Sole Source - Center for Childhood Resilience (CCR)

The Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE), through its Chief Education Officer, awarded a sole source contract valued at $200,000 to Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago (specifically its Center for Childhood Resilience) for educational and clinical services under the School-Based Trauma-Informed Support Services (TISS) grant. The contract period runs from December 1, 2025, through September 30, 2026, with no renewal options. Funding is provided through federal resources from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA).

The prime contractor will deliver annual regional trainings in school-based trauma interventions and evidence-based practices, issue Continuing Education Credits (CEUs) to participants, and provide training for clinicians on trauma symptom screening and identification protocols for students requiring alternative or intensive support services. The Center for Childhood Resilience justified the sole source award based on its nearly 20 years of specialized expertise in trauma therapy training and fidelity monitoring, prior involvement in ISBE's federal grant proposal development, and existing relationships with served communities. The project is designed to serve a minimum of 6,750 students across high-need referral districts and alternative education programs throughout Illinois.