FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

The Mental Health Services (MHS) program of Sertoma Centre is a consumer-centered and consumer-driven program that provides services to persons with a primary diagnosis of mental illness. Through psycho-educational groups, individual counseling, peer support and community integration, the MHS program seeks to provide program participants with the skills needed to both cope with symptoms of mental illness and work to recover from mental illness.

The MHS program primarily consists of Psycho-Social Rehabilitation (PSR) and Community Support (CS) services. PSR helps individuals learn more about their mental illness, coping techniques for symptom management, and the skills needed for personal growth and recovery. CS focuses on community integration by learning about employment, using independent living skills, and maintaining recovery from mental illness. In addition, case management services and individual therapy are also integral to recovery and are provided on a case-by-case basis.

Specific services include:

• Mental Health Assessments
• Consumer driven treatment planning and goal setting
• Skill Building provided individually or in-group settings
• Community Support Services provided individually or in group settings
• Counseling or Therapy provided individually or in group settings
• Case Management Services
• Consumer education, self-advocacy and leadership opportunities
• Social and recreational activities
• Community-based vocational assessments (offered through Insite Training Systems, a division of Sertoma)
• Supported and competitive employment services (offered through Insite Training Systems)

The services as mentioned above are provided on the Matteson facility site in group rooms which are designed as classrooms.

PSR is an abbreviation for Psycho-Social Rehabilitation services. PSR services help individuals learn more about their mental illness, provide coping techniques for symptom management and increase skills needed for personal growth and recovery through facility based educational group and individual based classes. PSR is also referred to as “Pathways to Self-Reliance.”

Some of the PSR groups include the following: Symptom Management, Recovery, Stress Management, Healthy Relationships, Self-Esteem, Expressive Arts and Anger Management. PSR groups are held five days per week for a total of 25 hours.

The MHS program meets Monday through Friday. Each day focuses on a theme. Mondays and Wednesdays center on Daily Living Skills. Groups offered on these days reflect this theme and include Communication Skills and Money Management. Tuesdays and Thursdays revolve around Symptom Management. Some of the groups offered on these days include Recovery and Anxiety Management. Fridays’ theme is Healthy Living. Groups offered on Fridays include Stress Management and Health and Hygiene. Each day begins with a check-in group at 8:30. Individual services are available daily and the hours are based on the needs of the consumers including evenings and weekends.

The hours of operation are from 8 – 4pm Monday through Friday. The consumers are involved in a variety of activities on site during the regular hours of the program; however, the group based skill building services are offered exclusively between the hours 8:30 – 2 pm Monday through Friday. Consumers are able to access services before and after usual operating periods through home based or off-site based services.

The program is funded in part from the Department of Mental Health Services through the Division of Health and Human Services. All services are accessible to individuals who are actively enrolled and eligible for Medicaid based services. Services are directed by and are in compliance with the requirements of Rule 132, which are operating standards for community based mental health providers.

For individuals who are funded by Medicaid there are no upfront fees or costs aside from community outing costs or special events. Funding and rate structures are established and funded by the Department of Mental Health and DHS. Consumers are required to bring monies for their own individual needs such as their lunch or snacks. On a rare basis consumers who have Medicaid also have a monthly spend down (deductible) as a part of their Medicaid insurance. This deductable is required to be paid monthly to remain eligible for services.

The MHS program partners with our participants in their treatment goals. As such, treatment services are directed and focused on the needs of the participants who are receiving a valued service. MHS staff are committed to ensuring each consumers satisfaction with the treatment they receive and are held accountable to the highest standards of ethics as a result.

Consumers can be self-referred or are referred from a variety of state and private agencies such as DHS/DDD, DHS/OMH, DHS DRS, local school districts, families, Service Coordination agencies, Mental Health Service Providers, Hospitals, police departments, etc.

1. Consumers must be 18 years of age or older
2. Consumers must have a primary mental illness diagnosis (as recognized by Medicaid Rule 132)
3. Consumers must have an active Medicaid medical benefit card
4. Consumers must meet any spend down requirements as specified by Medicaid
5. Consumers must meet other Medicaid requirements, as described in Rule 132
6. Consumers must give informed consent to participate in PSR services
7. Consumers must have the ability to self-medicate any medications taken during program hours
8. Consumers cannot require 24-hour medical supervision
9. Consumers cannot be currently harmful to self or others

The MHS program is open to all adults with mental illness who want to achieve their personal goals, who want to become empowered to achieve recovery, and who recognize the need for additional support in their lives. While adults must have a primary diagnosis of mental health, individuals with a secondary substance abuse diagnosis are welcome to participate in the program and will receive services for their addictive treatment needs. MHS staff are trained in substance abuse treatment and the MHS Manager is certified as a Registered Dual Disorder Professional.

Sertoma Centre provides services to individuals in the south surburbs of Chicago.

If needed, transportation is provided to and from the Matteson location for all enrolled consumers who have Medicaid and who live in the Southern Suburbs. Transportation is not usually provided to the Chicago Metro area however on occasions there are exceptions. For specific questions about whether transportation services are available in your neighborhood feel free to contact the MHS Program Manager. Transportation is provided on PACE vans with PACE certified drivers.

Consumers are responsible for their own lunch and snacks. Lunch is taken from 11:00 am – 12 noon. Consumers may sign out at the front desk and go out to lunch at any local area restaurants or they can bring their meals from home. In addition, food is available for purchase from the snack shop located in the lunchroom.

