With two amazing kids, a full-time job and stable housing, she is in a good place. And thus, so is her family.

But it wasn’t always this way.

Karah, 43, has spent years battling a mighty foe — her addiction, and all the troubles that come with it. Having also struggled with depression and anxiety since age 13, sometimes it is hard to pinpoint exactly when things started going downhill.

Her path to sobriety, as is often the case, has been filled with ups and downs. And like so many who struggle with addiction, it took a tragedy for her to finally give in to the help of others.

For Karah, that was a true turning point. Accepting help. Acknowledging such as a strength and not a weakness. Leaning on others.

Not just superficially, but actually surrendering herself to the process. And knowing she was worthwhile of that effort.

Today, she shares her story so that others can also find that path toward a better life.

She is eager to connect others to the resources at Human Support Services (HSS), because she knows how much the organization helped her when she was in the trenches of addiction.

“Let people help you and do the work . . . then things can get better,” she says. “HSS has been amazing to me and I am truly blessed.”

A Roller Coaster

Karah’s HSS story starts in 2012, when she struggled with an abusive relationship, lost her home and her job, and ended up in an inpatient
treatment facility for mental health issues.

Karah wanted to do better for herself. So upon completing the program, she connected with an outpatient counselor at HSS. She started going to school again and got her own apartment.

But her enemy — addiction — wasn’t going to let her win that easily.

Karah was a social drinker, and it wasn’t long before that led to experimenting with cocaine and marijuana. She saw it as recreational use —
not really a problem.

Then in 2014, Karah received a DUI.

Karah began substance use disorder groups at HSS. That helped. She was sober and on the right path again, completing her DUI classes and going six months without a car.

But the roller coaster ride wasn’t over yet.

Karah relapsed a year later. This time, it was cocaine and meth.

She used meth as a way to keep up with everything in her life. Her job, her kids — the best parts of her life, but also the people and things that caused her worry and anxiety.

She didn’t see her meth use as an addiction, or something that was causing her problems. At first, using meth made her feel like she was on top of the world, invincible. When she was on it, she felt like she could do anything.

But eventually, the drugs caught up with Karah, as they always do. No longer could she do anything, because everything was gone.
She was unable to maintain her job and her life was no longer hers. At that point, she realized she was addicted to meth.

It took tragedy for her to fully commit herself to accepting help from others.

When her best friend died due to a heroin overdose, Karah knew she HAD to stop using. She was determined: Dying was not going to be the end of her story, too.

In early 2018, her mom and sister helped her check in to an inpatient drug rehab facility in California. Upon completing the program, Karah came back to the area and was committed to making a major change in her life for herself and her kids.

She completed an outpatient program locally then connected again with HSS, which provided substance use disorder groups, counseling to support her mental health, and provided a safe place for her to live with her children through its supportive housing program.

Finally, things were starting to get better. Karah had found a better path forward, and it was because she had accepted that she didn’t have to fight her battle on her own. Others wanted to help. She deserved their help. And together sounded so much better than alone — or worse, dead.

A Brighter Future

Now, Karah says, “I will share my story to help others.”

“My best friend died because he didn’t get help,” she notes.

Her goal is simple: show others that there is help out there, and it can work if you allow it to.

Karah is committed to living a drug-free lifestyle and says she could not be in the place she is now without HSS. She is working full-time in a dental office, is searching for a home of her own and enjoys spending time with her two children.

Karah’s journey can teach us so much. Don’t be afraid to ask for help and never give up. Everyone’s path is different. And even if you don’t succeed the first time, keep trying.

Karah urges anyone dealing with substance use or mental health issues to reach out because it could mean the difference between life and death. She also wants to share her story to remind everyone that you never know what someone else is going through.

If you or a loved one are experiencing substance use or mental health concerns please call HSS at 618-939-4444.

*Note: Some details and names have been changed to protect the identity of the clients.

Our clients are going places, figuratively and literally.

As individuals and as a group, they’ve achieved incredible success over the last year as they propel themselves forward on the path to their best lives.

They’ve found jobs, excelled in training opportunities, engaged socially in the community and gained independent housing.

For them, the roads ahead are filled with opportunities and promise.

They’ve got the determination and talent to navigate those roads. We’ve got the programs, services and guidance they’ll need along the route.

We’re just missing one thing – the transportation to navigate those roads.

That’s where you can help. We’re in dire need of vehicles – cars in good working order – to transport our clients to their jobs, training, medical appointments and social events.

