cognitive-behavioral techniques to help students cope with trauma, build healthy relationships, and manage anger or anxiety abc7chicago.com.

These programs operate in dozens of CPS middle and high schools. An evaluation by the University of Chicago found that school-based group counseling significantly reduced PTSD, anxiety, and depression symptoms among Black and Latina girls who participated in WOW chicago.suntimes.com. Similarly, BAM has been linked to reductions in disciplinary incidents and violence involvement for boys in the program. By providing a safe space and trusted adults on campus, such initiatives help students process their fears and emotions, allowing them to focus better on learning.

Beyond counseling – holistic student support: Schools are also broadening extracurricular and peer support opportunities to combat isolation and stress. After years of remote classes, reconnecting students is key. Some CPS-funded afterschool clubs emphasize social-emotional growth – for instance, an environmental art club in Brighton Park helped high schoolers build friendships and relieve pandemic-related stress through creative projects chicago.suntimes.comchicago.suntimes.com. Sports, arts, and service-learning projects can likewise give teens a positive outlet and a sense of normalcy. Mayor Brandon Johnson has pledged to expand sustainable community schools that offer “wraparound” services (academic, health, mental health, and recreational programs) beyond the school day chicago.suntimes.com.

This model treats schools as community hubs where families can access tutoring, mentoring, and counseling in one place. Such comprehensive support is especially valuable in high-poverty areas – it helps level the playing field by providing resources that more affluent students might find outside of school.

Community and Non-Profit Initiatives for Youth Well-being

Outside of the classroom, a diverse network of Chicago-area non-profits and community organizations is working to support teen mental health and stability. These groups provide counseling, safe spaces, mentorship, and constructive activities for youth – often focusing on the neighborhoods hardest hit by violence and poverty. Below are a few examples of how local organizations (secular and faith-based) are stepping up:

• Community mental health centers: In recent years the City of Chicago has greatly expanded funding for community clinics and organizations to deliver mental health care in underserved areas. Through its “Framework for Mental Health Equity,” the Chicago Department of Public Health went from funding 13 organizations in 2019 to 50 organizations by 2022, reaching all 77 community areas with free mental health services chicago.gov. These Trauma-Informed Centers of Care include community health clinics, hospital programs, and nonprofits that provide counseling regardless of a family’s ability to pay or insurance status chicago.gov. Importantly, many sites offer specialized youth counseling, family therapy, and trauma treatment close to home. For instance, community-based agencies like Friend Health on the South Side, Association House in Humboldt Park, Lawndale Christian Health Center on the West Side, and Lutheran Social Services are among the providers addressing adolescents’ needs through this city-funded network chicago.gov. By bringing therapists and support groups into neighborhoods, the city aims to reduce barriers (like cost and transportation) that often prevent Chicago’s low-income youth from getting help.

• Violence prevention and mentoring programs:  Non-profits that have historically focused on violence prevention are integrating mental health support as well. BUILD Chicago, for example, works with at-risk youth in some of the city’s “toughest neighborhoods” to divert them from gangs and violence. Founded in 1969, BUILD has served over 90,000 young people with mentoring, sports, arts, and college/career prep programs that strengthen resilience and coping skills abc7chicago.com. Similarly, organizations like YMCA’s Youth Safety and Violence Prevention, Chicago Area Project, and Enlace Chicago in Little Village run after-school programs and summer jobs initiatives that provide positive outlets and trauma-informed counseling for teens abc7chicago.comabc7chicago.com. These programs recognize that giving youths alternatives – a place to belong, guidance from caring adults, and help with emotional struggles – can reduce both anxiety and violence. Many also involve peer support, training teens as peer mentors or leaders. For example, the Blair Holt Peace Alliance hosts support groups for youth ages 12–24 who have been affected by violence, providing a forum to share feelings, pray, and heal collectivelyabc7chicago.com.

• Crisis intervention and hotlines: Several Chicago-based resources offer immediate help for teens in crisis. The NAMI Chicago Helpline (1-833-626-4244) operates 7 days a week with counselors who can talk youth (or their parents) through anxiety, depression, or any mental health struggle and connect them to servicesnamichicago.org. For youth dealing with violence or abuse at home, organizations like Chicago Safe Start focus on young children exposed to violence and connect families to therapy and support groups abc7chicago.com. There are also national text lines (like the Crisis Text Line 741741 or the new 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline) widely promoted by local schools and providers for anonymous, 24/7 support. Increasing awareness of these resources has been a priority, as many teens are unsure where to turn – a recent survey found Chicago youth have become more critical of their community’s response to mental health needs, indicating a desire for greater access to help abetterchicago.org.

