Chums Program
The Chums program helps seniors (age 50 and older) with diagnosed mental illnesses to learn skills to help maintain independence and take back control of their lives. Life Essentials staff facilitate the program by combining the practices of education, networking and behavioral activation services. The program enhances the quality of life for program members by equipping them with tools that promote self-management of their mental illness. Participants learn common themes that contribute to their recovery including diet, exercise, goal setting, stress management and much more. They also get the opportunity to bond with people who are in similar situations.
Guardianship Services
Dayton Nonprofit Life Essentials Merges with Catholic Social Services of the Miami Valley
Dayton, Ohio (April 1, 2020) – Dayton-based nonprofits Catholic Social Services of the Miami Valley and Life Essentials have completed the final steps of a merger that will mean new resources for both organizations.
Life Essentials started in 1987 as a volunteer-driven agency called Chums and Choices. More than 30 years later, Life Essentials provides advocacy services in Montgomery and Greene Counties that enable seniors and people living with mental illness to have a greater quality of life. (During the current COVID-19 crisis, services are continuing via telehealth, to maintain safe social distancing for both staff and clients.)
When Life Essentials’ Executive Director Linda Roepken announced her retirement to her Board of Directors, they decided to take a strategic look at the organization’s future. With the help of a consultant, they concluded that the best option would be to identify a partner organization that would be a good mission fit.
“We were one of several agencies approached by Life Essentials to discuss the possibility of a merger,” said Catholic Social Services CEO Laura Roesch. “Once we had that conversation, it quickly became apparent that there was an obvious fit. We already serve more than a thousand low-income seniors every year to help them age in place, so adding guardianship and advocacy is well within our mission and service model. With Life Essentials’ Chums program, our agency will also be adding a new focus on those age 50 or older who are living with mental illness.”
“I couldn’t be happier that Life Essentials is merging with Catholic Social Services,” said Linda Roepken. “As a small nonprofit, we’ve been facing some challenges that are better addressed by an organization with greater capacity. With this merger, there should be no interruption in services for our clients, and there will be an opportunity for Life Essentials to have greater stability and perhaps even future growth.”
As of April 1, 2020, Life Essentials has officially become a program of Catholic Social Services. All staff are staying on board, with the exception of Roepken and one other individual who also retired. The Life Essentials office will remain at its existing location, 40 S. Perry Street in downtown Dayton.
Life Essentials cannot accept referrals from individuals such as family members or neighbors; the program only takes referrals from providers. Persons seeking to get an individual into guardianship are referred on to the Probate Court or to the Volunteer Lawyers Project (VLP) or to the Dayton Bar Association for information and assistance. Life Essentials cannot provide legal advice, nor can we escort applicants to court. For a guardianship referral to be warranted, the individual must be incapacitated and unable to manage his or her own financial resources and/or unable to make informed medical decisions. A referral form must be completed and there must be a Statement of Expert Evaluation signed by the proposed ward’s doctor or psychiatrist. Life Essentials staff and trained volunteers take on the critical role as guardian, working with their clients to ensure that each individual has the best possible life and lives in the least restrictive environment. Guardians become the advocate and voice for those who are unable to speak for themselves. In addition to fulfilling the role of guardian, the Life Essentials guardianship program provides support to family members and/or friends who are willing and capable of becoming the guardian for a loved one.
The Life Essentials guardianship program provides support for seniors who have been deemed mentally incompetent and who do not have family willing or capable of making sound decisions for them.
Guardianship Forms
Professional Counseling
Are you going through interpersonal or emotional challenges that make your daily life more difficult? Our professional counseling team is here to help. Our counselors can help you deal with depression, anxiety, trauma, behavior issues, relationship problems, attachment issues, grief, domestic violence, adjustment to illness, post-adoption emotions, and many other issues. We offer professional counseling for individuals, couples and families, and we work with children age 5 and up.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does therapy entail?
