Lutheran Social Services of Illinois

What Lutheran Social Services of Illinois does

Lutheran Social Services of Illinois (LSSI) is a 158-year-old nonprofit social services organization headquartered in Des Plaines, Illinois, operating one of the largest statewide social service platforms in Illinois. LSSI serves more than 62,000 children, adults, and seniors annually across 18+ counties, organized into five principal service lines: (1) children, youth, and family services including traditional, emergency, and therapeutic foster care (using the evidence-based TFCO model) plus adoption support, post-adoption preservation, and youth violence prevention; (2) mental health and addiction services spanning crisis intervention, outpatient counseling, the Mobile Crisis Team, Project IMPACT hospital emergency room response, walk-in clinics (Welcoming Center, Portage Cragin), community support teams, and a Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinic (CCBHC); (3) affordable housing through 20 HUD-subsidized senior and disability developments, including Joshua Arms Senior Residences (230+ units in Joliet) and The Oaks Supportive Living; (4) home-based care for seniors via the Intouch Home Care subsidiary operating in Cook County at approximately $30/hour; and (5) intellectual and developmental disability services including CILA homes, intermediate care facilities at Shady Oaks campus, autism and Prader-Willi specialty homes, and intermittent waiver services.

Revenue is generated through a mix of government contracts and grants (Illinois DCFS, IDHS, IDOA, DORS, Medicaid/Medicare, HUD), fee-for-service payments (home care, therapeutic foster parent stipends of $3,700/month, residential program fees), income-based affordable housing rent (30% of adjusted income), and charitable donations (44th Annual True Friend Celebration raised $300,000+). LSSI is the largest private provider of foster care in Illinois. Distribution relies on direct service delivery via 13+ physical sites, a 24/7 central intake line (LSSI Connect 833.610.5774), walk-in clinics, mobile crisis teams, and referral pipelines from DCFS, hospitals, schools, and self-referrals. The organization is governed by a Board chaired by Esther M. Macchione; current President & CEO Mark Stutrud has announced retirement effective February 28, 2027.

LSSI holds multiple accreditations including COA reaccreditation, ACA accreditation for therapeutic foster care, HITRUST e1 cybersecurity certification, and CILA state licensure (94.4 audit score). It is a faith-based nonprofit affiliated with the Lutheran church network, with no parent company and autonomous governance. Technology infrastructure is described generically as a "Human services delivery platform" with no proprietary features disclosed; no AI/ML capabilities, API platform, or technology partnerships are evident.

Name

Lutheran Social Services of Illinois

Legal name

Lutheran Social Services of Illinois

Website

https://lssi.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1867

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1,001–5,000 employees

Short description

Lutheran Social Services of Illinois is a 158-year-old statewide nonprofit headquartered in Des Plaines that serves 62,000+ children, adults, and seniors annually across Illinois with foster care, mental health and addiction treatment, affordable senior housing, home care, and disability services.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Social and Human Services

NAICS

Child and Youth Services (62411), Services for the Elderly and Persons with Disabilities (62412), Residential Intellectual and Developmental Disability, Mental Health, and Substance Abuse Facilities (6232), Business, Professional, Labor, Political, and Similar Organizations (8139)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300), Services-Health Services (8000)

akta.pro primary industry

Youth Housing, Foster Care & Wraparound Support (Education-Linked) Nonprofits (BPAGADAO)

akta.pro secondary industries

Faith-Based Social Services & Community Outreach (Food Pantries, Shelters, Counseling) (BPAGAJAG), Family & Community Support Services (Case Management, Referrals) (EDAJAIAK), School Counseling & Guidance Services (Academic/Social-Emotional) (EDAJALAF)

Keywords

• Social services
• Foster care services
• Mental health counseling
• Affordable senior housing
• Developmental disability care

Headquarters

HQ city

Des Plaines

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices13 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Infrastructure, Operations, Others, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Government Grants and Contracts: LSSI receives significant funding through Illinois state contracts and grants from Illinois Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS), Illinois Department of Human Services (IDHS), and federal programs including Medicaid/Medicare reimbursements for healthcare services.
2. Program Service Fees: Fee-for-service revenue from home care services ($30/hr for Intouch Home Care), therapeutic foster parent stipends ($3,700/month), and residential program fees covered by Medicaid or private pay.
3. Affordable Housing Rent: Rental income from 20 affordable senior housing developments throughout Illinois, with rent set at 30% of residents' adjusted annual income.
4. Donations and Charitable Giving: Fundraising through annual True Friend Celebration (raised over $300,000), donor-advised funds, planned giving, and general donations. Also receives support from churches and corporate foundations.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels10 records

Core offering

Lutheran Social Services of Illinois (LSSI) is a faith-based nonprofit that delivers a comprehensive continuum of human services across Illinois. Its core offerings include traditional and therapeutic foster care, adoption support, outpatient and crisis mental health services, substance use treatment, affordable senior housing in 20 developments, in-home personal care for seniors, residential and community programs for adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities, prisoner and family ministry programs, and re-entry services for formerly incarcerated individuals.

