The Kankakee Area YMCA is strengthened by our collaborations with community partners:
Our Y is a founding member for the Kankakee Area Pioneering Healthier Communities initiative – Live Healthy Kankakee County
Connections to resources and relationships are how we build a healthier, more resilient, and more fulfilled future.
Our mental health affects every aspect of our lives, from how we feel about ourselves, our relationships, and the world to how we solve problems and perform at school or work. Mental health is no less important than our physical health. In fact, good mental health is an essential ingredient to our overall well-being.
All of us, at all ages, experience fear, sadness, anxiety, or stress. These experiences can affect anyone, and those living with mental health conditions deserve our support, compassion, and care.
Across the nation, we are experiencing a crisis specifically among children and youth concerning their mental health and emotional well-being. The U.S. Surgeon General has issued an advisory, calling attention to the urgency of this matter, stating the challenges American youth face today is “unprecedented and uniquely hard to navigate.” This crisis is real, widespread, and most importantly – preventable and treatable.
Supporting the mental health of children and youth will require a whole-of-society effort.
Here at the Y, we believe connections to resources and to one another can be the difference between opportunity and adversity.
As a leader in the mental and behavioral health field for more than 40 years, we use the latest and best evidence to inform interventions, innovate services, and enhance programs to create a meaningful and lasting impact. We understand there isn’t a universal blanket to tackle this mental health crisis. That’s why we continue to offer specialized programs and therapeutic supports that represent our community’s voice, diversity, experience, and unique needs.
While the past two years have been filled with rapid changes, stress, grief, exhaustion, and uncertainty, our YMCA Community Support Services team continues to serve our community in important and relevant ways.
Parenting is hard. But it doesn’t have to be. Join us to:
Throughout May, the following branches will be hosting a support session. Download a flyer for your respective branch for more information. Sessions are free and open to the public.
You can find a list of local resources below!
Ill.gov ( specifically pages – 4-6 ) https://idoc.illinois.gov/content/dam/soi/en/web/idoc/communityresources/documents/10-iroquois-kankakee-livingston-mclean-resource-guide.pdf
KankakeeHealth.gov https://www.kankakeehealth.org/documents/about-3/community-health-needs-assessment-and-improvement-plan-1/mapp/2021-2/469-community-health-status-assessment-2/file
Mental health America of Illinois https://www.mhai.org/get-help
Suicide & crisis Life Line https://988lifeline.org/
Open Path https://openpathcollective.org/
Duane Dean https://www.duanedean.org/services
Kcc.edu https://www.kcc.edu/student-resources/counseling-and-referral-services/
Disclaimer:
Some of the following resources have not been created by Kankakee Area YMCA. As such Kankakee Area YMCA, in any way whatsoever, cannot be held responsible for your use of the information contained in or linked from these web pages.
Don’t let substance use weigh you down.
Whatever you’re carrying–you don’t have to carry it alone
Life feels heavy, especially these days. And sometimes the things we turn to–hoping to relieve that weight–add a stress of their own. Substance use is sneaky like that, creeping in before most people see it coming.
Substances want you to think you’re all alone. The good news is that you’re not. The path out isn’t always clear, but the Kankakee Area YMCA is here to help you find it.
It all starts with small steps in the right direction. Explore these tips and tactics designed to help you cope and take back control.
At the Kankakee Area YMCA, you can always find the community resources you need. Swing by and take a spin around the track, kickstart your day with a fitness class, or just to connect. We’re here for whatever you need.
Funding provided in whole or in part by the Illinois Department of Human Services Division of Substance Use Prevention and Recovery through the Opioid Remediation Trust Fund or the Cannabis Regulation and Tax Act. The Regional Care Coordination Agency (RCCA) is administered by Advocates for Human Potential, Inc., as authorized by CSFA 444-26-3078.
The Kankakee Area Y welcomed Rep. Jackie Haas and staff to our Childcare Center on April 17, 2025, with Executive Director Kristi Schu and Assistant Director Janice Steele providing details of our service to the families of our community. We appreciate the work of Rep. Haas in providing support for our YMCA.
Please check out our childcare center for yourself here!