The counseling process begins with a short period of assessment that may take up to 2-4 visits. In this time the therapist is becoming familiar with you and your goals and the barriers you are encountering. After this, you and the therapist work together to develop a treatment plan that outlines your goals and the steps we will take to achieve these. In other words, we are asking, “What do you want? And how will we know when you achieve that?” The treatment process may be brief (6-10 sessions), or extend longer if you feel that more work is needed to resolve your problems to your satisfaction.
How long are counseling sessions?
Generally, sessions are held weekly or twice a month, and each session lasts about 50 minutes.
Many people resolve their concerns in a few sessions. Most treatment is short-term with 10 or fewer sessions.
Is this religious-based counseling?
No. Our professional, licensed counselors provide the same type of counseling you would receive at a non-Catholic facility. You do not need to be Catholic — or even Christian — to receive services at our Counseling Centers.
We offer assistance to people in need regardless of religion or ethnic background; we do not proselytize. If your faith is important to you, it’s certainly something we can talk about in your counseling sessions, but we won’t bring up the subject unless you do.
Do you accept my insurance?
We accept most private insurance as well as Medicaid and Medicare. Please talk with our office staff to see if your plan is accepted. Please check with your insurance provider for the specific details of your plan’s coverage.
What if I don’t have insurance for mental health care?
We use a sliding scale to make treatment more affordable for those who don’t have insurance or whose insurance doesn’t cover mental health services.
How do I schedule an appointment?
If you are interested in pursuing counseling at Catholic Social Services, the next step is to call our office. For our Dayton office, call (937) 296-1007 and speak with our office administrator, Shelia Wright-Davis, at extension 2136. To make an appointment at our Sidney office, call (937) 498-4593.
Prescription Drug Cost Savings
MEDICARE SAVINGS PROGRAM (MSP)
& LOW INCOME SUBSIDY (LIS)
Consumers receiving Medicare who have limited income and assets may qualify for Extra Help with the cost of their prescription drugs. The Social Security Administration (SSA) and Medicare work together to provide this extra help through the Low Income Subsidy (LIS) — also known as the Extra Help program.
Prescription drug costs continue to increase. The insurance maze of tiers, generic vs. non-generic, co-pays and donut holes can be confusing. Some consumers skip doses or just stop taking the medicines that their doctors recommend because they simply cannot afford them. Not taking a prescribed medicine or not taking it as directed can lead to additional health problems.
The Medicare Savings Program (MSP) and Low Income Subsidy (LIS) may be the answer for some struggling seniors.
Those who are eligible for the low income subsidy will get help paying for 75% or more of their monthly Part D premium, yearly deductible, and prescription co-payments. They will also have no gap in coverage = No Donut Hole.
Our agency can assist individuals with the application process. The application is completed electronically with the Social Security Administration (SSA).
Contact our Northern Counties office at (937) 498-4593 or (833) 289-0227 for more information.
Free Classes & Info Sessions
Our Family Stabilization & Support (FSS) staff coordinate an ongoing series of classes and informational sessions that are free for anyone to attend.
Most sessions focus on wellness and stress management, financial empowerment, health and nutrition. Some are led by CSSMV staff, while others have guest presenters from the Ohio State University Extension Office, Day Air Credit Union, and other community partners. The selection of topics is driven by the interest level of our clients and community members.
Attendance is not limited to CSSMV clients. Other agencies are welcome to share our event schedules with their own clients, and anyone from the general public is welcome to attend any session that’s of interest. We only ask that those planning to attend RSVP in advance so we can plan accordingly, and so that we can notify them of any unexpected changes in the class date or time.
Classes offered by other programs within CSSMV, such as Parenting, are also included in our class listings when they are free and open to the public.
Post-Adoption Support Services
Adoption is a life-long process and each adoption is unique and special. Catholic Social Services of the Miami Valley offers post-adoption services and general adoption information, support for adoptees, and specialized support for adoptive families through our Safe Counseling program.
Whether you’re an adoptee looking for information on your birth family, you’re looking for information about how to adopt a child, or your family includes an adopted child, we have expertise to assist you. The CSSMV professional counseling program is available to adult and child adoptees and their families, and also offers special expertise in the area of attachment disorders.
