The ribbon-cutting for a new Libertyville facility for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities highlights the need for such services in a state with thousands of people stuck on a waitlist.
Nonprofit Clearbrook celebrated the opening of its Community Mental Health Center at 1659 Northwind Boulevard on Wednesday afternoon. The 1,600-square-foot facility is open to all Lake County residents, and provides mental health support for children and adults, as well as existing Clearbrook clients.
Clearbrook CEO Jessica Smart said the organization provides mental health services for people who are dually diagnosed, meaning they have an intellectual and developmental disability as well as a mental illness.
People with intellectual development disabilities have a higher incidence of mental illness, such as depression and anxiety, due to a range of factors including social stigmatization, difficulty communicating, higher rates of trauma exposure and lack of access to appropriate support systems.
“The truth is that people with IDD have many of the same mental health challenges as the rest of us, but those challenges are often compounded by the other unique circumstances of their lives,” Smart said. “This facility is designed not only to support the individuals we currently serve, but to also strengthen the community as a whole.”
Clearbrook also plans this year to open a day program next door offering visual arts, music and fitness therapy.
According to Smart, Illinois “ranks pretty low” when it comes to supporting individuals with developmental disabilities. The Prioritization of the Urgency of Need for Services, a statewide database of people with developmental disabilities who need services, currently sits at over 16,000 people, according to Illinois Department of Human Services data.
Even getting on the list can present additional hurdles, Smart said, and wait times are yet another barrier.
“That’s 16,000 people waiting for services in Illinois,” she said. “We’re a resource to guide a family on where to start the process.”
Clearbrook also has an intermediate-care facility in Gurnee, and two community-integrated living arrangements in Grayslake. By comparison, the Libertyville location offers therapy sessions by appointment.
Across its system, Clearbrook provides services to about 8,000 people, Smart said. She hopes to get the word out about its work and inform families of what services are available to them.
“One of the things I’m most proud of at Clearbrook is that through all our various services, we really have the capacity to serve somebody throughout their lifetime,” she said.
Libertyville Mayor Donna Johnson praised Clearbrook during the ribbon-cutting, as well as the benefits it will bring to the village and the broader area. It will offer services with privacy, making people more comfortable seeking help, rather than hiding signs of disabilities because of social stigma, she said.
“There tends to be a traditional perception that only impoverished communities have a need for these kinds of social services, and that is not the truth,” Johnson said.
She also praised the Clearbrook staff.
“My impression from the first meeting is that the staff here is passionate about the services they’re providing,” Johnson said. “It’s only as successful as the staff you have, so I’m happy they have a good staff.”
