Who We Are

[ar-oo-kaw’]: healing of a wound, restoring to wholeness, recovery, repair, perfected, the new flesh that grows at the wounded spot.

PURPOSE

The Arukah Institute provides client-centered, complementary health and counseling services to foster prevention wellness, and mental health in rural communities. Arukah’s method involves a variety of approaches including novel video-based programs, mind-body therapies as well as more conventional individual and group therapies. We journey with clients long-term and help them build a healthy view of self as well as healthy relationships with others. Our method is data-driven and validated by our research program.

MISSION

Bringing accessible & relational holistic complementary health and mental health care to rural communities

VISION

Restored hope and purpose in rural communities

AREA STATISTICS

The following statistics were collected from Bureau, LaSalle, Marshall and Putnam counties and represent high priority challenges facing our region today:

HIGH RATES OF SUICIDE AND SELF-INFLICTED INJURY

Suicide rates are 63% higher that State of Illinois¹

ELEVATED OVERDOSE RATES AND YOUTH SUBSTANCE USE

First responders, medical and behavioral health professionals administer 5 doses of Naloxone every single day², and substance usage of any substance (i.e., alcohol, marijuana) doubles between 8^th and 12^th grades³.

A LACK OF COMPLEMENTARY HEALTH SERVICES

Complementary and integrative strategies (e.g., mindfulness) for treating mental issues in our area are lacking. This results in few non-pharmacologic (non-drug) therapies for mental issues such as anxiety and depression, and few non-addictive treatment options for pain. This becomes particularly important regarding prescription opioid addiction.

LIMITED MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES

Our communities are designated as federally underserved areas for mental health. Our communities are also designated as mental health professional shortage areas⁴.This means that many community members report long wait times to see a counselor or therapist, or they are not successful in finding one at all.

RESIDENTS IN LARGE PART ARE UNABLE TO AFFORD MENTAL HEALTH CARE

Compared to the Illinois average, more residents in our community lack insurance or use Medicare, and numbers of children in medical assistance programs continue to rise⁵

STIGMA IN RURAL AREAS IS EXCEPTIONALY STRONG

Persons report barriers to receiving the help they need. People worry about how medical providers will react, and they are concerned about having mental illness or substance use information in their medical record. Substance use and mental illness are often viewed negatively and differently from other chronic medical conditions, and people often feel shame even though it’s not their fault.

Data Sources: ¹2021 County Health Rankings (data from 2015-2019); ²Law Enforcement, Emergency Services and Other Agency Records (2021); ³Illinois Youth Survey (2018-2020); ⁴Health Professional Shortage Area (HPSA) Find Tool, Health Resources and Services Administration, US Health and Human Services; ⁵Bureau, Putnam and Marshall County Health IPLAN (2020).

“The Arukah Institute of Healing, Inc (NFP) does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, disability, sex, national origin or sexual orientation in any of its activities or operations.

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Keith Cain

PRESIDENT OF ARUKAH INSTITUTE OF HEALING

Experience: 55+ years in entrepreneurship and small business management.

Belief: Mental Health impacts every family and all people should be talking about it to break the stigma.

Paul Scruggs, BS

Vice-President of Arukah Institute of Healing

Experience: >30 years of agri-business with an emphasis on commodity trading.

Belief: To serve God is to serve others and in that context, we should strive to make the world a better place for those around us.

Theresia Rapp

Board Secretary of Arukah Institute of Healing

Experience: >20 years in a professional corporate environment, with the last five years focused in Procurement.

Belief: Life does not control you. What you think about it, does. Control your thoughts, in turn you control your circumstances.

Elizabeth Bonucci, JD

Director of Arukah Institute of Healing

Experience: 10 years in employment-related litigation matters.

Belief: People from all walks of life are deserving of grace no matter their personal circumstances.

Jay Alter, BS

Finance Committee Chair | Director of Arukah Institute of Healing

Experience: 20 years as an executive in the corrugating and packaging industry.

Belief: Everyone’s destiny is in their own hands. What paths are chosen, determines that destiny. We all veer off path; find it and get back on it!

Matt Keutzer

Director of Arukah Institute of Healing

Experience: 20 years in business, farming and entrepreneurship.

Belief: Mental health and substance use impacts every family, directly or indirectly. We need to talk about it as a medical condition, not a moral issue.

Sarah B. Scruggs, PhD

Chief Executive Officer of Arukah Institute of Healing

Experience: 18 years in academia, molecular research and precision medicine and 5 years in non-profit administration.

Belief: Loving and empowering humans through relationship and innovative approaches.

Jen Alter, BS

Chief financial officer at Arukah Institute of healing

Experience: 22 years of accounting, financial practices and systems.

Belief: Self-care is vitally important. When we take care of ourselves, we are better able to lift others up around us that need our support, love, and compassion.