Sertoma Centre does not participate in medication administration or monitoring. While the MHS program is not directly affliated with a psychiatrist, Service Coordinators are available to make referrals and recommendations for psychiatric services. Consumers are responsible for bringing their own medication to the program and while prompts can be provided by the MHS staff, the responsibility for medication compliance rests with the consumer.

The MHS program encourages family members to be actively involved in treatment. Sertoma believes that a strong support system is essential to treatment success and therefore parents and supportive individuals are invited to the intake, assessment and treatment planning events. In addition, consumers are encouraged to sign releases of information for their significant family members so that they can be informed of treatment progress and successes.

Vocational services are not offered as a part of the Sertoma MHS program. However, Community-based vocational assessments are offered through Insite Training Systems, a division of Sertoma along with supported and competitive employment services. Service Coordinators in the MHS program will assist consumers in addressing some of the symptoms of their mental health diagnosis that can impact a consumer’s success in competitive or supportive employment such as anxiety, mood lability and panic.

Participation in Sertoma Centre MHS program is voluntary. Consumers are not paid to attend the program.

Consistent and reliable attendance is a requirement for all enrolled consumers. Each consumer, with the assistance of their service coordinator, family or referral source self-selects the various groups and services that they are enrolled in. Because of this, each consumer has an individualized schedule that is unique and based exclusively on the needs of the consumer. Some consumers attend as much as five days a week while several attend only one or two days per week. Once a schedule is designed and agreed upon consumers are required to attend faithfully and participate fully in the program as they would in regular employment.

The MHS program provides services primarily through a group based process. Because of this consumers must have the capacity to understand verbal and written information with only minor prompts and assistance. Generally, the majority of the consumers within the program have at least an average level of intelligence however consumers with mild mental retardation or borderline intellectual functioning have shown success in treatment services.

Opportunities to transition to other programs/services are available based upon the consumer’s needs, preferences, choices, and program criteria as indicated in each individual program description. Options for transfer can be discussed during the Individual Service Plan meeting or a special meeting may be convened at other times as needed.

The program lasts until any of the following objectives are achieved:

1. The Consumer is able to maintain gainful competitive or supported employment and is no longer in need of MHS services.
2. The Consumer is maintaining a high quality of life with effective natural supports.
3. The MHS Program and PSR services no longer meet the needs of the individual.
4. The Consumer is not benefiting from the program.

All of the staff who are employed within the MHS program have a desire to work in the field of mental health and a commitment to advocating for individuals with disabilities. Each consumer that attends Sertoma Centre is assigned a service coordinator. The Service Coordinators who work directly with MHS consumers through facilitation of groups and individual sessions are given the title of QMHP (Qualified Mental Health Professional) and have an advanced degree in a field of social services such as social work, counseling or psychology. The MHS Manager has an advanced degree in social work, is certified as a Registered Dual Disorder Professional (RDDP) and has a license in clinical social work.

The name is an acronym for Service to Mankind.

Interested consumers and family members can learn more about the program by contacting the Program Manager of Mental Health Services. Once contact is made with the Program Manager, interested consumers and/or their referral sources are invited to fill out a referral/intake form and submit any relevant information about their treatment history and needs to the Program Manager’s attention. If the consumer is found to be appropriate for services they will be invited to come to the Matteson site for an intake interview and a tour of the program. Once the intake interview is completed and the consumer is accepted, consumers can begin the MHS program in as little as one week. For consumers who have transportation difficulties intakes can be scheduled at a more convenient location such as in a local nursing home facility or at home.

Please contact the Program Manager to schedule an interview for program entry.
Carmel Browne, LCSW, RDDP
Mental Health Services Manager
708-748-1951 ext. 417
cbrowne@sertomacentre.org

Interested consumers the following documents to an appointment:

• A valid Medicaid Card (We will make a copy of the Medicaid card at the assessment);
• Social Security Card (We will make a copy of the Social Security card at the assessment);
• Valid Picture Identification (Any form of state identification such as a driver’s license or a current school identification card would be appropriate);
• Proof of Consumer Income (such as a paycheck stub, a social security benefit letter or a W2 income form);
• Proof of Household Income for the consumer’s household such as a parent’s W2 forms or paycheck stubs (for consumers who live with family members, friends or who have a roommate);
• Information on Household Size (We will need the names and ages of all the members of a household);
• Names and Addresses of any prescribing medical professionals such as a psychiatrist;
• Name, addresses and phone numbers of any treatment providers such as a clinical psychologist, a clinician or a counselor;
• Any relevant documents such as a psychological evaluation, psychiatric assessment or hospital discharge paperwork;
• Medication Prescription bottles or pill containers with medication details including name, dosage, frequency and information on the prescribing physicians.

The Department of Mental Health Services is the primary funding source for the Sertoma MHS program. They have requested that all community mental health centers obtain proof of income for each consumer and their household so that eligibility for services can be determined. A household includes all persons related legally or as a relative who occupy a housing unit. A housing unit is a house, an apartment, a mobile home, a group of rooms, or a single room that is occupied (or if vacant, is intended for occupancy) as separate living quarters. Separate living quarters are those in which the occupants live and eat separately from any other persons in the building and which have direct access from the outside of the building or through a common hall. The occupants may be a single family, one person living alone, two or more related families living together, or any other group of persons related legally or as a relative who share living arrangements. (People not living in households are classified as living in-group quarters.)

Carmel Browne, LCSW, RDDPMental Health Services Manager
Mental Health Services
Sertoma Centre, Inc.
4331 W. Lincoln Highway, Suite A,
Matteson, IL 60443
Phone: (708) 748-1951
708-748-1951 ext. 417
Fax: (708) 748-1962
cbrowne@sertomacentre.org