The first step is to initiate and complete the adoption inquiry process. By requesting adoption information, you have already begun the process. Approximately 30 days from your initial contact, you will receive a call from your caseworker to arrange the inquiry appointment. At this time you will discuss the programs available at Catholic Charities, the foster licensing requirements and issues surrounding open adoption. For more information, please click here.

A potential adoptive parent(s) must be 21 years of age, be licensed through an Illinois child welfare agency, complete a background check, training and education, an adoption homestudy and on going training in the area of adoption. For more information, please click here.

Catholic Charities serves all denominations. Birth parents state a preferred religion for the adoptive family. Profiles of adoptive families of the same religious background are shown.

In general, the cost of adoption tends to depend on the type of adoption and the type of agency or intermediary who is involved. Catholic Charities provides services for domestic, international and attorney-referred adoptions. For more information, please click here.

Open adoption is about inclusive relationships. It is not a contract, it is a covenant, a commitment that the birth family and the adoptive parents make to each other and the child. In practical terms it means that contact through letters and pictures, e-mail, phone calls and visits exist in the same way they do in any extended family relationship. The child benefits because it gives him a sense of identity, a complete history, the knowledge that they are loved by the birth family and a ready source of medical information and support; the birth parents benefit because it allows them active participation in the placement process, encourages healthy grieving, and it allows the potential of developing a special relationship with the child; the adoptive parents benefit because it gives them the ability to answer their child’s questions, there is no fear of the unknown, they are able to see the direct influence they are having on the child’s life and helps adoptive parents fully grieve their loss (infertility). For more information, please click here.

We provide individual, couples, and family counseling for a long list of behavioral, emotional, and relationship issues. We help clients with marital problems, child behavior problems, coping with life changes and traumatic events, or traditional mental health issues such as anxiety and depression.

The easiest thing to do is to call your local office and say you are interested in counseling. You will be connected to an intake worker or one will get back to you as soon as possible.

Yes. We use a sliding fee scale that is based on your income and number of dependents. In addition, depending on the issue you bring to counseling, our services may be covered by medical insurance.

We frequently work with children as young as age 4. When working with children, we take pains to involve the child’s caretakers in every aspect of treatment.

Yes, we go to schools when it is in the client’s best interests.

Catholic Charities can collaborate and consult with school teachers, administrators, guidance personnel, school social work staff, and special education staff to assist in identifying educational, family, and other psycho-social supports to benefit the educational placement of your child. This can be identified as a needed service on a case by case basis for client families.

Catholic Charities does not normally provide direct financial assistance except in certain programs that provide us funds to do so. Your caseworker or therapist can help you obtain assistance from agencies that do have funds to help with such needs.

Catholic Charities does not operate any housing programs at this time, but your caseworker can assist you in working with agencies that do provide shelter and housing referral assistance, rent assistance, or obtaining subsidized housing placements.

Yes, Catholic Charities receives funding from the Diocese of Peoria to help operate our Infant Adoption program, our Women’s Counseling and Support pregnancy planning program, our Abstinence Education program, our Senior Outreach program, our Latino Outreach program, and our Mission Department.

Catholic Charities receives its primary funding from federal, state, and local United Way grants as well as client fees. The agency also receives funding from the Catholic Diocese of Peoria, private contributions, corporate foundations, and community foundations.

We do accept some third party insurance coverage in our Counseling Program and can review this with you upon starting counseling services. Our therapists have credentials and professional licenses that are recognized by many standard insurance or other third party payors.

This varies by program and funding sources for that program. Most of our state funded DCFS and DHS programs do not charge fees to clients and families. Our Infant Adoption program offers standard rates for home studies and services on a sliding fee scale. Our United Way funded counseling programs do charge fees on a flexible sliding fee scale based upon income.

Catholic Charities does have an Emergency Food Pantry located in the city of Peoria serving primarily the tri-county area including Peoria, Tazewell and Woodford County. If you live outside the Peoria and need assistance in identifying a local pantry or resource, please feel free to contact the Catholic Charities office nearest you. Diapers, formula and other infant supplies are available through our WCSS program. Please call 309.671.5720 for more information.