SAFE Counseling
From the moment of birth, when a baby struggles to find the first breaths of life, the people and the environment surrounding the child are important to his or her survival. When a child’s birth or early developmental experiences are filled with problems, behavioral issues can arise and begin to magnify as the child grows. A child who has endured trauma may develop an attachment disorder. Children who have been abused or neglected and/or had multiple foster care placements prior to adoption are particularly “at risk” of developing attachment and bonding difficulties.
Conventional parenting, standard school discipline or traditional outpatient therapy are often less than effective for “hard-to-reach” children with an attachment disorder. These children and their families need help, and it is available through Catholic Social Services of the Miami Valley’s SAFE Counseling program.
SAFE Counseling is designed to treat children and to educate parents of children who exhibit signs of an attachment disorder. SAFE Counseling offers help to parents of children who have serious issues that seem unsolvable.
Attachment therapy is an integrated treatment approach that uses elements of cognitive-behavioral, object relations, family and psychodynamic therapies to facilitate child-parent bonding and to measure feedback. In conjunction with these therapies, holding therapy is used to establish a safe place with safe people in which the child can safely talk about and experience the painful issues of the past.
The program seeks to jump start the attachment cycle aborted as the result of the child’s earlier trauma. SAFE believes it is essential to break through barriers of trauma before a child can develop healthy interpersonal relations built on trust. SAFE counseling aims to begin the attachment and healing process for the child and the adoptive or current family.
Pregnancy & Parenting Support
Discovering that you’re pregnant can be one of the most joyful moments of a person’s life. But even the most enthusiastic new parents may be unprepared — emotionally, financially, and educationally — for the joy, challenges, and occasional heartbreak of parenthood.
This is why Catholic Social Services is committed to providing a continuum of exceptional programs to support mothers and fathers throughout their experience. CSSMV’s programs can help young, first-time, or struggling parents successfully make the journey from pregnancy to a healthy birth to effective parenting.
Our Counseling Team
Dayton Counseling Center
Cheryl Lobbestael-Griffin, LISW-S, BCN
Years in Practice: 20+ years
Population: Adults, children, families and groups
Specialties: Anxiety, depression, PTSD, complex trauma, adoption related issues, Reactive Attachment Disorder
Therapeutic Approach: Psychodynamic, mindfulness, trauma informed, attachment therapies, cognitive approaches
Degree: MSW from University of Michigan
Licensing: Licensed Independent Social Work, with supervisory credentials (LISW-S) Certified in EEG-Neurofeedback (BCN)
Licensed by: Counselor, Social Worker and Marriage and Family Therapist Board
Sidney Counseling Center
Larry G. Grisby, MS, LPC
Years in Practice: 2 years
Population: Children, adolescents, and adults
Specialties: Children and adolescents, especially those with criminal records; disabled population
Degrees: BS in Psychology from Morehead University; MS in Criminal Justice from Tiffin University; MS in Mental Health Counseling from Wright State University
Licensing: Licensed Professional Counselor
Licensed by: Ohio Counselor, Social Worker, and Marriage and Family Therapist Board
Dayton Counseling Center
Lisa A. Schauer, LPCC
Years of Practice: 11 years
Population: Adults, Couples, Adolescents 16 yrs. and above
Specialties: Community medical and behavioral health integration, victims of domestic violence, planning and linking to community resources, depression, anxiety
Therapy Approach: Client Centered, Solution Focused, Cognitive-Behavioral, Psycho-Educational
Licensing: Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor, Licensed Social Worker
Licensed by: Counselor, Social Worker and Marriage and Family Therapist Board
Sidney Counseling Center
Bonnie Ihle, MS, LPCC
Years in practice: 4+ years
Population: Children, adolescents, adults, families, developmentally disabled and veterans
Specialties: Depression, anxiety, adjustment disorders, anger concerns, PTSD, trauma informed care, marriage and couples
Degree: MS in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from Wright State University
Licensing: Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor (LPCC)
Licensed by: Ohio Counselor, Social Worker, and Marriage and Family Therapist Board
Dayton Counseling Center
