Glasgow Cuts Ribbon On Unprecedented Residential Facility Serving Problem Solving Court Participants
Will County State’s Attorney James Glasgow officially opened the doors to the Connor Kelly Residence, a new transitional housing facility for eligible Will County Problem Solving Courts participants established to provide long-term help and support to individuals reentering society and the workplace. Joining Glasgow in the ribbon cutting ceremony were Illinois Supreme Court Justice Thomas Kilbride; Will County Executive Larry Walsh; Will County Circuit Court Chief Judge Richard Schoenstedt; Will County Board Speaker Denise Winfrey; Friends of the Will County Problem Solving Courts board members Anne Dralle, Suzanne Hart, and Tyler Marcum, who also is a Will County Board member; and relatives of Connor Kelly, in whose memory the residence is named. Connor Kelly died of an opioid overdose on March 13, 2014, at the age of 18. Will County Board Member Rev. Herb Brooks offered the dedication.
Connor Kelly’s family provided a generous donation that assisted the State’s Attorney’s Office in turning the vision of a longer-term residence into a reality. Located in Joliet, the Connor Kelly Residence is the third residential facility Glasgow has established for Will County Problem Solving Court participants. The first two residences, the Miller Taylor House and Julie Ann House, provide temporary housing. The Connor Kelly residence provides longer-term transitional housing that offers increased independence while maintaining a support system. Participants are employed and allowed into the program after careful screening. They have faced drug addictions, previously committed non-violent offenses, and receive on-site supportive services. A recovery support specialist lives on site.