A foster parent can be anyone that is 21 years or older either married or single, mature, law-abiding, and stable. A foster parent needs to have at least one extra bedroom available for the foster child(ren). If renting, landlord approval must be obtained. A foster parent needs to be able to support the permanency plan of the child which is set by the court and in most cases will be return home to birth mother, birth father, or both.

First you need to call the Catholic Charities office in your area where you will speak with a representative who will take your information. You will be asked some basic questions and be sent a form to complete and return. At that point, you will be contacted by a licensing worker and an appointment will be set to walk you through the process. You will be given the initial paperwork as well as learn more about the foster care system. Your caseworker will also sign you up for your nine weeks of foster parent training called PRIDE. In addition to these classes, you will be required to take a physical examination as well as a TB test and be fingerprinted for a background check. During the licensing process, your caseworker will ask you to complete a questionnaire that will be used to write your home study. The entire licensing process will take approximately six months where your licensing worker will be there to help this process go smoothly.

Yes, foster parents receive a monthly rate for providing care for a foster child. Reimbursement varies depending on age and the severity of the child’s needs. You will learn more about this in PRIDE classes.

Yes, there are other ways to help. You may chose to become licensed only to provide respite (short-term care) for foster children. You do not need to become licensed if you choose to mentor a foster child and/or tutor a child who is struggling academically. However, you will be required to provide information so that a background check could be completed. Catholic Charities employs a volunteer coordinator who has an office in Peoria (309.636.7724) who can help answer additional questions about becoming a mentor.

Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Peoria provides a wide variety of services available to area residents regardless of age, gender, race, income, or faith.

Catholic Charities can provide transportation for some needs for youth and adult clients in certain programs that offer this service. Please inquire with your caseworker to see if this is an available service for you in the Catholic Charities program in which you are participating.

Employment opportunities can be found here.

Internships are often available. Please check our internship page for more information.

No. Cahtolic Charities is an equal opportunity employer. Employees do need to support and operate according to our agency mission and core values.

Catholic Charities offers bilingual (Spanish/English) speaking caseworkers and counselors in some locations. When the need for translation or interpreting is crucial to providing quality services, we make every effort to either provide, arrange, or make referrals to assure a client’s needs are met. In Peoria, we have a specific program which offers Interpreting and translations. Please contact Emilio Casado at 309.636.7809 for more information.

Yes, all staff and volunteers for our Senior Services Program go through a background check which includes fingerprinting for any criminal history.

Yes, volunteers in our Caring Companion Program visit lonely or isolated seniors in their communities. The Caring Companion Program is currently available in the Peoria and Rock Island communities.

Caring Companion volunteers sometimes visit seniors in nursing homes. The Senior Counseling Program is currently initiating a small pilot program that provides counseling services to seniors during their initial transition into a nursing home.

In some cases a Caring Companion volunteer may assist in making a meal for a senior. Volunteers do not generally assist with cleaning, but the agency can provide individuals with other resources in the community that offer that service.

There is no fee for our Senior Counseling services or our Caring Companion services though donations are accepted. A donation is requested for transportation services provided by volunteers to help cover the cost of gasoline.

We currently have summer camps serving the Peoria and outlying areas and the Bloomington area. For more information on our summer camp program, please call 309.636.7800.

Our offices are always in need of volunteers. The opportunities vary throughout the agency.  Please contact your local branch office or call Sue Hirschman, volunteer coordinator, at 309.636.7724. Everyone has talent and something to offer. Our after school programs often look for individuals that can paint, knit, sew, or cook. If you are interested in volunteering with Catholic Charities, you can complete a volunteer application and schedule a meeting so we can help you find your best fit in the agency.

For more information, please click here.

Youth Intervention programming offers an array of services with the major focus on prevention, diversion and intervention targeting youth. Our goal is to stabilize families in crisis, prevent juvenile delinquency and divert youth at risk of involvement in the child welfare or juvenile justice system. For more information, click here.

Individual and corporate donations are vital in helping us provide the needed services in the communities we serve. To learn more about making a donation, please click here.