By Emily Massingill

editor@themonroetimes.com

MONROE — Two local women planning to provide services to aid youth with physical, developmental and emotional disabilities has recently opened for business. 

Owners Ashlee Glowacki and Kristy Schindler, both of Monroe, officially opened Vitality Youth Services Sept. 1, which is a new business the pair have started in an effort serve what they see as a large needs gap in services that they hope to expand to Green, Rock and Lafayette counties. 

The services are entirely youth based, and will serve those ages 3 to 19. Services will be provided both in home and will be community based and will come mostly from referrals. 

One important aspect that will be offered will respite care, a need they say is important and much needed. Vitality Youth Services will be the only agency in Green County offering respite care to youth. 

Glowacki, who has a master’s degree in education, has a history of working in human services, specializing in mental health and social education needs. Her career has mostly been spent helping children with a wide variety of disabilities. She’s worked for both state departments and nonprofit groups for years in both Green and surrounding counties, and said she was ready to start her own.

“Green County and southwest Wisconsin don’t have these services and I just wanted to bring them back to our communities,” she said. 

Glowacki serves as the vice president on the Board of Directors for the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) where she met Schindler. 

Schindler served as an advocate at the Sexual Assault Recovery Program (SARP) while attending graduate school for professional counseling. She’s nearly finished with her master’s degree in social work, and her goal has always been to eventually become a therapist. 

As she edged closer to that reality, she was approached by Glowacki to work with her as a partner on this new venture, and she agreed.

“I loved my job with SARP,” Schindler said. “It wasn’t an easy decision (to leave) … but I’ve always had a long-term goal to be a therapist. Mental health is a passion of mine.”

Although she wasn’t necessarily looking to start a business, the entire project has come in stride and she said it’s been the perfect fit.

“I knew Kristi would be great to help,” Glowacki said. 

The duo reached out to several local agencies and personal contacts including those from the Southwestern Wisconsin Community Action Program (SWCAP), Family Promise of Green County and the Green County Development Corporation (GCDC). 

After so many conversations with local professionals, neither hesitated to move forward. They received help from Kristi Smith, a business consultant with GCDC, which they agreed was a huge benefit. 

“We’ve worked really quickly because this is something we’re so passionate about,” Glowacki said. “We’re new to being business owners, but not to the work that we do.”

They have renovated a space near the Square in the building that was once Fireside Books. The building has undergone a complete remodel, and has been transformed to best suit them.

“We had a vision and we fell in love with the building’s quirkiness and knew we could turn it into something very cool,” Glowacki said, noting that the central location is ideal since it’s close to schools and the Square. They are also a part of both the Chamber of Commerce and Main Street Monroe, which has been a plus for them as well.

Vitality Youth Services is currently accepting referrals and its seven staff members have been trained. Staff will include a youth supervisor, administrative assistant, youth skill builders, respite workers, IEP assistants and case managers and others will be added as needed. 

In January, Schindler plans to begin offering mental health services and the business will also accept BadgerCare insurance. 

Eventually, they plan to offer some mental health peer support groups, something Glowacki is trained in, as well as respite and daily living skills. They’re looking forward to filling the needs of youth in Green and its surrounding counties.

Primary referrals will come from the county level, but the business is also connected to other agencies and nonprofit groups. Families with specific needs can also inquire directly and will be assisted. They also hope to eventually offer weekly podcasts and keep their social media updated as new services are added. 

So far, they’ve received a lot of positive feedback. 

“People are already looking forward to us being here,” she said. “We’re excited to get going.”