Joliet OKs Stepping Stones rehab plan

Stepping Stones expects to begin construction in the coming months on residential apartments for women with children after getting approval from the Joliet City Council on Tuesday.

The facility would be only the fourth of its kind in Illinois providing residential treatment for women for drug or alcohol use while allowing them to remain with their children, Stepping Stones officials said.

The council voted 7-1 after several questions about who would be treated and how the children would be watched.

“I did have a few people call me today saying why do they want to do this in Joliet,” Council Member Joe Clement said. “I think it’s absolutely needed.”

The program is designed to keep women in treatment when they otherwise might forego treatment so as not to be separated from their children.

Stepping Stones plans to build eight apartments at its facility at 1620 Plainfield Road, which is located near the corner of Theodore Street. Seven will be occupied by mothers with children ages 5 and under. The eighth will be occupied by on-site managers for the program.

Council Member Jan Quillman was the lone no vote, suggesting that the location was not a safe one for mothers with children.

“There are a lot of stores around there that sell alcohol,” Quillman said to Stepping Stone representatives.

“We’ve been there since 1991, and the stores have been there,” Stepping Stones Executive Director Paul Lauridsen replied.

Stepping Stones provides treatment for drug and alcohol use on the site now, including residential treatment for individual men and women.

Half of Stepping Stones clients come from Joliet, and another 25% come from other areas of Will County, Lauridsen said.

The apartments will cost $3 million. Stepping Stones received a $2 million federal grant to help fund construction.

The apartments will take about a year to build, architect Bob Morris said.

“Construction can easily start in the next three months,” Morris said.