Envision Unlimited Opens New Living Room Space as Mental Wellness Alternative

CHICAGO, June 6, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- According to Mental Health America, a leading nonprofit dedicated to promoting mental health, Cook County ranked among the top 20 Illinois counties with the highest rates of suicidal thoughts, severe depression, trauma survivors and post-traumatic stress disorder in 2020 and 2021.

When a mental health crisis arises, residents often have few options for managing it. Some go to an emergency room. But due to loud noises, crowds and other unsettling stimuli, research has shown that emergency rooms may not be suitable environments for people experiencing mental health crises.

To respond to these concerns, Envision Unlimited – a full spectrum of care organization providing services to people with intellectual, developmental and psychiatric disabilities throughout Chicagoland and Central Illinois – has opened a Living Room program in Flossmoor, Illinois as a welcoming alternative to a hospital emergency room.

Set in a living room environment, this new mental health space is a free program that promotes healthy habits for mental wellness and crisis prevention. The Living Room welcomes anyone experiencing panic attacks, severe depressive symptoms, family-related and work-related matters, various types of trauma or other mental health issues.

"The goal of the Envision Unlimited Living Room is to provide a safe, comfortable space where people with mental illness can feel heard and supported in the community, by their own peers who have lived experience in the mental health system," said executive vice president of mental health and business development Jean Xoubi, LCPC. "We look to de-escalate the crisis, avoid hospitalizations and aid the client in developing crisis plans and accessing natural resources in their own communities."

The space is staffed with onsite mental health professionals, including clinician Ivette Vázquez Sánchez, PhD, who are trained in techniques to help program participants de-stress and improve their coping skills. The program also features recovery support specialists – "peer mentors" with lived experience who can provide additional counseling and support to visitors.

The Envision Unlimited Living Room is open from 12-8 p.m. Monday through Friday and primarily serves Illinois' south suburbs, including Flossmoor, Harvey, Markham, Chicago Heights, Dolton, Calumet City and East Hazel Crest. These communities rank among the highest in Cook County on the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Social Vulnerability Index, meaning people in these communities are harder hit by negative effects of stress. But the space will accept anyone, regardless of location. Visitors do not need to have a diagnosed mental illness to receive services.

The Envision Unlimited Living Room
3325 Vollmer Road
Flossmoor, IL 60422
708-967-7216
Hours: 12-8 p.m. Monday-Friday

This program is supported by federal American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds allocated to Cook County Health and was created in partnership with NAMI South Suburbs of Chicago and NAMI Illinois, the local affiliate and statewide organization of the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI).

If you or someone you know would like to discuss a mental health concern, call our Mental Health Services intake coordinator at 773-506-3161.

Need an expert source on The Living Room or other topics related to mental health? Envision Unlimited staff will be ready to speak with you. Contact Suzanne Ross (information above) to arrange an interview.

About Envision Unlimited
Envision Unlimited is a full spectrum of care organization serving people with intellectual, developmental and psychiatric disabilities regardless of age, gender, background, or ability. Since 1948, we have built a legacy of evolving care delivered with empathy, every time and everywhere. Our innovative services are offered across Chicagoland and Central Illinois and include novel day programs, community living options, behavioral health services, employment programs, respite for families and foster care for children with disabilities. Learn more at www.envisionunlimited.org.

About NAMI South Suburbs of Chicago
NAMI South Suburbs of Chicago is an affiliate of NAMI Illinois. The National Alliance on Mental Illness is the nation's largest grassroots mental health organization. NAMI provides advocacy, education, support and public awareness so all individuals and families affected by mental illness can build better lives. Learn more at https://www.namisouthsuburbsofchicago.org/ or by contacting Marianne Bithos at 708-852-9126 or [email protected].

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SOURCE Envision Unlimited