Servant Leadership - Serving the Greater Good!
Putting the needs of others before our own is the cornerstone of Trinity Services. Every day, our dedicated and compassionate staff are making a difference in the lives of people with developmental disabilities and mental health needs.
Your generous donations support Trinity Services in fulfilling its mission to help people with developmental disabilities and mental health needs flourish so they may lead full and abundant lives. Today, Trinity supports over 5,800 children and adults across IIlinois, thanks in part because of the generosity of friends and neighbors like you.
April's Story
Born into a loving family, April, who is now in her forties, has a mild intellectual disability, combined with bipolar and social anxiety disorders.
Upon graduating from high school in 1997, April's parents transitioned her into a special program at a local university, designed to build independent skills for young people with intellectual disabilities. Despite the accommodations and support provided by the school, the experience was not a good one for April, who strugged with living on campus, while at the same time developed an intense delusion that she was in a romantic relationship with a celebrity.
Living at Home
Over the next twenty years, April lived at home with her parents and struggled with her intrusive thoughts. She earned a steady paycheck working in a local community day services program, while staying active with friends, and enjoying a relatively good relationship with her family.
Meanwhile, April's mother, Carole, working with other families in the area, organized activities for their daughter and other young people with intellectual disabilities that included arts and crafts, cooking and painting classes, and a musical theater company. By all accounts, April was doing well. Yet, her recurrent and distorted thoughts were getting in the way of her ability to flourish.
Then, without her parent's knowledge, April began reaching out to the celebrity on the Internet. Although she was never able to contact the person, April became the victim of online scammers from people posing as the celebrity. Her parents had no choice but to shut down access to the Internet and social media platforms. April became angry and frustrated, primarily blaming Carole from keeping her from having the relationship she wanted so desperately.
Reaching for Help
As the bond with their daughter worsened by the day, Carole reached out to the offices of the Illinois Crisis Prevention Network (ICPN), or Support Service Team (SST), a division of Trinity Services. One of the SST professionals, Amanda Ripley, began intensive cognitive therapy sessions with April. Then Amanda wrote a formalized behavior plan that helped shift responsibility for any decisions made on behalf of April from her mother to a team of professionals. From that point on, April understood the team was there for her.
With the team fully supporting her based on the behavior plan, Amanda no longer required ongoing services. Six months later, Amanda learned that April was transitioning from living with her parents to living in a group home, or CILA, where she is flourishing. Carole is very happy for her daughter.
"It was April's decision to move to the CILA," explained Carole, who has peace of mind knowing her daughter is cared for every day. "In her mind, April feels like she is living on her own, even though she has all the support she needs."
A Time to Flourish!
Amanda sees the transition as a significant win for April and her family. "It's a big accomplishment to live on your own," said Amanda. "April has achieved that."
April's parents now live approximately 65 miles from their daughter. They visit her as often as possible and are very pleased with April's progress. As for the celebrity delusion, Carole knows it will always be a part of her daughter's life. "Because of the delusion, April was not in control of her life," said Carole. "Now, she has some control over it. There are lapses sometimes. However, April can rebound quickly with her support system."
Thanks to Amanda Ripley and her entire team, April is flourishing. This is just one of countless stories of success at Trinity Services, made possible through your generous donations.