Our Human Support Services staff will operate the vehicles strictly for our clients’ needs. Our maintenance staff will also handle all the upkeep on the cars so that they remain in tip-top condition.

If you are able to donate a car you no longer use, or perhaps could benefit from the tax deduction from donating a car you were considering trading in, we would be immensely grateful.

Your donation of a good condition vehicle 2010 or newer would help ensure that clients can get to their jobs, and continue to thrive in our community.

You’ll receive a considerable tax write-off, but more than that, you can enjoy the knowledge that you’re impacting the futures of dozens in your community.

Our staff will pick up the car from your residence or chosen location, and handle all Secretary of State paper work. We’ll also send you a letter for tax purposes.

If you have questions or are interested in donating a car, please contact HSS Facilities & Vehicles Manager Todd Krebel at tkrebel@hss1.org or call 618-939-4444.

Nationwide, one in four women and one in seven men have been victims of severe physical violence by an intimate partner within their lifetime, according to the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence.

Unfortunately, in smaller communities like ours, access to domestic violence prevention services, such as counseling and legal assistance, can often be difficult to access.

Our friends at The Violence Prevention Center of Southwestern Illinois, (VPC) a 501(c)(3) nonprofit based in Belleville, have long been working hard to address these issues for families here in Monroe County, and in our neighboring counties of  St. Clair and Randolph.

Locally, the VPC has had a legal advocate based at the Monroe County Courthouse since 1997.  Victims of domestic abuse can visit that office to seek orders of protection or gain advice on how to navigate the legal system.

But when the courthouse closes, domestic violence victims who need counseling or other services have had few local options to seek help.

Now, thanks to a new partnership with Human Support Services a full-time VPC Domestic Violence Crisis Counselor will be able to provide services in Monroe County.

“The Violence Prevention Center of Southwestern Illinois is excited to have the opportunity to bring domestic violence counseling services to Monroe County,” said Darlene Jones, VPC executive director.

“It is a challenge for clients to travel to Belleville to receive these services from our certified domestic violence professional counselors,” Darlene continued.  “Although we have a Legal Advocate in Monroe County to assist with obtaining an order of protection, understanding legal rights of an individual, developing a safety plan, etc., the effects of domestic violence goes on long after legal intervention has been provided.”

In these cases, not only is the victim impacted by domestic violence but so are the children in the home who have witnessed this behavior.

Providing domestic violence counseling can help in the healing process, empowering the individual to move forward and breaking the cycle.

In Darlene’s words, “The union with HSS is perfect and we are thrilled to work closely with their staff.”

The counseling position is funded through the Victims of Crime Act grant recently awarded to VPC.

For us here at HSS, it’s a win-win situation.

It’s invaluable to keep Monroe County residents close to home to receive these important domestic violence prevention services, and allow working families to receive these services here in a safe space.

HSS isn’t certified to provide domestic violence counseling. That’s a service that VPC provides, and we’re happy to have that service as part of our full team approach here.

Even better, with VPC in house, we can refer back and forth if there are individuals that we see in our mental and behavioral health programs, and likewise.

The VPC provides a 24 hour crisis helpline/hotline to answer calls from the Illinois Domestic Violence Help Line and others for immediate crisis intervention and counseling services. That number is 618-235-0892 or 800-924-0096.

For the time being, anyone who needs to schedule an appointment with the VPC Domestic Violence Crisis Counselor in Monroe County should call the hotline.

To contact the VPC legal advocate in Monroe County, call 618-939-8114.

If you haven’t heard by now, let me be the first to share our very exciting news: we are the proud owners of a Bed & Breakfast!

On February 16, Human Support Services closed on property at 4505 HH Road in Waterloo that we plan to operate as a bed and breakfast and a group home.

This is a very, very big deal for our HSS family!

While we’re still in the early stages of this project, we envision that this five-bedroom home will become a full-time home for three of our clients with developmental disabilities. The clients, with help and supervision from HSS staff, will work at and operate the B & B.

The clients who will live and work at the B & B will be chosen based on their capabilities, talents and desire to live and work in this setting.

Each client will have his or her own bedroom and bathroom. The remaining two bedrooms will be offered as traditional bed and breakfast rooms, open to the general public and/or our out-of-town guests and family members visiting our clients here at HSS.

I’m particularly excited because this B & B is going to be a fantastic place for many clients – not just those who live there – to gain job valuable job skills and social interaction. As we develop the property and operate the B & B, there will be opportunities in everything from grounds keeping to meal preparation.

You may remember that this property was previously operated as the Waterloo Inn bed and breakfast, came on the real estate market in 2017.

