CoACH Care Center

Written by Almost Home Kids

Thursday, 09 July 2009 21:21

L-R Standing: Laynie Anderson, Case Manager, Deborah A. Grisko, President & CEO, State Treasurer Alexi Giannoulias, Representative Mike Connelly (R-48th District)   Seated: Devon & Christopher

July 9, 2009 Naperville, IL – Almost Home Kids formerly CoACH Care Center enjoyed a visit from Illinois State Treasurer, Alexi Giannoulias and Representative Mike Connelly (R 48^th District).

Almost Home Kids is a licensed short term clinical facility providing transition and respite care for children who are dependent on technology such as tracheostomy/ ventilators to breathe or gastrostomy (feeding tubes) for nourishment.  They have helped countless families out of their facility in Naperville since 1999.

Giannoulias and Connelly spent time getting to know each of our children as he toured the home-like facility and grounds.  They met the mother of a child currently in the Respite Care Program and learned about the importance of state funding for families like hers.  80% of the children who are medically fragile the center serves are at or below the poverty level. Having no where else to turn, they rely on government benefits to pay for their life sustaining care.

Deborah A. Grisko, President & CEO shared with Giannoulias and Connelly the community based model of alternative health care she and the Board of Directors have spent perfecting over the last two years. Grisko illustrated the cost savings and gained their support to replicate the concept regionally and nationally.

“As a health care provider for medically fragile children, Almost Home Kids and their families know first hand how devastating the Governor’s draconian cuts to the human service budget can be,” said Rep. Connelly. “Service Providers like Almost Home Kids actually save taxpayers millions of dollars per year.”

The savings to the Illinois taxpayers of the Respite Care Program are considering costs associated with the courts, social workers, state agencies, not to mention the emotional bill the families pay to NOT participate in respite. Grisko, Giannoulias and Connelly agreed the Almost Home Kids concept is instrumental in keeping children out of costly hospitals or government institutions and together at home where they belong.

“We are the haven of hope for so many families across the state, and we’ve only just scratched the surface,” Grisko says about Almost Home Kids. To learn more, visit www.almosthomekids.org

Contact: Monika P. Burchfield
Director of Institutional Advancement
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Last Updated ( Friday, 07 August 2009 16:22 )