Juvenile Protective Association

Founded by Jane Addams in 1901, the Juvenile Protective Association (JPA) has spent over 120 years working toward its mission to improve the social and emotional well-being and functioning of vulnerable children and families so they can reach their fullest potential at home, in school, and in our communities.

Today, JPA offers high-quality mental health services to at-risk individuals throughout Chicago who are suffering from trauma and toxic stress. By working not only with children, but also with their most important adult influences – parents and teachers – JPA is able to provide comprehensive support to our clients helping to ensure that progress made in the therapy room can be sustained at home and in the classroom.

JPA’s current programs include:
1) Treatment & Counseling: school-based mental health care in the form of therapy, workshops, and professional development;
2) Connect 2 Kids: Trauma-informed teacher consultation;
3) Building the Field of Social Work: JPA’s clinical internship program for graduate-level social workers;
4) Grandparent Project: Elders trained by JPA therapists work with youth to address community issues with violence, gang activity, and abuse;
5) New Light: JPA’s fee-for-service counseling center in Lincoln Park.

• JPA is a not-for-profit, social impact agency founded by Jane Addams in 1901
• JPA serves 3,500+ children, educators and parents from high-poverty, high-violence neighborhoods throughout Chicago
• Over 90% of JPA’s clients experienced at least one trauma - gun violence, gang activity, homelessness, and/or abuse
• JPA makes mental health care accessible through free school-based therapy and trauma-informed teacher consultation
• Passionate about the mental health & well-being of Chicago’s youth? Volunteer with JPA today! Contact us for details