Karen Beyer has a lot of abbreviations at the end of her name: CEO, MPA, MSW, and three MBAs. But her life’s work is spelled out in the improved lives of the many whom she has helped in her 53-year career in social services.
The chief executive officer of the Ecker Center for Mental Health in Elgin is retiring at the end of the month, and the homages to her are just beginning.
She was called a “champion of human services,” by Ecker board chairman Alan Kirk, in announcing a fundraising effort to ensure that members of the community facing mental health challenges will continue to receive services and support.
“In her honor, we have created the Karen Beyer Circle to acknowledge her distinguished career, the impact her work has had on our community, and to ensure that the Ecker Center will continue to provide services in the face of increasing financial challenges,” Mr. Kirk said.
Ms. Beyer began her career as a child caseworker, later serving as a therapist for Lutheran Social Services. After earning a master’s degree in social work from Loyola University, she became clinical director for the Family Service Association of the Greater Elgin Area.
She also worked for several years in private practice as a marital counselor, helping couples to resolve their differences and stay together, and if they couldn’t, preparing them for life after divorce.
In 1983, Ms. Beyer became clinical director of health and human services for Hoffman Estates. There she defended the right of privacy of a traumatized police officer in a landmark U.S. Supreme Court case, “Jaffee versus Redmond and the Village of Hoffman Estates.” She also was a pioneer for the advocacy of employee assistance programs.
After earning another master’s degree, this one in public administration from Roosevelt University, she was hired as executive director of The Larkin Center group homes in Elgin, where she increased fundraising and developed new programs.
She has served at the Ecker Center since 2000, helping steer the mental health facility through many challenges, such as the increasing number and needs of its clients as well as working within the guidelines of the 2010 Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, colloquially known as ObamaCare.
“Karen never gives up,” asserted Victoria Gesinger, assistant clinical director at the Ecker Center.
“She has led us through so many difficult financial crises with immense state budget cuts, and the more recent crisis where there was no budget at all.”
State Rep. Anna Moeller plans to introduce in the Illinois General Assembly a resolution honoring Ms. Beyer for her many contributions for the betterment of the community, according to Ecker’s events manager Karen LeBuhn.
For more information about the Ecker Center for Mental Health, visit eckercenter.org. All donations to the Karen Beyer Circle that are received by June 25 will be recognized on her final day of work before her retirement begins.
Added Ms. Gesinger: “We have been so fortunate to have a leader such as Karen to see us through these difficult situations with little impact to client care and employees.”
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