HSS senior management saw the property as an opportunity that could benefit our clients, our organization and the community at large.

The B & B will be an asset to local tourism, and is likely the first of its kind in Illinois.

We are preparing the building for occupancy now and hope to start serving guests in early spring.

I hope you are as excited about this project as I am!

-Anne

By the looks of them, they weren’t excited about this day.

Even the most eager learners aren’t typically enthusiastic about being crammed into a tiny conference room for eight hours.

But this group – eight men and one woman – looked particularly pessimistic about this training session.

They were corrections officers – jailers in conversational terms – and this was Mental Health First Aid training from Human Support Services.

This was not regular First Aid; there would be no CPR skills being taught in this course. But the material they would learn – if they were willing – could just as likely save a life.

Mental Health First Aid teaches individuals how to identify, understand and respond to signs of mental illnesses and substance use disorders in their communities.

Like CPR, Mental Health First Aid can help save someone’s life in an emergency by teaching them how to respond when someone is in the middle of a mental health crisis.

The training also gives participants the tools they need to identify signs of a developing mental health issue in a co-worker, friend or family member, and intervene successfully.

Mental Health First Aid training, which can be offered to anyone in the community, is particularly helpful for first responders and corrections officers because it can help prevent the escalation of situations that are often already volatile.

For trainees who work in these high-risk environments, the tools provided might just help prevent injuries, arrest and in some instances, even death.

As expected, the training started out slowly. When the instructor talked about mental illness, a few officers expressed skepticism. Could this training really make a difference?

But as the instructor pressed on, she noticed a change. As she talked about the symptoms and the signs of anxiety and depression, she began to see their expressions change a little.

By the time lunch rolled around, an officer in the back raised his hand. He said his closest friend had been exhibiting many of the behaviors the instructor was describing.

The more she talked, the more the officer began to realize his friend was depressed.  He wanted to know how he could help his friend.

The instructor shared real life scenarios and took the officers through hands-on demonstrations, walking them through what it might look like to approach a woman having a panic attack in a busy shopping mall.

By the second half of the day, the room was quieter and all the officers were more attentive.

As the instructor guided the officers through more role play exercises, more began to recognize signs they had seen in inmates and suspects.

The officers began to realize that what might look like intentional noncompliant behavior might actually be the result of a mental illness episode.

During one exercise, each officer took a turn trying to answer questions from a teammate while the instructor whispered negative comments incessantly in his ear. The exercise, which is intended to simulate what it’s like for someone who suffers from schizophrenia, was eye-opening for many of the officers.

Though Mental Health First Aid training is just a short one-day course, it can change minds and in turn, change lives.

Right now, Human Support Services only has one individual  trained to offer Mental Health First Aid courses. We could offer many more classes if we had more instructors.

The more people who understand how to respond to someone who is having a mental health crisis, the better prepared we all will be to handle difficult situations.

Every Mental Health First Aid training helps our community take one more step toward understanding that mental health concerns are not something to fear.

If someone is developing or experiencing a mental health crisis, a listening ear and a little assistance may be all they need to get back on track. Please support Human Support Services in our efforts to educate the community.

She watches as he slips on his sneakers and pulls on his backpack. In the sunlit kitchen, there’s time for one quick hug between hurried bites of buttered toast.

She pauses, holding him just one second longer than usual, until he grumbles, “Mom! I’m going to be late!”

She grins and holds him at arm’s length so she can peer at his 11-year-old face.

This boy is so different than the one that stood before her just six months ago. This boy doesn’t look scared. He doesn’t look lonely or sad.

This boy is okay. Her son is going to be okay.

Another small piece of the weight she’s been carrying on her heart lifts away.

She stands up a little straighter, offering him a genuine smile and a wave as he darts off to the front yard where the school bus waits.

Six months ago, that school bus filled them both with dread. For her, it meant prodding, coaxing, and eventually, yelling at, her son to get moving.

Mornings were torture for both of them, from the moment she attempted to drag him out of his room, to the two hours it took to get him fed, dressed and ready to get on the bus.

For a year, she had tried everything to make mornings go smoothly – long talks, bribery, punishments – but nothing worked. Every morning he refused to eat breakfast and get dressed in a timely manner. Nearly every other day, he’d complain he didn’t feel well and say he didn’t want to go to school.

Evenings were more of the same. He no longer cared about homework, saying it didn’t matter anyway. He often “forgot” his books at school and spent much of his time alone in his room.

He stopped talking to her and his father, and was happiest lying on his bed with his earphones in all night. He refused to go outside and as time went on, he became an unrecognizable version of the child they’d known.

