Just as President Kennedy rallied the nation to dream big and set audacious goals 50 years ago, The Kennedy Forum in Illinois is working toward lasting change in the way mental health and addictions are considered and treated. OUR VISION The Kennedy Forum Illinois sees a future where all persons are treated with dignity and receive the person-centered mental and physical care and support they need to thrive and achieve their goals. We strive for a health system that fully recognizes that the brain is part of the body. OUR MISSION The Kennedy Forum Illinois seeks to stigma against mental health and substance use disorders. We are focused on changing both attitudes and practice. OUR WORK The Kennedy Forum Illinois is working toward lasting change in the way mental health and addictions are treated in our healthcare system, through: -Elevating and improving the quality of the public discourse and mass media coverage of mental health and addiction; -Ensuring equal access and coverage of mental health and substance use disorder care; -Advancing integration and coordination of behavioral health care and prevention into the general primary care medical system; -Leveraging innovation and technology to advance and improve mental health/addiction interventions and integration; -Educating the public so that children are given the best chance to succeed in life by addressing brain health at an early age