Hundreds of Black and Brown boys and men could lose critical mental health care after Meridian ends partnership with GRO Community
CHICAGO, IL, October 20, 2025 — Hundreds of Black and Brown boys and men in Chicago and across Illinois are now at risk of losing access to the trusted mental health care they rely on after Meridian terminated its contract with GRO Community, effective December 1, 2025. Meridian cited that GRO no longer fits within the company’s business strategy.
This decision comes at a time when programs created for racially diverse and marginalized communities are being cut nationwide, putting critical services like therapy, psychiatric care, mentoring, and school-based programs at risk for families who depend on them.
The impact extends far beyond one organization. It represents a growing crisis in access to culturally competent care, particularly for boys and men of color who are already among the least likely to receive consistent, high-quality treatment.
For populations already underserved, such as Black and Brown men and boys, losing coverage increases the risk of untreated disorders, fewer safe spaces, and reduced support.
A Proven Model of Care at Risk
GRO Community has served more than 3,000 boys and men across Illinois with trauma-informed therapy, psychiatric care, mentoring, and school-based programs. The organization’s model is designed to meet clients where they are, including homes, schools, and neighborhoods, rather than requiring them to navigate systems that were not built for them.
Clients have experienced meaningful improvements across a variety of outcomes, including:
- 69 percent reduction in symptoms of oppositional behavior and impulsiveness.
- 65 percent reduction in symptoms of depression and PTSD.
- 73 percent reduction in symptoms of anxiety.
- 58 percent reduction in symptoms of hyperactivity.
“Across the country, mental health organizations are struggling to meet the growing demand for care. Waitlists are long, and Black men remain severely underrepresented among counselors and therapists,” said Jerry Davis-EL, Executive Director of GRO Community.
“GRO is working to close that gap. Families trust us because they see themselves in our clinicians and know that we understand their experiences. That trust is where real healing happens.”
A National Crisis with Local Consequences
The loss of partnerships like this one has far-reaching implications. Chicago and many communities throughout Illinois are already grappling with a mental health crisis that disproportionately affects Black and Brown families. Yet access to culturally competent care remains deeply unequal. For example:
- Suicide is the third leading cause of death among Black men ages 15–24.
- African American males are 30 percent more likely to experience mental health challenges than White males, yet far fewer receive care.
- Between 56 and 74 percent of Black men with trauma have unmet mental health needs, and only 26 percent access services.
- Only one in three Black Americans who need mental health care actually receives it.
- Only 10 percent of Latinos with depression seek professional help.
“Insurance profits should never determine who gets to heal,” said Aaron Mallory, CEO of GRO Community.
“GRO has built a trusted pipeline serving thousands of overlooked and underserved boys and men. Meridian’s decision threatens not only their progress but their lives.”
“Many of the young men we support rely on Medicaid or low-income coverage. Losing that access means losing trusted therapists, mentorship, and the continuity that builds trust. When care is interrupted, progress can be lost, voices go silent, and the stigma of ‘I can’t get help’ returns” said Davis-El.
Access Matters
“Access to mental health care is not optional. It’s essential,” Mallory said.
“We are helping families transition to new managed care providers that value mental health equity so their care is not interrupted.”
Families impacted by Meridian’s decision can switch to alternative managed care options, including Blue Cross Community Options, County Care, Molina, and Aetna. GRO Community will host a series of local events to assist with the process.
More information is available at www.grocommunity.org/accessmatters.
About GRO Community
GRO Community (God. Restoring. Order.) is a mental health and social services organization headquartered in Chicago’s Roseland neighborhood, with programs serving communities across Illinois and Ohio.
GRO was founded to address the lasting effects of trauma and exposure to violence on Black and Brown boys and men ages 5 and up, particularly those living in under-resourced, high-crime areas.
Believing that mental health is whole health, GRO provides culturally competent, trauma-informed care through a network of Black and Brown clinicians.
Our services include individual and group therapy, psychiatric care, school-based social-emotional learning, gun violence prevention programs, transitional housing, and workforce development.
GRO helps clients identify harmful thinking patterns, develop emotional regulation skills, and build the social-emotional tools needed to navigate life’s challenges.
GRO Community is more than mental health. It is a complete ecosystem for healing and empowerment. Together we heal. Together we thrive.