Then he stopped sleeping.

He’d always been a great sleeper, even as a baby. But now her 10 1/2-year-old rarely slept. He refused to fall asleep at night, and when he did, he woke often, sometimes with terrible dreams.

When his report card came, her A student got mostly Cs.

She knew something was wrong – had known for some time – but the more she tried to talk to him, the angrier he became. Her normally mild-mannered child was now prone to fits of unexplained anger.

His face was pale and hollow. Dark patches circled his eyes. He looked nothing like the happy, smiling boy in the pictures on her mantle. Her heart was heavy with fear and helplessness.

When she called Human Support Services, counselors were able to see him quickly. They helped him open up about the cause of his behavior.

Her son was being bullied at his private middle school. He was depressed and anxious about going to school, and didn’t know how to share his feelings with his parents.

At one point, he admitted to being suicidal.

Thankfully, with support and counseling, this young man developed ways to cope. He learned to become more assertive and confident, and was able to stand up to his bullies. He is opening up about his feelings and has an optimistic view for his life and the future.

She, in turn, has developed strategies for supporting him during these difficult years.

They both still have work to do, but HSS will be there to help them through.

If you or someone you know could benefit from counseling or other support services, please call Human Support Services at 618-939-4444.

Two days. Just 48 hours until school starts again.

In two days I’ll be right back there in that freshly-polished hallway, standing there with a frozen smile on my face, pretending everything is perfect.

I’ll listen as Madison tells me all about her latest boyfriend, and I’ll laugh when Taylor goes on about her epic Snapchat fail.

As far as they’ll be able to tell, I’ll be the same girl they’ve always known – fun, happy, over-achieving, me.

Even if I feel like dying inside, that’s the me they’ll see.

Why would they suspect otherwise? Why wouldn’t I be happy? I don’t even know why I feel this way.

This year should be my year.

I’ll be captain of the volleyball team, editor of the school yearbook, and co-captain of the cheerleading squad. I’ve been waiting for this since I was a freshman.

I have to carry my usual 4.0 GPA, only this year I also have to ace the ACTs. I’m taking AP Spanish and Calculus, and last week I found out I got into a special college prep writing class.

I know colleges look at extracurriculars, so I signed up for the debate team last spring. What’s one more thing? Practices start in three weeks, and Show Choir rehearsals start the week before that.

I’m president of the community service group so I’ll be leading the charge this year on all the volunteer projects for the entire school. Maybe a holiday food drive or a spring recycling effort?

Maybe, if I’m really careful with my scheduling, I can find time to do both. That would look fantastic on my college application.

It’s going to be a busy year, for sure, but I live for this stuff. Stress? I thrive on stress!

At least, that’s what I’ve heard my parents say about me to their friends.

Junior year is going to be my year, right? Right.

Then why, is it getting harder and harder to get out of bed the closer it gets to the first day of school. What is wrong with me?

When I think about school, my friends and the year ahead, I just want to crawl under the covers and hide. And I don’t understand why.

I should be happy. I shouldn’t have to pretend or fake a smile when I’m with my friends. But more and more lately, I do.

I’ll get it together. I have to. No one would understand if I just didn’t show up. No one would understand if I backed out of something – out of everything.

That would be quitting – or worse – failing. And I’d rather die than fail.

I can do this. I have to do this. . .

But what if I can’t?

It’s a misconception that the only teens who struggle with anxiety or  depression are the loners hiding in the shadows of the school cafeteria.

In truth, mental health issues can impact any child, from any family, in any community.

There are many stressors that impact the daily life of the average teen, from college prep and peer pressure, to after-school jobs and social media.

When those stressors pile on an individual already battling anxiety or depression, the result can range from changes in mood and behavior to thoughts of suicide.

Fortunately, with counseling and support, teens can learn ways to cope with depression and anxiety, and find ways to balance stressors.

Human Support Services offers counseling and services to youth and adults struggling with anxiety, depression and other mental health concerns. We can help.

If you have a teen in your life whom could benefit from counseling or mental health services, call us today at 618-939-4444.

In a family, when one member is sick or troubled, the others rally together to support and uplift their loved one.

The same is true for communities. We’ve seen countless examples here in Monroe County of our community rallying together to support a family in need or help a sick or injured child.

That communal selflessness often translates to other types of communities as well.

That’s why Human Support Services is fortunate to be a part of several.

We’re proud to be a part of the generous, supportive community of Monroe County, the geographic location where we serve our clients. But we’re equally grateful to be a part of the nonprofit community in Southwestern Illinois.

