The Branch Family Institute (BFI) is a Black women-owned and operated community-based mental health agency, established in 2002 by Dr. Brenda T. Thompson, and cofounders Dr. Nikia Sledge and Jasmika R. Cook to tackle disparities and barriers to mental health on the south side of Chicago.

Our mission is to empower families and communities through counseling, education, and advocacy.

We partner with community stakeholders to provide consistent support for families affected by social injustice. Together we actively create programs to explore various strategies to improve the lives and circumstances that threaten core structure of the family system.

Why?

Because healthy families yield healthy communities.