MISSION STATEMENT
To provide opportunities that empowers individuals with disabilities to achieve personal success.
CENTRE HISTORY
In 1971, three local Sertoma clubs representing the communities of Palos, Orland, Worth, Chicago Ridge, Evergreen Park, and Alsip created a sheltered workshop in Alsip called Sertoma Job Training Center. The purpose of the facility was to create a place for individuals with disabilities to work. The facility was originally opened with 11 individuals and four staff in a 3,000 square foot facility built on land donated by the Lombard family.
In 1987, the name was changed to Sertoma Career Center, and over 200 individuals were served by 100 staff. Throughout the 1990s, additional programs were added including Employment Services. Residential Services opened the first Community Integrated Living Arrangement (CILA) home.
Sertoma Centre opened its second location in 2000, on 127th street in Alsip. This location is home to the sub-contract packaging and training services, including the developmental training and high school transition programs.
After renovations at the 123rd building were completed in 2002, additional programs such as Seniors Services, Developmental Training, Administration, Transportation and Janitorial Services (J-Team) were opened or expanded.
PROGRAMS
Autism Services: Provides highly structured programs for individuals with autism to build skills for daily living, job skills and community integration.
- Autism Transition: Aids in the development and maintenance of skills as the next step for individuals capable of more vocational opportunities with increased independence.
BRIDGE Program: Serves adults and seniors ages 50 and older with severe to profound developmental disabilities. The program offers training on interpersonal, recreational, communication, health and wellness, and daily living skills in a group environment.
Developmental Training: Focuses on job and social skills, daily living, and community integration experiences with an emphasis on preparation for community employment.
Dual Diagnosis Program: Provides counseling and service planning for individuals dually diagnosed with a developmental disability and mental illness.
Janitorial Skills Training: Provides classroom and on-the-job training in all janitorial tasks to prepare individuals for a career in this industry.
School Transition: Offers transitional services to high school students with disabilities ages 16-21. Includes evaluation, job and vocational training, skills development classes, and community integration, in the areas of employment and independent living in order to live productive lives.
- School Transition-Behavioral Health: Provides psycho-educational groups, peer support, individual counseling, life skills groups and job training for students with emotional or behavioral disorders that could interfere with transitioning from school to work.
Sertoma United Self-Advocacy Group: Encourages individuals to provide input on their choice of services and access to resources. Participants are urged to share their interests and passions and to speak up for what they need to be successful in life. Group members serve on agency committees, in interviewing and educating staff, and in legislative activities.
Community Mental Health and Counseling Services: Provides support and education to enable people living with mental illness to participate in a personal recovery process.
Programs and services offered:
- Psychosocial Rehabilitation (PSR) – Building Skills & Managing Symptoms
- Community Support Team (CST) – Supporting Community Integration
- Therapy & Counseling – A Personal Discovery Process
- Comparable Services – Managing Crises & Linking to Services
- Individual Placement & Support (IPS) – Competitive Employment
- Community Education – Mental Health Awareness
Employment Services: Provides training and necessary support for persons with disabilities to help them achieve and maintain successful employment in the community.
- Edge Employee Development Services Program: Assists students and adults in reestablishing skills, attitudes, personal characteristics, interpersonal skills and work behaviors necessary to obtain competitive employment.
- Supported Community Employment-provides pre-employment assessments, on-the-job training for new employees, ongoing support as needed, technical assistance regarding job accommodations.
- Community Based Assessments: Provides trial employment opportunities to determine an individual’s skills and interests in community employment.
RESIDENTIAL SERVICES
Community Integrated Living Arrangements (CILA): Provides 24-hour support and supervision to 4 to 7 individuals living in a shared home in local communities. Sertoma owns and operates 10 shared homes, serving 62 residents. With support of house personnel, and full service nursing, residents are empowered to take ownership of their home, participate in their local community, and learn skills that promote independence, health and wellness, productivity, and self-advocacy. Sertoma also offers an
Intermittent CILA (ICILA): Helps adults with developmental disabilities reach a higher level of independent living on their own or in their family’s home. Support through training and direction enhances the individual’s skills and leads to independence and social integration in the community.
Onsite Medical Clinic at the Sertoma facility in Alsip (includes transportation); offers medical, dental and specialized services to ensure access to these critical preventative and maintenance healthcare services. The clinic services CILA and ICILA residents.
Home-Based Service Facilitation: Assists individuals in choosing and meeting their needs and preference for support services without having to leave their homes. When appropriate, individuals can also apply for other services such as day programs or employment services.
Permanent Supportive Housing: Community apartments for individuals with a disability, serving primarily individuals with a mental illness who require support services to live in an unsupervised apartment setting. Tenants may access Sertoma Centre’s Community Mental Health and Counseling services or be referred to other providers for needed support.
CONTRACT SERVICES
We offer packing/assembly and janitorial services through contract work with area businesses. Contract services offers paid, meaningful paid work for the individuals we serve and generates funds to help support our programs.
Janitorial Services (J-Team): Provides top quality general cleaning and specialty services to any size business or home. Specialty services include floor treatments, window/ wall washing and post-construction clean-up. Seasonal lawn care maintenance and snow removal are also available.
Packaging and Assembly Services: Offers a variety of production services to meet the needs of any business. Services include packaging, collating, shrink wrapping, labeling, gluing, bagging and sleeving products, weigh counting, pick-up, delivery, re-work, quality assurance and inspection.