Product overview

Lutheran Social Services of Illinois (LSSI) operates as a comprehensive social services organization offering a diverse portfolio of interconnected programs. The organization provides foster care services (including traditional, emergency, and therapeutic foster care), adoption support, mental health services (crisis intervention, counseling, group homes, community support teams), substance abuse treatment, affordable senior housing (20 developments including Joshua Arms and The Oaks), home-based care through Intouch Home Care Services, programs for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (CILA homes, intermediate care facilities, day services), prisoner and family ministry (Storybook Project, Visits to Mom), re-entry services, youth violence prevention (Youth WORKS), and school-based counseling. The organization serves over 62,000 people annually across Illinois through its various programs.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• GenCare: LSSI's commitment to engaging, surrounding, and connecting people to the supports they need while promoting dignity, enhancing health and well-being, and helping them reach their full potential.

Products and services

• Foster Care Services
• Therapeutic Foster Care Evidence-based treatment foster care program using the Treatment Foster Care of Oregon (TFCO) model, placing children ages 6-14 with histories of severe trauma and emotional/behavioral needs in family treatment homes with intensive short-term support.
• Adoption Support and Preservation (ASAP) Post-adoption services using the START approach (Start early, Trauma-informed, Attachment-focused, Resiliency-building, Therapeutic Services) providing in-home therapy, advocacy, and support groups for adoptive and guardianship families.
• Mental Health Services Comprehensive mental health services including crisis services, counseling and therapy, mental health group homes, community support teams, and school-based counseling.
• Project IMPACT Behavioral health crisis program located in hospital emergency rooms on Chicago's north side, providing crisis counseling to adults and children experiencing mental health or addiction crises to reduce unnecessary hospitalizations.
• Mobile Crisis Team Crisis intervention team serving Chicago's north and northwest side, traveling to individuals' locations in unmarked vehicles to provide immediate mental health crisis support 24/7.
• Welcoming Center Walk-in mental health clinic for adults offering immediate assessment, counseling, case management, psychiatric appointments, and crisis services with extended hours including weekends.
• Community Support Teams Multi-disciplinary teams providing therapy, medication support, housing assistance, life skills training, and community access services for adults with mental health conditions.
• Assertive Community Treatment (ACT) Higher-level community support team including addiction treatment counselors, offering 24/7 support for people with severe mental illness who may have addiction disorders.
• Care Coordination Care coordination services helping clients organize and navigate healthcare appointments, mental health services, housing, financial services, and other support systems via telehealth, phone, or in-person.
• Mental Health Group Homes Three HUD low-income mental health group homes on Chicago's Northwest side offering residents independent living skill development in a supportive 24/7 staffed environment.
• Intouch Home Care Services Home-based care services for seniors providing personal care, recovery care, household care, memory care, companion care, and respite care throughout Cook County, Illinois.
• Affordable Housing Services Low-income apartment-style housing for older adults and people with disabilities across 20 developments throughout Illinois, with social service coordinators and amenities.
• Joshua Arms Senior Residences Affordable senior residence apartments and supportive living community in Joliet with over 230 units for adults 62+ and disabled persons 18+, featuring HUD-based rent pricing.
• The Oaks Supportive Living Supportive living apartments at Joshua Arms offering 24-hour certified nursing assistant staffing, medication monitoring, and personal care assistance for seniors 65 and older.
• Intermediate Care Facilities (Shady Oaks) Two intermediate care buildings serving adults with intellectual/developmental disabilities who have medically complex needs, offering 24-hour nursing care and community day services on a suburban campus.
• Community Day Services Day program on Shady Oaks campus offering structured classes including music, art, cooking, yoga, and sensory activities for adults with intellectual/developmental disabilities.
• CILA Homes for Adults with Disabilities Community Integrated Living Arrangement homes for adults with intellectual/developmental disabilities, including specialized homes for individuals with Prader-Willi Syndrome or weight-related conditions.
• Fox Trail Home (Autism) CILA-certified home for adults with autism on St. Mark's Lutheran Church campus, providing 24/7 live-in staff support in a calm, structured environment with community participation opportunities.
• Anderson Apartments Eight-unit HUD apartment building in Stockton, Illinois for adults with intellectual/developmental disabilities living independently with wrap-around support services.
• Intermittent CILA and Home-Based Waivers Flexible community-living program serving adults with intellectual/developmental disabilities in Northwestern Illinois with minimum 15 hours per week services that can be increased based on needs.
• Storybook Project Program at 14 prisons and jails allowing incarcerated parents to record themselves reading books to their children, with CDs and books mailed to children at no cost.
• Visits to Mom Program Free transportation program for children whose mothers are incarcerated, providing bus trips to Decatur Correctional Center several times per year along with caregivers.
• Re-entry Services Services helping formerly incarcerated individuals integrate back into society through case management, outreach, legal aid referrals, life-skills activities, and employment-readiness classes.
• Nachusa Youth and Family Services Coordinated programs in Nachusa serving neighboring counties through foster care, counseling, crisis intervention, family reunification, and substance-use prevention including Project LEAD and Youth WORKS.
• Youth WORKS Youth violence prevention program funded by Illinois Department of Human Services covering Lee, Ogle, Whiteside, and Carroll Counties, teaching evidence-based curriculum on dating violence, suicide awareness, and bullying.
• Homeless Outreach (H.O.M.E.) Homeless Outreach and Meaningful Engagement team working on Chicago's north and northwest sides with unhoused or housing-instable individuals, connecting them to shelters, housing, and resources.
• School-Based Counseling Mental health counseling services provided directly in school settings through the Step-Up School-Based Counseling Program.
• Portage Cragin Counseling Center Comprehensive mental health and addiction treatment center serving Chicago's Northwest side since 1971, offering screening, counseling, support groups, DUI services, and crisis services under one roof.
• Substance Use Treatment Services Outpatient substance use treatment, residential/inpatient rehabilitation (Healthy Start Recovery Homes in Chicago and Elgin), sober living, DUI counseling, and medication-assisted recovery.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 62,000 people served annually across Illinois
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers9 records

