News/Blog

S ue Schroeder, CEO at Stepping Stones of Rockford , expresses gratitude for all those who support the agency and for those who work tirelessly to help the clients receiving services at the agency. It may be Thanksgiving weekend, but they'll be plenty of agency staff working the holiday--after all, the residential component at Stepping Stones ...

Happy August!  As they say, " Long time, no see!" It's been a very busy summer at Stepping Stones of Rockford. We hope you've enjoyed the warm weather and plentiful sun. We've been busy with continued expansion--in treatment spaces, residential opportunities, number of clients served and number of staff employed. We're hang...

Flashback to 1986 : The Top 20 hit song, Timbuk3's "The Future's So Bright (I Gotta Wear Shades)" is playing on the radio. With a catchy tune, the band proclaims, "things are going great, and they're only getting better… the future's so bright, I gotta wear shades." It's 2023 . Stepping Stones of Rockford is growing leaps and bounds, with...

  As you probably know by now, May is Mental Health Awareness Month. Established in 1949, the month recognizes the importance of mental health/mental wellness and celebrates recovery for those with mental illness. The 2023 theme is "More Than Enough." Mental Health Awareness Month is different than Mental Illness Awareness Week in October. May...

​Artists' Ensemble Theatre, in partnership with Stepping Stones of Rockford, proudly presents "Jumping to Delusions,"  written by Tom Zack and Bob Morgan, adapted by Margaret Raether. The show, a "groundbreaking play uses a combination of sketch comedy, vaudeville and real life accounts to demystify mental illness." Come see the delightfu...

Mid-November in Rockford.  Cold. Cloudy. Dark. The leaves have fallen, long gone, leaving trees bare.  We go to work and school in the dark; we return in the dark.  Do we dare mention the need to scrape windshields from the frost? Why are Christmas Carols already playing 24 hours a day? Oh...

So many things are happening at Stepping Stones of Rockford!  We've added a Chief Financial Officer, welcomed an Associate Director of Services  and started our #GivingTuesday fundraiser to remodel a group home kitchen. Wow! More on those topics later, as today we focus on finding Masters-Level Mental Health Counselors/Therapist...

 October 6th is National Depression Screening Day. October 2-8, 2022 is Mental Illness Awareness Week. Today is the perfect day to remember you more than a label. You are more than a diagnosis. You are not alone.

October 2-8, 2022: It's Mental Illness Awareness Week . Why on Earth do we need a mental illness awareness week? Stigma. Judgment. Fear. Lack of education regarding mental illness and mental health treatment. Misrepresentation of mental illness in the media and on social platforms. Lack of awareness about getting treatment. The list goes on. O...

Inflation.  You know--the "thing" that has us feeling the pinch from significantly higher prices in the grocery store, at the gas pump and on utility bills. The end of Summer may bring cooler days but it hasn't brought relief to the higher prices of things we need in life. Talk about sticker shock when shopping fo...

Stepping Stones Counseling Center's official ribbon-cutting took place on ​May 12, 2022. The festivities were well-attended, thanks to great weather, incredible support from the community and local interest in expanded mental health services for the county. Speakers at the event included Mayor McNamara, Alderman Beach, Senator Stadelman, Jason Holc...

On May 4, 2022, the Winnebago County Community Mental Health Board (WCCMHB) announced programs awarded "New Mental Health Programs" funding via the Half-Cent Sales Tax.  Stepping Stones of Rockford is excited to be a recipient of funding for  Program Year 2022-2023 ! Stepping Stones of Rockford will util...

Talk about exciting! It's time to celebrate, cut the ribbon and take a tour!  By now, we hope you've heard about the new Stepping Stones Counseling Center. Ever since it officially opened, we've been preparing for YOUR arrival.We are tickled pink to provide opportunity for everyone to come take a look at the new locati...

Until there is an official Ribbon-cutting, we thought you'd enjoy a quick "tour" of our new outpatient counseling center. We are excited to announce that the center is open!  Murals are in the works,  the play/art therapy room needs to be finished, offices are being decorated and the  hiring of  staff co...

Dear Friend of Stepping Stones, . .. As you can imagine, it has been another busy and challenging year for all of us here and one that has included the need to continue following COVID- 19 protocols due to the virus hanging around much longer than we all had hoped it would, difficulties faced in hiring staff in an ever changing workforce and feelin...

Construction is under way at our new outpatie nt counseling center! We are ready to provide counseling, case management and Telepsychiatry to the underserved, including Medicaid recipients who have serious mental illness or emotional disturbance.  Pictured is Zach, the Medical Records guru at the new counseling center. Zach will soon be j...

October finds Stepping Stones of Rockford bursting with activity! Preparing for our upcoming CARF survey, taking part in Mental Illness Awareness Week, opening a new outpatient counseling center, and celebrating recent grants have us hopping. We are proud to share part of our October journey with you. CARF Survey Scheduled for Octobe...

Inside Out is a collaboration of Stepping Stones of Rockford, Stars of Light, Shelter Care Ministries Jubilee Center, Rosecrance Ware Center and NAMI Northern Illinois. The gallery of masks will be on display at Rockford Illinois City Hall October 4-29, 2021. The gallery is free and open to the public. The included video provides exp...

Stepping Stones of Rockford has received funds to expand services , as made possible via the Winnebago County Community Mental Health Board (MCCMHB) 1/2 Cent Sales Task. Expanded services will be focused on providing outpatient services across the lifespan for those with serious emotional disturbance or serious mental illness, with priority to...

First things first: Let's celebrate our June work anniversaries! We can't do what we do without our fabulous employees. Thank you and h appy work anniversary to:  SARA GONZALEZ (2014);  JEFFREY HAMILTON (2009);  ROCHELLE OWENS (2010);  ALEXANDREA STERENBERG (2019);  GEORGE MITCHELL (2008);  TALESHIANA FRICKS (2017...