Serving Montgomery County, Illinois & the surrounding area
Our beginnings in examining and meeting the needs of the mental health and substance use crisis of Montgomery County were not dramatic, but they were filled with the power and grace of Jesus Christ.
Cross Over Ministries was birthed in the summer of 2018 when a group of people met to discuss and prayerfully form a ministry to work on the mental health and substance use crisis in Montgomery County. It was then that the group of ten people formed the Christ-centered mental health ministry known as Cross Over Ministries. The mission statement of Cross Over Ministries, to promote individual recovery and wellness through Hope, Opportunity, Mercy and Encouragement, was the driving force to begin to examine the mental health needs and how to meet them.
The team began collecting health data from local resources including Montgomery County Health Department, Hillsboro Health Hospital, St Francis Hospital and the Montgomery County Court House. Access to mental health treatment was the number one health need that was identified by both area hospitals. According to the county statistics, the rate of suicide and drug overdoses continued to climb. Together the team began hosting mental health training events within the community and at area schools including Trauma Informed Care, Wellness, Recovery, Action, Plan (WRAP) training, and Question, Persuade, Refer (QPR) training. Awareness events for Mental Health, Suicide and Overdose, as well as a Mental Health Summit were also organized and many from the community attended these.
While the base work of the ministry was started, there was still a God-sized vision at the heart of the Cross Over Ministries team. A Christ-centered “Living Room” to provide support and resources to guests seeking help with mental health and/or substance use challenges had been laid on the ministries’ heart since its inception. The living room would be a home environment, staffed with people living in recovery who could connect, offer choices for guests to explore, provide resources, support, and foster self-advocacy. In 2023, the Cross Over Ministries team sensed that God was calling them to make this “Living Room” the main focus of the ministry. A few months later, the ministry was blessed to be able to rent a home and develop the long-awaited vision. Haven Home of Hope opened its doors August 1, 2023. While there are other state-funded living rooms, Haven Home of Hope is unique in that it is one of the few private, Christ-centered homes for adults ages 18 and older around the nation. Cross Over Ministries and Haven partner with a wide variety of organizations to provide person-centered support, hope and encouragement that leads to the path of recovery.