We’re fortunate to work alongside organizations who serve our region, from the YMCA and the Monroe County House of Neighborly Service, to our fellow mental health organizations like Human Service Center and Monroe Council for the Handicapped.

In a time when many nonprofits are struggling due to the state budget crisis, it has never been more important for our nonprofit community to help one another and fill in to provide services whenever we can.

The spacious, comfortable rooms of the new HSS group homes

That’s why when HSS learned a residential home in Evansville would soon be closing its doors, we hoped to find a way we could help the residents who would be displaced.

At that time, HSS only had housing available for 24 individuals with developmental disabilities.  Twenty-two of those residential openings were filled, but we gladly welcomed two clients from the Evansville home to bring us to capacity.

Then, through a series of fortunate events, we were able to expand our capacity by three more spots, increasing our capacity to 27!

So far, we’ve been able to welcome two more clients from the Evansville residence.

The spacious, comfortable rooms of the new HSS group homes

We’re delighted to report that several of these clients have family in Monroe County, which means their new living arrangements give them the opportunity to be closer to their loved ones.

In a time when so many nonprofits are facing uncertainty – and we too have been concerned with the state’s budget crisis – we are proud that we were able to forge ahead and provide homes for as many of our neighbors in need as we could.

Other organizations and individuals in our community have certainly been there for HSS and our clients many, many times – in ways too numerous to mention.

That’s what a true sense of community means, to do whatever small part you or your organization can to help and keep moving forward when others need you.

The spacious, comfortable rooms of the new HSS group homes

In these towns, our clients are the front line volunteers handing out sack lunches to children and adults who might otherwise struggle to find enough to eat on these hot summer days.

The program, called Summer Lunch Bunch, is a new joint effort of the Monroe County House of Neighborly Service, the YMCA, Teamwork, Big Brothers Big Sisters and HSS.

While HNS handles the lunch distribution at sites in Waterloo, our HSS clients are responsible for preparing, packing and distributing the lunches at sites in Valmeyer, Hecker and Prairie du Rocher.

For us, it’s a win-win effort.

Not only are we involved in an important community project that helps feed local families in need, but we are giving all our day and workshop program clients a new opportunity to learn.

“A lot of our volunteer experiences are limited to a few people, but we saw this lunch bunch as an opportunity for almost everybody to be involved if they wanted to,” said Anne King, HSS chief program officer. “So we’re really rotating and turn taking with a lot of folks in the day program. Everybody gets a turn to go except for those that can’t take the heat or have medical limitations.”

For many of our clients, it’s a chance to get out and interact with people – something they love to do. Even better, it’s an opportunity for them to work on social interaction skills and teamwork.

“It’s really a chance for clients to build in their skills as much as providing a service to the community too,” King said.

Volunteering with the Summer Lunch Bunch offers clients experience in a variety of areas, such as food preparation, community service, communication skills and social engagement.

HSS works with HNS regularly, and this is a great example of a successful community partnership that has provided benefits on multiple levels.

The Summer Lunch Bunch will provide free lunches to people of all ages Monday through Thursday through August 11.

Volunteers give out lunches at the following locations and times:

• Bella Vista apartments on Debra Lane in Waterloo at 11 a.m.
• Corner of Park and Moore streets in Waterloo at 11:30 a.m.
• Waterloo Optimist Skate Park at 12 p.m.
• Former First Bank site in Valmeyer at 11:30 a.m.
• City park in Prairie du Rocher at 11:30 a.m.
• City park in Hecker at 11:30 a.m.

The Summer Lunch Bunch is in need of volunteers and donations of food to continue the program throughout the summer. If you can help or have questions, call 618-939-8680.

HSS is excited to announce that some of our clients will now be working with the City of Waterloo to help beautify the community!

Through a new partnership with the city, our clients will work to keep the streets of downtown clean and continue the mayor’s ongoing efforts of beautification.

“Our clients our thrilled with this new employment opportunity, and love being an integral part of our community’s success,” said HSS Chief Program Officer Anne King. “We appreciate this new partnership with the city, as well as their ongoing support of the work that we do with our clients every day.”

Residents may see HSS clients performing their new jobs some weekday mornings – just look for them in the bright yellow safety vests!

“Our clients are hard-working and resourceful,” King said. “Many of them perform volunteer tasks in our community and hold a variety of jobs. We hope this partnership will begin to highlight the many talents of the clients we serve, and will lead to other opportunities for employment with local businesses.”