Primary Healthcare

The Hamdard Center strives to improve the health status of medically underserved populations by fostering the provision of high-quality, comprehensive health care that is accessible, coordinated, community-directed, culturally sensitive, and linguistically competent. Hamdard began its primary health care clinic in 2004 as a response to the increasing need for health services in the medically underserved area of Rogers Park and Edgewater. Hamdard’s physician provides general medical examinations, blood testing, and Echo cardiograms. Due to the growing need for services in the community, Hamdard is in the process of applying for Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC) Status, which would allow Hamdard to serve a greater number of clients in need of specialized and affordable medical services.

Behavioral Health

Hamdard’s program philosophy is deeply rooted in our family and community values and our cultural and religious traditions and practices. One of the highly prioritized goals of our programs and services is the preservation, stabilization, and rehabilitation of our dysfunctional families. Hamdard program and services are designed to strengthen and support families and to give people in distress a sense of hope. Hamdard uses a holistic, integrated service delivery model with a heavy emphasis on prevention and early intervention.

Trained and credentialed mental health counselors, social workers, clinical psychologist, and psychiatrists staff Hamdard’s mental health services. Mental health is the most widely used program by men, women, children, and elders seeking professional help for depression, anxiety, adjustment at work and at home, acculturation difficulties, family conflicts, intergenerational conflicts, marital problems, just to name a few. Hamdard helps elderly clients who feel abandoned and lost. Hamdard also provides assessments and evaluations for disability benefits and Social Security Income (SSI). The Agency’s professionals additionally  run into teenage girls who have attempted to hurt themselves due to the overwhelming family pressure and multiple stressors, but most notably violence at home.

Hamdard receives referrals from area hospitals, schools, courts, Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS), religious centers, and other social service agencies. Hamdard sees parents who have been mandated by the courts to seek help at Hamdard for assessment and counseling, especially when there are children in DCFS custody. Over the last several years, Hamdard has seen a growing number of men and women initiating self-referrals to seek help for themselves and their families.

Hamdard’s professionals have seen positive outcomes when clients seek help at an early stage, especially in cases of marital discord and family violence. The Agency staff has also noted that most community members who seek help at Hamdard suffer from chronic, multiple problems and have severe barriers accessing mainstream services. All services are free and strict confidentiality is maintained.

The goal of the Mental Health program is early detection, and intervention to reduce further damage to emotional health. Chicago area is growing in numbers with the refugee population. Most of the refugees coming to Hamdard to seek mental health services have severe trauma and Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) symptoms. Hamdard staff understands the unique need of refugees to help them adjust to living in a new culture.

Bilingual and bi-cultural counselors and psychiatrists provide services. Currently, Hamdard can offer services in Arabic, Bosnian, Hindi, Urdu, Punjabi and Gujarati, including: