What Is Caritas Family Solutions?

Caritas Family Solutions is a nonprofit human-services organization whose stated mission is "to strengthen the social and emotional well-being of individuals and families in order to create healthy relationships, loving homes, and strong communities." It works with people in crisis and aims to move them "from crisis to self-sufficiency." If you are looking for foster care, family support, or services for adults with developmental disabilities or mental health needs in Southern Illinois, this organization is likely relevant to you.

What the organization says it does

The site organizes its work around four areas:

• Nurture New Life
• Care For Children
• Empower Adults
• Strengthen Families

These sit under the broader framing of "we build stronger communities." The stated goal is to take people from crisis to self-sufficiency by creating a loving, caring environment.

Who it serves

According to the site, Caritas serves children, families, and adults — including adults with developmental disabilities or mental health needs — in Southern Illinois. Its mission language describes a lifespan approach: healthy relationships starting with parents and siblings, later friends and partners, and eventually one's own children, with the idea that people in healthy relationships are able to create loving homes.

A significant change: the HSS merger

Starting October 1, 2025, Human Support Services (HSS) of Monroe County, IL is merging with Caritas under the Caritas name. The two organizations describe themselves as "two pillars of compassionate community service" joining to better serve Southern Illinois' children, families, and adults with developmental disabilities or mental health needs.

Key points stated on the site:

• Caritas and HSS say they do not anticipate major changes to staffing or services.
• They state they will work closely with HSS leadership on a "smooth and thoughtful integration."
• They aim to maintain the same level of care.
• The site offers an FAQ page, a press release, and a form to submit questions about the merger.

If you currently receive services from HSS, this is the detail most worth checking directly, since the site's own framing is that continuity is the goal rather than a certainty you can verify from the homepage alone.

Ways to get involved or give

The site highlights several ongoing programs and events:

The site does not publish pricing for services, and no cost or eligibility information appears in the material available here. If you need to know whether you qualify for a specific program or what it costs, that has to come from the organization directly.

How to decide if it's relevant to you

• If you are a family or individual in crisis in Southern Illinois — the mission and service categories suggest this is the intended audience.
• If you or a family member has a developmental disability or mental health need — the HSS merger explicitly extends the organization's stated scope to those adults.
• If you want to donate or volunteer — the Secret Santa program and the gala are the two concrete entry points named on the site.
• If you need specifics on eligibility, cost, or waitlists — none of that is in the available material; use the site's question submission form or contact the organization.