Metropolitan peace initiatives
Supporting communities in helping people heal from trauma
Mission
To coordinate, support and sustain a cross-agency infrastructure made up of local community-based and citywide organizations that deliver a comprehensive set of services to heal communities at the highest risk for violence
Metropolitan Peace Initiatives
Metropolitan Peace Initiatives (MPI), a division of Metropolitan Family Services, convenes community-based and citywide organizations to help heal Chicago’s communities experiencing the highest levels of gun violence. We do this through:
- Metropolitan Peace Academy
- Behavioral health
- Street outreach supervision
- Workforce development
- Legal aid
Metropolitan Peace Academy
The Metropolitan Peace Academy (MPA) provides intensive and multidisciplinary training for careers in street outreach, case management and victim advocacy. The MPA also provides training for law enforcement and hospital/trauma center personnel.
Behavioral Health
Through a culturally responsive and trauma-informed lens, our Behavioral Health Services program offers counseling and health services that provide individuals a pathway towards developing their strengths, and opportunities to maximize mental health stability for themselves and their families. Our services are:
- Bilingual (English and Spanish)
- Open to individuals, groups, and families
- Linked to community-based healthcare providers
- A combination of clinical expertise, research, and clients’ own values
Street Outreach Supervision
MPI Field Managers serve as facilitators for the MPA, provide supervision and technical assistance to street outreach workers and case managers in the field, advise on violence intervention and reduction strategies, and create mass shooting responses and mass canvassing events.
Workforce Development
Through job readiness training and industry-recognized training and certification, our Workforce Development program provides unemployed and underemployed individuals the opportunity to prepare for and attain meaningful and sustainable employment. Services include:
- GED attainment
- H.O.P.E. (Helping Other People Excel) curriculum, a two-week job readiness training
- Skill-based training in the fields of manufacturing, construction, culinary, cannabis, and more
Justice Corps: Legal Services
Through individualized and hyperlocal legal services, our Justice Corps offers members of Chicago’s most underserved communities access to quality civil legal services with their own communities.
- Free and community-based
- Service areas include expungement, employment, housing, public benefits, crime victim services, human trafficking, elder law and domestic violence
Organizational Development
The framework of Metropolitan Peace Initiatives supports coordinating services and building capacity for funded and partner organizations.
- Administer and oversee private- and publicly-funded community violence intervention (CVI) subgrants
- Coordinate and connect ancillary MPI services to Communities Partnering 4 Peace (CP4P) partners
- Provide technical assistance related to programmatic fidelity and administrative compliance
- Establish partnerships and opportunities that align with and enhance the field of CVI