A "Needs Assessment" was conducted in 1974 to determine the current status of clinical and social services for Hispanic Americans on Chicago's Near Northwest Side. The results demonstrated that Hispanics were severely underserved in this area of Chicago and there was a critical need for bilingual and culturally sensitive services.

That same year, the not-for-profit Hispano Alcoholism Services, now known as Healthcare Alternative Systems Inc. (HAS), opened and continues to be recognized as the leading provider of quality behavioral health care services in the areas of substance abuse, mental health and social services for Hispanics and has expanded to provide quality services for other culturally and racially diverse populations.

Over the last 29 years HAS has created a continuum of care for substance abuse patients that includes prevention, residential, and transitional services, as well as three levels of outpatient care for men, women, and youth. All of these services are offered in Spanish and English except for the residential and transitional programs, which are for Spanish speaking males.

The organization has expanded its facilities and programs to meet the changing needs of clients and their families. Some of these programs and services include:

• Traditional Substance Abuse Outpatient Services
  In 1974 HAS began to offer bilingual substance abuse treatment, in order to provide services to Hispanic Patients who were an underserved population in the community.
  
• Prevention Services
  In 1980, HAS started offering substance abuse prevention services at a time when prevention services were receiving little attention and had no designated funding.
  
• Intensive Outpatient Services
  In 1983, HAS became one of the first organizations in Illinois to implement intensive outpatient services to people who required more frequent and intense treatment and support than traditional outpatient care programs provided.
  
• Residential Treatment Program
  In 1991, HAS opened a short-term residential treatment program for Hispanic male substance abusers. This program is the only one in the Midwest that specializes in providing culturally sensitive treatment exclusively in Spanish.
  
• HIV/AIDS Programs
  In 1994, HAS obtained funding to develop and provide high quality HIV/AIDS education, prevention and case management services at a time when the issue was still coming into its own, and the stigma of the disease was still very severe. In addition gaining funding for underserved populations and minority groups was still in a developmental stage.
  
• Transitional Housing
  In 1999, HAS opened Transitional Housing services for clients who successfully completed the residential program and needed temporary housing while they continued in their recovery, secured a job, and found permanent housing.
  
• Management Information Systems
  In 2001, HAS developed a new Management Information System, which contains administrative and clinical information regarding patient care and services on a central database. The system also has the capability to create reports that measure the quality and effectiveness of care.

In addition to these programs, HAS offers a complete array of substance abuse and behavioral health programs, which target specific populations such as: MISA (mentally ill/substance abuse), HIV/AIDS, criminal justice, youth, women, domestic violence victims and male perpetrators. Family case management, employee assistance, and prevention services are also offered.

Throughout its history, HAS has worked with hospitals, social service agencies, universities, and research organizations to provide treatment and social services to individuals and their families where gaps in care existed. In addition, HAS has been involved in research to determine the most effective treatment methodologies for clients and the community. This research has resulted in formal treatment linkages between HAS and other organizations.

HAS is an accredited organization through the Rehabilitation Accreditation Commission (CARF) to provide residential and outpatient substance abuse services. HAS is also licensed by the Illinois Department of Human Services (DHS), Office of Alcoholism and Substance Abuse (OASA), and is a certified Medicaid Provider and a member agency of United Way/Crusade of Mercy. HAS is also involved with numerous provider networks, such as Health Maintenance Organizations, Preferred Provider Organizations, Employee Assistance Programs and Managed Care Organizations.