Rosecrance has offered a quiet place of respite and help for clients through the Rosecrance Ware Center’s Recovery Resource Center for the past few years. However, through a grant from the Illinois Department of Human Services, the RRC expanded its services as a peer-run center called the Living Room.
This development is an alternative safe space for clients who might otherwise utilize emergency department services for mental health needs. Instead of spending hours in an unsettling hospital situation, clients find a calm, therapeutic environment where they can collect themselves and receive help. In addition to giving clients faster access to needed assistance, this decreases the burden on local hospitals and taxpayers.
Though it offers similar supports as Rosecrance Mulberry Center’s crisis triage services, the Living Room is designed to proactively divert crises and encourages individuals to seek support sooner. Referrals can be made between locations to ensure clients receive the best care.
“The Living Room represents a shift in the way we perceive and treat mental illness,” said program supervisor Raechal Carroll. “We hope to show guests that there are ways to receive treatment other than the ER. Sometimes the people we serve just need someone to listen to them and point them in the right direction. That is what we offer.”
One of the keys to the program is the team of Certified Recovery Support Specialists who staff the center during operating
hours (8:30 a.m.-5 p.m. daily). These team members are there to listen, counsel, and mentor people who stop by.
“We long have had peer specialists in Rosecrance programs, but this brings a new level of interaction with the public,” Carroll said. “They bring a different perspective that guests can relate to, and that can allow for more conversation and opportunities to be an inspiration for people who are struggling.”
Other available resources include assessments for treatment, counseling, peer-led support groups, computer stations, LIHEAP applications, information about housing and food sources, plus additional area resources.
To learn more about the Living Room or inquire about services, call 815-720-4881 or email Rcarroll@rosecrance.org.