Community Services

Pregnancy...

When it happens unexpectedly, sorting through the issues can be difficult. How will this affect my life? What are my options? What resources are available to me? Who can I talk to that will understand my feelings? Few moments in life are more difficult and confusing than an unexpected pregnancy. The professional staff at Catholic Charities can assist you with all of these questions and more. We will help you face your pregnancy and support you through it.

Many women who find themselves in this situation frequently do not know all of the options available to them. Catholic Charities provides information about adoption as a possible life choice.

At Catholic Charities you will be treated with respect and dignity. All services are completely confidential and you will not be pressured into any decision. We understand how important this decision will be and can help you sort through the answers.

Adoption Options...

Catholic Charities provides flexibility in adoptive parent choices. As the birth mother, you can choose parents that meet your criteria. Adoptive parents may be chosen from profiles that explain the couple in detail - heritage, physical characteristics, education, work, interests, goals, home life, etc. Catholic Charities offers several different types of adoptions, including:

• Semi-Open Adoption
  You select from a variety of adoptive couple profiles and may meet the couple that you select to be the parents of your child. You also have the option of having ongoing exchanges of pictures and letters concerning your child.

• Closed Adoption
  You, as birth mother, choose to have no information exchanged about the adoptive couple or your child.

• Agency Infant
  Work with Catholic Charities towards an infant placement.

• Private Adoption
  Working with families who want a home study completed for an adoption. These are families who are usually working with an attorney. Catholic Charities also provides post placement visits if needed.

• International
  Work with families who need a completed home study done for a specific country. We will also provide post placement visits as needed once the child is placed with the family.

• Special Needs Adoption
  Families who want to adopt a child or sibling group ages two through eighteen. This is through our special needs adoption grant.

• Step Parent Adoption
  Working with families who want a home study completed for a step-parent adoption.

• Relative Adoptions
  Working with families who want a home study completed for a relative adoption.

The Counseling Program of Catholic Charities serves individuals, couples, families and children. (Children under eight years of age are seen with their parents or guardian.)

Counseling is designed to provide interventions to the life problems presented by the client. Individuals and families encountering minor stresses or major disruptions are helped through counseling and the development of life management skills.

Therapy is provided by experienced therapists. Daytime and evening appointments are available for the client's convenience.

Counseling sessions may be scheduled once a week, once a month, or as often as needed.

Getting started is easy. Just call one of our local offices to schedule an appointment. Our staff will answer your questions and arrange for your initial appointment at the earliest and most convenient time available.

All members of our counseling staff are experienced service providers. Many have special training or expertise in dealing with specific needs or problems. All counselors at Catholic Charities are dedicated to helping their clients resolve problems and develop healthy and effective ways of coping with life's demands.

Counseling
Individuals, families, adolescents, parents & children, and groups can address issues of adolescent behavior, anxiety, depression, domestic violence, grief, sexual or substance abuse, and self-esteem.

Pregnancy Counseling
Provides counseling for women experiencing an unplanned pregnancy; connecting them with local medical, housing and educational resources to maintain their pregnancy and, if adoption of the baby is the ultimate choice, provides matching with appropriate adoptive families.

EMERGENCY SERVICES

Services to help individuals and families overcome an immediate financial crisis.

• Food Assistance / Food Pantry - East Chicago Office
• Housing Assistance (Low Income) Rent or mortgage assistance for low-income individuals facing eviction
• Utility assistance for low income individuals facing utility shut-off

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Gateway is a Shelter Plus Care program that uses funding from the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to provide permanent housing for the Chronically Homeless.

Over the next five years, Gateway will provide housing for 50 Chronically Homeless individuals and families.

The primary goal of Gateway is to relieve the most immediate and painful symptom of the chronically homeless: having no place to call home. Stable housing then becomes a Gateway to a more independent, healthy and dignified life.

HOUSING COUNSELING/ EDUCATION

Do you want to own a home?
Becoming a homeowner can be very rewarding. However, it is not always the right choice for everyone. Catholic Charities can help you decide if homeownership is best for you! Call Catholic Charities to register for the next Housing Counseling session.

Housing counseling offers:

• Pre-homebuyer education: Group seminars and one-on-one counseling
• Pre-purchase qualification: Shopping for a loan
• Credit counseling: Repairing bad credit, financial literacy
• Budgeting: Realistic and responsible borrowing
• Working with a real estate agent: Finding your dream home

Note: Down payment assistance may be available to qualified buyers

For information on Catholic Charities Housing Counseling, please contact Ed Merrion at (219) 879-9312.

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