Spreading Hope Through New Beginnings
Founded in 1887 by the Episcopal Sisters of St. Mary, the guiding principal of St. Mary's Services is that every child deserves a good home. Working toward this end for nearly 130 years, St. Mary's has provided various services for newborn infants, foster children, birth parents and adoptive families of all races and religions.
Now located in Arlington Heights, the agency focuses resources and energies in three primary areas:
1) Maternity counseling and casework for women experiencing unplanned pregnancies and who are considering adoption,
2) Counseling and facilitation for singles & couples pursuing adoption, and
3) Education and community awareness of adoption as a positive, loving option.
St. Mary's Services' maternity program, Hopeful Beginnings, offers an array of free services to women experiencing unplanned pregnancies. On-staff counselors provide pregnancy options counseling; they help maternity clients understand ALL of their options concerning their pregnancy and educate them on the pro's and con's of each option. As a well-established agency, St. Mary's/Hopeful Beginnings has a vast network of partnering agencies. Referral resources are given to women as needed; including food, housing, and medical services. Should a maternity client choose adoption, the Hopeful Beginnings team provides counsel and guidance throughout the entire pregnancy and after, as needed. Counselors explain the adoption process, give maternity clients the opportunity to choose the family in which their child will be placed and the option to meet the adoptive family, provide on-going post-placement counseling (grief/loss/goals), and facilitate continuing contact between the maternity client, the adoptive family, and their child. St. Mary's provides limited monetary assistance to these maternity clients. Monetary assistance is exclusive to pregnancy-related expenses, basic necessities and transportation to and from doctor's appointments.
Alongside aiding women throughout Illinois, St. Mary's Services strengthens nearby communities through the Hopeful Beginnings Teen Parenting Program. This program provides students with facts, information, and resources concerning pregnancy, labor and delivery, and parenting. Pregnancy, almost always described as unplanned for a teenager, is a difficult and confusing time; the Hopeful Beginnings Staff understands the seriousness and sensitivity that goes along with counseling and educating these new parents.
The agency's vision is for these students to graduate high school, and continue to pursue their life goals, while using the skills and lessons learned through this program to be loving, caring parents.
As an agency supporting adoption as a loving choice, St. Mary's counsels and educates the individuals and couples wishing to expand their families. St. Mary's Services Adoption Program is split into two main sub-programs; Domestic and Home Study Only. Through the Domestic Program, an experienced staff provides professional guidance and support for adoptive families as they begin and throughout their unique adoption journey. St. Mary's Services places newborns of every race and ethnic origin that are born in Illinois. Occasionally they place infants that may need medical interventions. The staff at St. Mary's Services ensures that all adoptions are completed in an ethical and legally safe manner.
The Home Study Only Program is for individuals and couples that are actively participating in an interstate agency or working with a private attorney. St. Mary's Services provides the home study, education, and post-placement visits required to complete those types of adoptions. The Home Study Only Program is similar to the Domestic Program; all home studies comply with rules, standards, Illinois Law, and includes information required by the state where the newborn was born.
About once a month, St. Mary's Services hosts an adoption educational seminar. Adoptive families working with the agency are required to complete 10 educational hours, but all seminars are open to the public. Topics include: Legal Aspects of Adoption, Openness, Adopting Transracially, Fetal Substance Exposure, African American Hair & Skin Care, Talking to Children about Adoption, and Mental Health of Adoptees.
If you, or anyone you know, are experiencing an unplanned pregnancy and would like to learn more about how St. Mary's Services/Hopeful Beginnings can help, please call (847) 870-8181 or text HOPE1 to 67076. You can also visit our website at www.stmaryservices.com or www.hopeful-beginnings.com
St. Mary's Services is a non-profit child welfare agency, operating strictly on private donations and grants. Contributions made to St. Mary's Services will assure that they can continue to offer free options counseling, education, and other services to their maternity clients.