Sertoma Star Services has recently partnered with South Suburban PADS (SSPADS) as part of a grant expansion of their Southland Permanent Support Housing (PSH).

The Southland PSH is a component of the Continuum of Care (CoC) Expansion in South Cook County. It is an all-encompassing system of care that assists homeless individuals and families by providing a wide range of housing and services. The objective is to prevent and bring an end to homelessness by guiding and monitoring the progress of these individuals through the system.

Sertoma Star Services, an agency supporting individuals with disabilities and those living with mental illness, will provide mental health support and services for SSPADS as part of the partnership. As part of the collaboration, Sertoma Star Services will provide a full-time Residential Mental Health Case Manager who specializes in mental health to provide support to individuals who are homeless and transitioning into Permanent Support Housing. The Residential Mental Health Case Manager will provide support in the community and through home visits.

“This new partnership with SSPADS will support individuals with mental illness who are impacted by homelessness,” said Kirk Hanson, Senior Director of Community Mental Health and Counseling.  “Mental health is often a hurdle for individuals but by offering the services of a Residential Mental Health Case Manager, we can provide support with benefits, linkage, and other services that, unfortunately a large part of the population needs.”

SSPADS (South Suburban Public Action to Deliver Shelter) is a not-for-profit organization that works to prevent and end homelessness in the south suburbs of Chicago. Over the past 28 years, the organization has provided shelter and meals to enable over 18,000 people to survive homelessness.

Sertoma Star Services is a newly merged agency through the alliance of two long-standing organizations of Sertoma Centre, Inc., Alsip, and New Star, Chicago Heights. Sertoma Star’s Community Mental Health and Counseling is based in Matteson and serves the south suburbs, offering support and education to enable people with mental illness to participate in a personal recovery process.