• Non-profit therapy and grief services: Chicago is home to specialized counseling programs for youth dealing with trauma, grief, or other specific challenges. For example, Brighton Park Neighborhood Council on the Southwest Side provides counseling in schools and runs support groups for teens to discuss stress, relationships, and coping strategies chicago.suntimes.com. Youth Outreach Services (YOS) offers free behavioral health services to teens struggling with anxiety, substance use, or family conflict. Catholic Charities of Chicago operates youth counseling and mentoring in various city neighborhoods as part of its broad social services mission. And for those grieving a loss, groups like Bereaved Parents of USA (Chicago chapters) and Strength to Love (serving families of homicide victims) offer outlets to process pain in a supportive environment abc7chicago.com. These organizations, though varied in approach, share a trauma-informed ethos – helping youth feel heard, build coping skills, and realize they are not alone.

Faith-Based and Community Healing Initiatives

Faith communities in Chicago – churches, mosques, synagogues, and faith-driven coalitions – have long played a role in supporting troubled youth and addressing the root causes of violence. In recent years, many have launched or expanded programs specifically to heal trauma and reduce anxiety among young people in their congregations and neighborhoods. This multi-faceted support ranges from counseling services infused with spiritual care to safe havens where teens can simply be kids away from the streets.

One notable example is Bright Star Community Outreach (BSCO) in the Bronzeville area. Born out of a local church (Bright Star Church), BSCO was created when residents approached Pastor Chris Harris and implored, “We need more than prayer… We need programs” civicengagement.uchicago.edu. Today, BSCO employs trained counselors and faith leaders as trauma specialists, operating a comprehensive violence prevention and recovery program. They run a trauma counseling center inspired by an Israeli model (NATAL) and a 24/7 helpline staffed by clergy and clinicians; to date, over 44,000 people have received counseling or support through Bright Star’s helpline and CARE programs civicengagement.uchicago.edu. By leveraging trust in faith leaders, BSCO has been able to reach families who might be wary of traditional mental health services. Kids and parents can speak with someone who understands their community and faith background, which helps reduce stigma. In addition to counseling those already traumatized, Bright Star convenes dozens of local partners to tackle underlying issues like unemployment and education, under the motto “Nothing about us, without us” civicengagement.uchicago.edu. This holistic, faith-driven strategy aims to both heal wounds and prevent violence, fostering resilience in youth before anxiety turns into despair civicengagement.uchicago.edu.

The Catholic Church in Chicago has also mobilized around violence and youth trauma. Cardinal Blase Cupich and the Archdiocese launched the Violence Prevention Initiative to coordinate Catholic schools, parishes, and social services in healing those “wounds” in the communityarchchicago.org. They promote restorative justice programs for teens, run support groups for young people affected by domestic or gun violence, and partner with proven organizations on anti-violence mentorshiparchchicago.orgarchchicago.org. Likewise, interfaith coalitions such as the Chicago Clergy Coalition bring together churches, mosques, and synagogues to advocate for safer communities and provide direct help to families who have suffered violenceabc7chicago.com. These faith-based efforts recognize that spiritual support – hope, meaning, compassion – can be a powerful salve for anxious youth. Whether through prayer vigils, peace marches, or simply a caring mentor at a church youth group, faith communities contribute to the social-emotional safety net for Chicago’s kids.

Finally, many neighborhood churches and community centers offer youth programming that, while not labeled “mental health” services, greatly benefit teens’ well-being. Examples include church-sponsored sports leagues, arts and music ministries, and evening “open gym” nights in partnership with police to give teens a safe, supervised space. In Little Village, ministries like New Life Centers have gained recognition for reducing violence by engaging gang-involved youth with counseling, boxing clubs, and Bible study. In North Lawndale, the Lawndale Christian Legal Center pairs young offenders with mentors and mental health services grounded in restorative justice and faith. These grassroots initiatives often operate on shoestring budgets, but they have a deep cultural resonance in their communities. They emphasize to youth that their lives matter and that healing is possible – messages that are crucial for any teen battling anxiety amid chaos.

