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Addiction Treatment & Credit Counseling

Chestnut Health Systems

1003 Martin Luther King Drive
Bloomington, IL 61701
309.827.6026
http://www.chestnut.org
Hours of Operation
  • Call for an appointment

Drug or Alcohol problem? Credit or Debt problem? We can help.

Chestnut Health Systems offers a broad array of behavioral healthcare services to residents in Central and Southern Illinois. Known throughout the state as one of the leading providers of addiction treatment services and prevention, mental health counseling and housing and credit counseling service.

- Addiction treatment services for youth and adults
- Recovery home for adolescents and young men
- Credit counseling and debt management plans
- Individual and family counseling



Frequently Asked Questions

Substance Abuse
Do you have an alcohol or drug problem?
  1. Do you drink more or take more drugs to get high each time you use?
  2. Do you drink or use drugs first thing in the morning to steady your nerves?
  3. Do you lose control when you drink or use drugs?
  4. Do you use drugs or alcohol to reduce stress or anxiety?
  5. Have you ever felt bad or guilty about drinking or drug use?
If you’ve answered “Yes” to at least two of these questions, you may have a problem with alcohol and/or drug use.
What are the warning signs that your teen might be using drugs and/or alcohol?
Teenagers are full of emotions and often times it's hard to determine if they are just having a bad day or if something else is going on.
  1. School has always been positive for your teen. You notice your teen's grades are declining; is missing a lot of school; an overall general negative attitude towards school.
  2. A lot of secrecy surrounding activities and/or his/her possessions.
  3. Hiding chemical odors by using an increasing amount of incense, perfume, air fresheners
  4. An increase in borrowing money
  5. Evidence of drug paraphernalia (pipes, rolling papers)
  6. Evidence of using inhalants and accessories (hairspray, canned air, nail polish, paper bags and rags)
  7. A change in attitude or physical appearance
What to do if you suspect that your teen might be using drugs and/or alcohol
  1. Share your concerns with your teen but avoid accusations.
  2. If they come home from a party drunk or smelling of marijuana, wait until the next day to talk.
  3. Be firm yet loving; enforce whatever discipline you have agreed upon for breaking the rules.
  4. Give specific suggestions to avoid using drugs and alcohol, such as:
    • Don't hang out with users or go to parties where you know that is going to be happening.
    • At a party where drinking/drugs are present, be honest and say, "I am not into this and need to go."
    • Learn how to make a realistic excuse, such as, "No thanks, my parents will kill me." If they are involved with sports, an easy way for them to get out of a hard situation would be to say "I am involved in a sport team and using drugs or alcohol right now would not be good for me or my team."
    • Know what to expect before going to a party.
    • Think ahead of time about how to get home safely.
  5. Determine the severity of use. Is it experimenting, something they are doing so they "fit in", or something more?
  6. If they are using to "fit in," encourage them with other ways of fitting in, such as:
    • Joining a sport or organization your teen has an interest in
    • Hanging out with other teens who do not use drugs or alcohol
    • Participating in social events where it would be unlikely teens would be able to use drugs or alcohol at the event
  7. If it's something else, determine the source or the cause.
Credit Counseling
I need to get a credit report and don’t know where to start?
A. Once a year every consumer is entitled to a free copy of his or her credit report from all three credit bureaus, Trans Union, Experian and Equifax. You can go to www.annualcreditreport.com or call 1.877.322.8228. This will provide you with your credit report only. If you wish to receive your credit score you will have to purchase that.
I just received notice that my credit score dropped however I was not told why. How could this be?
There are a number of factors that could cause your credit score to change. Did you recently pay off an account? Have you missed any payments on your debts? Have you applied for multiple loans or lines of credit lately? Answering yes to any of these questions could cause your credit score to increase or decrease. However just because your credit score has changed is not necessarily a reason for alarm. First, you need to find out what caused your score to drop. Second, order a copy of your credit report from www.annualcreditreport.com. You will want to be sure that whatever it was that caused your score to drop was legitimate. Third, everyone's credit score can fluctuate. A changing credit score is mainly a cause for concern when you are preparing to apply for a loan of some sort or type of credit.
A friend of mine enrolled with a credit counseling agency and they did not help her at all. They charged her high fees and did not pay her creditors as she was told. She had to file bankruptcy as a result. If someone is in need of help with their debts how can they be sure the company they work with is reputable?
Unfortunately there are many companies that pose as providing services like those of a credit counseling agency but they do not. These companies are debt settlement agencies. To help distinguish the difference, ask up front what the agencies fees are. For example, in Illinois, a legitimate credit counseling agency in may not charge more than $50 a month for their services or $75 for a start up fee. Second, check with the Better Business Bureau and your state’s attorney general office-if there are complaints against a company on file you will find them there. Third, ask for verification that the agency is a non profit agency and carries a 501(c)3 status and is accredited by an established agency such as the Council on Accreditation (COA).
What is a Debt Management Plan and how can it help me?
A Debt Management Plan (DMP) is a program in which a credit counseling agency works along with an individual’s creditors to make certain concessions the repayment of a person’s debt, such as lower interest rates and in some cases a lower monthly payment, with the goal of paying the debt off in a 5 year time period with a less of a financial burden monthly. The credit counseling agency consolidates the monthly payments into one more manageable payment that the client pays to the agency each month. The agency in turn disburses the client’s money each month on time. In addition to the interest rate and monthly payment concessions, most creditors will also stop late fees and over the limit fees when a person enrolls in a debt management plan. A DMP can provide relief to someone who is struggling to keep current with their creditors, who has over extended themselves with credit and who wants to find an alternative to filing bankruptcy and improve their credit.
I am interesting in learning how to budget my money better. Can Chestnut Credit Counseling Services (CCCS) help me with that?
Yes Chestnut Credit Counseling Services can help you learn how to manage your money better. CCCS maintains a library complete with free money management resources available to the public. In addition, a Certified Credit Counselor will be glad to meet with you for a one-on-one budgeting assessment.
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Map
40.495146 -89.020267
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