Family Service Center (FSC) is a local, not-for-profit, community mental-health agency that began offering services in Wilmette in 1913 to help families when aid was needed due to unfortunate circumstances and difficult transitions. By the late 1940’s, the community leaders who governed FSC realized that mental health support was most often at the core of helping families thrive during challenging times. They have worked since to build an organization around a team of highly trained and experienced clinicians whose talents can be accessed by families and family members of any age when in need – while also removing financial and other barriers to receive care.

Key dates:
– 1913: Organized by the Woman’s Club of Wilmette, “Family Service” is established, and bylaws are created.
– 1949: The Village of Kenilworth requests and is added to the FSC service area with a commitment of financial support.
– 1949: The Community Church of Glenview offers financial support, and Glenview is added to the FSC service area.
– 1953: Northbrook added to the FSC service area with support from the Northbrook Community Chest.

Today FSC receives funding support from both New Trier and Northfield township, as well as the villages of Glenview and Northbrook, and through the Kenilworth Community Fund to help subsidize our ability to offer a sliding fee scale to those families who live, work, go to school, or worship in these communities. This funding covered 17.4% of FSC expenses in FY2023. Client fees (both sliding scale payments and insurance) covered another 37% of service costs. 

FSC is only able to do the critical work it does today thanks to additional private donations from individuals, foundations, businesses, and civic organizations to cover the additional 46% of costs needed to fully fund our mission. Because of this, FSC is also able to support families beyond this geographic area but prioritizes these communities when service waitlists occur.