Segments7 records

Ideal customer profiles6 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• NAMI ChicagocoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership at Portage Cragin Counseling Center. NAMI Chicago provides mental health advocacy and support resources complementary to LSSI's clinical services.
• Illinois Joining ForcescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership at Portage Cragin Counseling Center. Illinois Joining Forces connects military service members, veterans, and families to supportive services.
• Impact Behavioral HealthminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner organization at Portage Cragin Counseling Center providing behavioral health services coordination.
• Illinois Department on Aging (IDOA)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorIDOA provides funding and regulatory oversight for home care services in Illinois. LSSI's Intouch Home Care accepts IDOA payments.
• Illinois Department of Rehabilitation Services (DORS)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorDORS funding accepted for home care services. Partnership enables services for individuals with disabilities.
• Treatment Foster Care of Oregon (TFCO)coreTechnology or IntegrationEvidence-based treatment model used in LSSI's Therapeutic Foster Care Program. TFCO has been successful at reducing problem behaviors, increasing school success, strengthening attachment to caregivers, and improving foster parent satisfaction.
• Council on Accreditation (COA)coreOthersCOA provides accreditation for human services organizations. LSSI achieved reaccreditation demonstrating adherence to best practice standards.
• COA (Council on Accreditation)coreOthersCOA-Accredited organization under COA network. LSSI Intouch Home Care maintains COA accreditation.
• St. Mark's Lutheran Church (Aurora)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerChurch partnership allowing use of campus space for Fox Trail Home for adults with autism. Part of broader church partnership network supporting LSSI services.
• LeadingAge IllinoisminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerState senator visit to Joshua Arms discussed issues including Medicaid, MCOs, and state budget through LeadingAge Illinois connections.

Scale indicators11 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Catholic Charities USA: Large multi-service faith-based social services network providing foster care, behavioral health, housing, senior, and disability services nationally — directly comparable as a faith-rooted comprehensive human services organization, just at much larger scale.
• Salvation Army Central Territorial Headquarters: Faith-based, multi-service nonprofit delivering social services, housing, behavioral health, and family support — directly comparable on faith-rooted multi-vertical service delivery and government-contract funding model.
• Mercy Housing: Faith-rooted national affordable housing nonprofit operating supportive housing for seniors, families, and people with disabilities — comparable as a faith-based affordable housing operator with service-enriched housing model.

Direct peers

• Heartland Alliance: Chicago-based human services nonprofit providing housing, mental health, immigration, and refugee services — directly comparable as an Illinois-region multi-service nonprofit with overlapping mental health and housing programs.
• Thresholds: Chicago-area nonprofit providing mental health, substance use, supportive housing, and community support for adults with serious mental illness — directly comparable on behavioral health group homes, ACT/community support teams, and supportive housing lines.
• Trilogy Behavioral Healthcare: Chicago nonprofit serving individuals with mental health and substance use conditions through housing, recovery, and community programs — comparable on Illinois-based mental health group homes and supportive housing services.
• Metropolitan Family Services: Large Chicago-based human services nonprofit offering counseling, family support, foster care, senior services, and youth programs — closely comparable on multi-vertical Illinois-based direct service delivery and DCFS contracting.
• Pillars Community Health: Illinois suburban nonprofit providing behavioral health, primary care, social services, and housing — comparable on Illinois-based integrated human services, including mental health and senior/affordable housing programming.
• Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Chicago: Faith-based Illinois social services agency providing foster care, adoption, senior, immigration, and counseling services — directly comparable as an Illinois faith-rooted multi-service nonprofit with DCFS foster care contracts and senior services.
• Lawrence Hall (Lawrence Hall Youth Services): Illinois nonprofit providing foster care, residential treatment, behavioral health, and developmental disability services for youth — comparable on Illinois child welfare, foster care, and IDD service lines.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/MeetLSSI
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCAeOynnzNTEtCz1FDVakUbA
• Facebookfacebook.com/MeetLSSI
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/31896
• Instagraminstagram.com/meetlssi

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Subsidiaries7 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds3 records

Investors2 records

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M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Lutheran Social Services of Illinois