Sertoma Star Services

Sertoma Star Services helps people with intellectual and developmental disabilities, and people living with mental illness, build meaningful days, productive years and fuller lives. It serves children and adults from age 5 to 95 across Chicago's south suburbs and Northwest Indiana, with offices in Chicago Heights, Alsip and Matteson, Illinois, and Merrillville, Indiana.

In Illinois, programs include Community Day Services, residential homes, Home-Based Services, employment services and year-round recreation through Special Recreation Services, a cooperative with seven area park districts and recreation departments. Its permanent supportive housing includes the new Hamlin Avenue Apartments in Alsip, joining buildings in Flossmoor, Homewood and Orland Park. In Indiana, the team provides residential habilitation, day habilitation, respite, workplace assistance and recreational therapy through state waivers.

Community Mental Health and Counseling in Matteson offers individual and group therapy for adults, counseling for youth and families, a Community Support Team, supported employment, and START, a program for people with both a developmental disability and a mental illness. Staff also teach Mental Health First Aid and QPR suicide prevention to schools, first responders and employers. Business Solutions employs clients in e-recycling, janitorial, manufacturing and staffing work.

The agency traces its roots to parent-founded schools and to Sertoma Centre, a job training center built by three Sertoma clubs in 1971. Volunteers can teach a class, visit day and residential programs or help at events like the "Fore" the Future Golf Outing.