Looking Ahead

Tackling teen anxiety in Chicago requires a multi-pronged approach. The encouraging news is that momentum is building: public agencies, schools, nonprofits, and faith leaders are increasingly working in concert to support young people’s mental health. From 2020 to today, awareness of the youth anxiety crisis has never been higher. Teens themselves are more open about discussing mental health, and many are bravely seeking help when they need it. There are positive signs – for instance, 95% of Chicago youth say they feel optimistic about their future and are motivated to finish school abetterchicago.org. This resilience and hope, even in the face of adversity, is something to nurture and reinforce.

Going forward, continuing to invest in under-resourced neighborhoods will be key. That means not only reducing violence through sensible reforms and community policing, but also flooding high-need communities with healing resources: trauma counselors in every school, accessible mental health clinics, mentors and after-school programs, job opportunities and safe places for teens to gather. Equally important is listening to youth voices. Chicago’s teens have been speaking up about the pressures they face – whether it’s fear of shootings, academic stress, or social media influences – and they are calling for the adults in their lives to prioritize mental health and safety iomc.org. By heeding these calls, Chicago can continue to develop innovative supports that empower the next generation.

In summary, anxiety among Chicago-area teens is a complex issue tied to recent historical events and long-standing inequities. Yet the city is responding with compassion and urgency. From government initiatives and school reforms to grassroots community and faith-based programs, a robust support system is taking shape. The collective goal is clear: to ensure every young person – regardless of zip code – has the tools and support to cope with anxiety, heal from trauma, and thrive. The challenge is great, but so is the community commitment to warm the hearts of our youth and help heal their wounds archchicago.org. In this mission, everyone has a role to play – educators, parents, police, pastors, therapists, and peers – working together to make Chicago a place where all teens feel safe, supported, and hopeful about the future.

Resources for Chicago-Area Youth & Families

• Chicago Dept. of Public Health – Mental Health Centers: Information on free mental health clinics and Trauma-Informed Centers of Care serving all city neighborhoods (mentalhealth.chicago.gov). These centers provide counseling for youth and families regardless of insurance or income.

• Chicago Public Schools – Student Mental Health: Contact your school’s counselor, social worker, or psychologist for support. CPS policies allow five mental health days for students news.wttw.com and many schools offer social-emotional learning programs and referrals to services.

• Youth Guidance (BAM & WOW Programs): Non-profit providing in-school counseling and mentoring – Becoming a Man (BAM) for young men and Working on Womanhood (WOW) for young women abc7chicago.com. Helps teens build coping skills, reduce anxiety/PTSD, and succeed in school. Website: youth-guidance.orgabc7chicago.com.

• BUILD Chicago: Youth organization in West and South Side neighborhoods that offers mentoring, violence prevention, mental health counseling, leadership programs and after-school activities to at-risk teensabc7chicago.com (buildchicago.org).

• Bright Star Community Outreach: Faith-based trauma counseling and violence prevention in Bronzeville. Runs a 24/7 helpline and community programs using trained clergy counselors, serving over 40,000 residents civicengagement.uchicago.edu. Website: brightstarcommunityoutreach.com.

• NAMI Chicago Helpline: Free mental health helpline available 7 days a week for anyone – including teens. Call 1-833-626-4244 to talk to a trained counselor about stress, anxiety, or any mental health issue namichicago.org. NAMI Chicago also provides support groups and resources (namichicago.org).

• Enlace Chicago: Community organization in Little Village focusing on youth exposed to violence. Offers counseling, after-school programs, parent support, and violence prevention initiatives abc7chicago.com (enlacechicago.org).

• Chicago Safe Start: Collaboration to support children (0–18) who have witnessed violence. Connects families to therapy, childcare, and other resources to help kids hea labc7chicago.com.

• Catholic Charities of Chicago – Youth Counseling: Counseling and case management for youth and families struggling with issues like violence, abuse, or poverty. Part of citywide care networks chicago.gov (catholiccharities.net).

• Chicago Clergy Coalition / CROSSwalk: Interfaith coalitions engaging churches, mosques, and synagogues in addressing youth violence and providing safe havens abc7chicago.comabc7chicago.com. They often host peace circles, mentoring, and prayer vigils for affected youth (crosswalkchicago.org).

• Illinois Statewide Resources: Call or text 988 for the 24/7 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline (for any mental health crisis). Illinois also has a Youth Crisis Hotline (800-448-3000) and a helpline for violence intervention through the Illinois Call4Calm text line (text TALK to 552020). These services can link Chicago youth to additional local support.

(For immediate emergencies or if a youth is in danger, always call 911 and request a Crisis Intervention Team officer, who is trained to handle mental health situations namichicago.org.)