Denetta Harris, MSW, LSW, CATP
Years in Practice: Since 2009
Population: Adults, children, families, and groups
Specialties: Children, families, trauma, anxiety, depression, ADHD, and assessment
Therapeutic Approach: Psychodynamic, mindfulness, trauma informed, attachment therapies, cognitive behavioral approaches
Degree: MSW from University of Cincinnati
Licensing: Licensed Social Worker
Licensed by: Counselor, Social Worker and Marriage and Family Therapist Board for the State of Ohio
Additional Credentials: Certified Child and Adolescent Trauma Professional (CATP)
Sidney Counseling Center
Michelle Paulus, MS, LPCC-S
Years in Practice: 20+ years practice working with children, couples, families, individuals, and developmentally disabled population
Specialties: Treatment of emotional and social issues, depression, anxiety, trauma, and adjustment issues; focus on mental and developmentally disabled individuals, marriage and couples issues, spirituality, early childhood intervention, and parenting skills
Degrees: AA in Communication from Sinclair College, BA in Psychology from University of Dayton, MSEd in Social Agency Counseling from University of Dayton, and Post Graduate in Clinical Counseling from University of Dayton
Licensing: Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor, with supervisory credentials (LPCC-S)
Licensed by: Ohio Counselor, Social Worker, and Marriage and Family Therapist Board
Dayton Counseling Center
Shelia Wright Davis, Office Support Manager
Shelia has been with the Dayton Counseling Center since 1980– an incredible 41 years! When you visit or call the Dayton location, Shelia is the friendly face (or voice) who will greet you, help answer your questions about our services, and set you up with an appointment with a counselor who best meets your needs.
Family Stabilization & Support
Frequently Asked Questions
Do you accept walk-ins?
We only accept walk-ins on Mondays between 10:00 a.m. and 12:00 noon, on a first-come, first-served basis.
We do NOT accept walk-ins for utility assistance; CLICK HERE for more information.
In general, we recommend that you make an appointment so that a case manager can have ample time to spend with you and help you with your needs. This also allows the case manager to plan ahead for your visit, and have relevant information and materials ready for you when you arrive.
Do you provide financial assistance?
The only financial assistance we are able to provide is limited utility assistance through our Neighbors Helping Neighbors program. (CLICK HERE for more information.)
Can you help me create a household budget?
Yes! We believe that financial empowerment is an incredibly important goal for our FSS clients. This may or may not be one of the first steps in your case management plan, depending on your unique situation.
What are "Budget Bucks"?
Individuals who attend our FSS classes, information sessions and other events earn Budget Bucks for each session they attend. You can redeem your Budget Bucks at the “Budget Bucks Boutique” for various household and personal items such as cooking utensils, towels, and jewelry.
The goal of our Family Stabilization & Support (FSS) program is to help our clients escape the vicious cycle of poverty by building on their own strengths and their aspirations for themselves and their families. Many of the people we serve struggle with unemployment or underemployment, lack of education and job skills, poor health and nutrition, lack of access to transportation, and unstable housing situations. Some have a background of multi-generational poverty, while others have experienced a series of life events that have taken their lives in the wrong direction. Our job is to help them identify and set realistic goals that will allow them to take positive steps toward making a better life for themselves and their families. Clients who choose to work one-on-one with our FSS case managers might receive help identifying the next steps to improve their employment or housing situation, continuing their education, or learning to set and follow a budget. Our case managers also utilize the Ohio Benefit Bank to connect families and individuals to benefits for which they are eligible. Sometimes for a person who is feeling overwhelmed by problems and challenges, the first step is simply figuring out where to start. Recognizing that a group setting can sometimes be less intimidating for clients, the FSS team also offers a variety of resource event sessions focusing on topics such as wellness and stress management, financial empowerment, health and nutrition.
Resources offered through FSS include:
Eckerle Administration Center
922 West Riverview Avenue
Dayton, OH 45402
(937) 223-7217 or (800) 300-2937
General email: cssmv@cssmv.org