Welcome to the Illinois Psychiatric Society
The Illinois Psychiatric Society (IPS) is a dynamic community of over 1,000 Illinois psychiatrists, in diverse types of practice and subspecialty areas. IPS brings members together for advocacy, education, and networking with multiple special interests and work groups.
IPS was started in 1938 as a district branch of the American Psychiatric Association (APA.) APA (founded in 1844), one of the first nation-wide professional organizations in the U.S., now serving 38,800 members. Our nation is facing tremendous demand for behavioral health care. The goal of IPS is to raise quality, parity, equity, and access to psychiatric care, for all citizens of Illinois.
Upcoming Events
Featured Item:
Joint Statement with other leading Illinois medical and behavioral health specialty societies:
LGBTQI+ Community Needs a Lifeline Now More Than Ever
The Illinois Psychiatric Society, Illinois Psychology Association, and the Illinois Academy of Family Physicians along with the Illinois Society of Addiction Medicine, the Illinois Council of Child and Adolescent Psychiatrists, NAMI Chicago, and Chicago Therapy Collective disagree with the decision to remove the LGBTQI+ option from the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. This specialized service was created to provide an essential lifeline for a community that is disproportionately affected by mental health crises and suicide.
President Charity of Choice for 2026-2027:
Street Samaritans
Street Samaritans began in April 2017, sparked by the compassion of 20 volunteers who came together on a Sunday with 30 care packages. These packages were hand-delivered to individuals experiencing homelessness, marking the start of a grassroots movement to provide direct support and restore dignity to Chicago’s unhoused community.
Founded on the principles of human connection and a commitment to eliminating judgment, Street Samaritans has evolved from a grassroots effort into a recognized 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to supporting Chicago’s homeless community. While volunteers remain a crucial part of our work, we are also backed by a professional team that ensures our outreach and programs are strategic, sustainable, and impactful.
At the heart of our mission is the belief that everyone deserves dignity, compassion, and a path forward. Through our programs, we address immediate needs while creating pathways to stability, empowerment, and transformation to individuals on their journey out of homelessness. Addressing homelessness requires all of us to act with courage and compassion. We invite you to join us as we continue to grow and extend our impact. From our humble grassroots origins to our current success, our story shows that prioritizing credibility and leading with dedication can drive profound and positive change.
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