Improving Lives One Step at a Time. Community Mental Health Services in Residential and Outpatient The staff of Stepping Stones of Rockford, Inc.
Individuals with serious mental illnesses are a part of our community. They share the need for safe, affordable and decent housing and the right to a quality of life afforded by the least restrictive living environment. We are here because, to fulfill their daily needs and enjoy their rights as community members, many adults with serious mental illnesses require a strong network of support services; a special kind of on-going encouragement. provides the housing, psycho-social rehabilitation and support to help adults with serious mental illnesses function as productively and independently as possible. By offering a variety of housing alternatives and individualized life-skills rehabilitation programs, the staff of Stepping Stones helps residents attain their maximum potential for independent living. For some, Stepping Stones is the transition between institutionalized living and life in the mainstream. For others, Stepping Stones becomes a long-term home enabling our residents to live in the community without relinquishing the support they need. Stepping Stones provides psychiatric rehabilitation services for adults eighteen and older with severe emotional disturbances or serious and persistent mental illnesses including schizophrenia, major depression, bi-polar disorder and certain personality disorders such as borderline personality disorder. Stepping Stones strives to serve the individuals participating in our program in the least restrictive environment possible and thus offers a continuum of community based housing and mental health care. Living environments include supervised group homes, supervised apartments and a variety of agency owned and operated supported housing options. Additionally case management services are provided for those capable of living more independently on their own. The level of mental health services and housing participation is determined by each person’s assessed needs, choice and the level of supervision necessary. While the Stepping Stones model is based on participants beginning in a group home and progressing through each stage of the continuum of care, individuals may enter the program at any level and progress through the continuum in the program that provides the level of support that best meets their needs. Because serious mental illnesses are relapse prone, the continuum of care also allows individuals, when necessary, to move from a less supervised site to a more structured one for brief periods of time. Once participants become re-stabilized, they are then able to return to their previous level of care and housing. Regardless of the program they are participating in, all persons served have access to a Masters level on-call clinician on a 24 hour basis.
11/21/2025
We are incredibly excited to announce that construction on our new group home is wrapping up and the home is being furnished! To celebrate this milestone with the community, we will be hosting a ribbon cutting ceremony and open house on Tuesday, Dec. 16 from 10am-12pm. The new home is located at 1480 Stony Creek Way.
Thank you to the Winnebago County Community Mental Health Board for helping to fund this service expansion and to the members of Winnebago County for voting "YES" to the 1/2 cent sales tax.
We are accepting referrals for adults with severe mental illness in need of residential services.
We are also looking to hire additional direct care staff as we expand services.
Lastly, we have prepared an Amazon Wishlist of items needed to make this house a home for our clients. Donations can be delivered to our main office at 706 N. Main St., Rockford, IL 61103. https://a.co/966Ghk5
11/13/2025
Construction will be wrapping up at our new Stony Creek group home over the next 6-8 weeks. In preparation for the opening and welcoming new clients in need of 24/7 support, we have created a House Warming Wish List on Amazon of items needed for the home.
Donations can be delivered to our main office at 706 N. Main St., Rockford, IL 61103.
Please feel free to share our wish list and help us make this new house a home and thank you for the support!
11/12/2025
Today some of our employees and board members gathered to kick off renovations of our new administration building that will also expand clinical services. Everyone had the opportunity to help tear down the first wall. We are super excited to get this project started with anticipated finish at the end of September 2026.
10/04/2025
Congratulations to our very own Stars of Light on their 30th anniversary celebration today!! And a special Thank You to our special guests who offered their talents. You made the day extra special.
09/20/2025
The Stepping Stones Sand Slingers had a great time today at the NAMI Northern Illinois sand volleyball fundraiser.
09/16/2025
Progress continues on our new group home for 10 individuals with serious mental illness. Looking forward to opening in January. We will be having an open house in December. Look for our housewarming gift list on this page if you want to be a part of welcoming individuals to their new home. Thank you to the Winnebago County tax payers for voting yes for the 1/2 cent sales tax for mental health and to the Winnebago County Community Mental Health Board for their partnership in this project. Also thank you to our partners Schmeling Construction and Larson and Darby Architects who have designed and built the home
Stepping Stones of Rockford received a grant from the Winnebago County Community Mental Health Board to build a brand new, fully handicapped accessible group home from the ground up! This residence will house up to 10 clients with serious mental illnesses and will provide them with 24/7 care. It is expected that this site will be open and operational in January, 2026!
