Centerstone’s ACT program helping individuals with severe mental illness in southern Illinois

CARBONDALE, Ill. — An effort to help individuals with severe mental illness has doubled in participation.  

Centerstone recently expanded its Assertive Community Treatment (ACT) program to provide comprehensive, community-based support for adults living with serious mental illness across several counties in Illinois. ACT is available in Madison, St. Clair, Jersey, Jackson, Union, and parts of Franklin and Williamson counties. The program serves adults age 18 and older who are diagnosed with serious mental illnesses, such as schizophrenia, bipolar disorder or schizoaffective disorder.  

“People see our folks a lot of times and they think that they are scary or dangerous, and 99% of the time, that is the furthest thing from the truth,” Centerstone Clinical Coordinator Jenny Vukson said. “They are far more likely to be victimized by other people than they are to hurt somebody.”  

At the same time, Centerstone’s team members work to honor the client’s right to make choices about care and to maintain a reasonable degree or autonomy.  

Many ACT participants struggle with daily living activities, maintaining employment and sustaining meaningful relationships. They often live on limited budgets.  

Kim Wirth is the Director of Clinical Services at Centerstone. She oversees in-home services and other supportive services for adults with severe and persistent mental health conditions across Illinois.  

“This level of care is very highly needed,” Wirth said. “The individuals we serve with ACT are some of the hardest to engage, but they are the people who need the most and receive the most services. We kept advocating to expand our services, and we were successful with that.”  

Federal grant funding allows Centerstone’s coverage area to expand into Union County and parts of Williamson and Franklin counties.   

“We can’t waitlist folks with this level of care; these are the folks who need the most help,” Wirth said.  

Flexible care for clients who need it

Centerstone is opening positions to accommodate the staffing needs for the ACT program that has nearly doubled in size since the expansion from Carbondale and Jackson County into a wider geographic space. Centerstone went from fewer than 15 ACT clients to more than 30 since the expansion.  

ACT care focuses on reducing psychiatric hospitalizations, stabilizing safe and affordable housing, supporting money management and entitlement assistance, improving access to medical and dental care, and encouraging vocational, educational, and social opportunities.  

Services provided include clinical treatment for mental illness and substance use, 24/7 crisis services, medication management, relapse prevention, service planning and coordination, housing and entitlement assistance, vocational support, and peer recovery coaching.  

“Flexible” is the word Centerstone leaders use to describe the ideal ACT team member. Clients are sometimes resistant to care, and different entities involved in a client’s wellbeing don’t always work together.  

“This team is designed to provide all services under one umbrella, so often clients are seeing our doctors, we are their therapists, we are their case managers, we have our own nurse, and I think the folks on this team make it clear from the beginning that this is a program that doesn’t give up very easily,” Wirth said. “We advocate until we can’t advocate anymore.”  

Referrals to the ACT program can be made by calling 1-877-HOPE123 (877-467-3123) or emailing CIL.ACTReferrals@centerstone.org.

Delivering care that changes people’s lives.