BELLEVILLE, Ill. (November 5, 2026) A new emergency shelter in Belleville is addressing a critical gap in services for children and teens who have run away, are experiencing family conflict or otherwise find themselves without a safe place to stay.
Caritas Family Solutions recently opened its nine-bed Community Based Youth Shelter (CCBYS) after being selected by the state of Illinois to participate in a pilot program designed to provide short-term housing and support for youth in crisis who aren’t already under the care of the Department of Child and Family Services (DCFS). Since opening, the shelter has already served 14 at-risk youth, with the majority successfully reunified with their families or connected to safe housing options.
“There are more young people experiencing these situations than many people realize, and there are limited places in our region specifically equipped to help them,” said Rachelle Henshaw, Caritas Family Solutions Transitional Residential Program Manager. “By the time they come to us, many have experienced significant trauma and instability, and many have difficulty trusting adults. Being able to provide a safe environment, build that trust and eventually see a child return home is incredibly meaningful. There’s not a kid who comes here that I don’t remember.”
The shelter can serve up to nine children at a time and provides more than a temporary place to stay. Caritas staff work to create stability and a sense of normalcy by helping youth attend school and medical appointments, providing meals and daily support, and offering recreational activities such as bowling, skating, cooking and video games.
While another partnering agency leads the family reunification process, Caritas focuses on meeting each child’s immediate needs and providing a safe and supportive environment during their stay. Youth generally have 21 weekdays to work toward reunification with their families.
“During that time, our job is to make sure these children have what they need physically and emotionally while providing as much stability as possible,” Henshaw said. “What makes this work especially rewarding is seeing what happens after they leave. I’ve had young people stay in touch and tell me about college, new jobs and what’s happening in their lives. Those are the moments that show the long-term impact this kind of program can have. We get to help change the trajectory of a child’s life and break cycles of trauma.”
Most youth served by the Community Based Youth Shelter come from Southern Illinois, although the program can receive children from other areas of the state. For Caritas, the new shelter expands the organization’s continuum of services for children and families by providing intervention during a critical period, with the ultimate goal of helping youth return to a safe and stable family environment.