In order to make this house a home for our clients, we are in need of a few essentials. We have prepared an Amazon Wishlist of items needed to welcome our new clients and ensure they have what they need in their new home! Donations are always much appreciated, and we are grateful for any support in expanding our services to help more individuals in need of mental health services and improving their lives, one step at a time.
Donations can be delivered to our main office at 706 N. Main St. in Rockford.
08/08/2025
Staff and clients have been invited to leave messages at Stony Creek before the drywall goes up next week. Great messages!!
08/06/2025
The progress continues on the house that will become a home for 10 individuals with serious mental illness. Staff will be available 24/7 to provide treatment and support. Thank you to the voters of Winnebago County for passing the 1/2 cent sales tax to support mental health and to the Winnebago County Community Mental Health Board for their financial support with this project.
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It’s a tough gig trying to navigate the community--heck, through life--with chronic mental illness.
“Individuals with serious mental illnesses are a part of our community. They share the need for safe, affordable and decent housing and the right to a quality of life afforded by the least restrictive living environment. We are here because, to fulfill their daily needs and enjoy their rights as community members, many adults with serious mental illnesses require a strong network of support services; a special kind of on-going encouragement. The staff of Stepping Stones of Rockford, Inc. provides the housing, psycho-social rehabilitation and support to help adults with serious mental illnesses function as productively and independently as possible.”
That’s fine. But what does that mean? It means we serve those with hallucinations, delusions, mood fluctuations... those who require psychotropic medications.... those who tend not to be shiny and pretty. Chronic mental illness is life-altering. It’s not shiny and pretty.
I’m supposed to say “serious mental illness,” not chronic mental illness. Semantics. Yes, it’s serious. Yes, it’s chronic. Yes, it’s life-interfering. The clients we serve have diagnoses such as schizophrenia. That’s serious and chronic and quality-of-life interfering, all in one.
“By offering a variety of housing alternatives and individualized life-skills rehabilitation programs, the staff of Stepping Stones helps residents attain their maximum potential for independent living. For some, Stepping Stones is the transition between institutionalized living and life in the mainstream. For others, Stepping Stones becomes a long-term home enabling our residents to live in the community without relinquishing the support they need.”
Meaning? We are residential community mental health. We’re with our clients round-the-clock. It’s what we do. We work to meet or exceed the goals of those we serve.
“Stepping Stones provides psychiatric rehabilitation services for adults eighteen and older with severe emotional disturbances or serious and persistent mental illnesses including schizophrenia, major depression, bi-polar disorder and certain personality disorders such as borderline personality disorder. Stepping Stones strives to serve the individuals participating in our program in the least restrictive environment possible and thus offers a continuum of community based housing and mental health care. Living environments include supervised group homes, supervised apartments and a variety of agency owned and operated supported housing options. Additionally case management services are provided for those capable of living more independently on their own.”
There’s over 100 of us working toward success for those in our program. We’re in this together. Rehabilitation Supervisors. Program managers. Mental health professionals. Rehabilitative Service Associates. Psychiatrist. Nurse. Business Office. Technology. Buildings and Grounds. Operations. You know that saying, “it takes a village?” Guess what? It takes a village!
“The level of mental health services and housing participation is determined by each person’s assessed needs, choice and the level of supervision necessary. While the Stepping Stones model is based on participants beginning in a group home and progressing through each stage of the continuum of care, individuals may enter the program at any level and progress through the continuum in the program that provides the level of support that best meets their needs.”
Step...ping..stones. We are what are name says. Our clients take it one step at a time. It’s not linear. Sometimes, clients go “back” to a group home after living in a community apartment. That’s not failure. That’s life and that’s okay.
“Because serious mental illnesses are relapse prone, the continuum of care also allows individuals, when necessary, to move from a less supervised site to a more structured one for brief periods of time. Once participants become re-stabilized, they are then able to return to their previous level of care and housing. Regardless of the program they are participating in, all persons served have access to a Masters level on-call clinician on a 24 hour basis.”
Residential mental health services for adults with chronic, serious mental illness. Improving lives, one step at a time.
