Using Classes in Helper files?

[eluser]Iverson[/eluser]
I'm using CI's database class in my controllers. I have a "is_logged_in" function that I will have to use in every controller/view so I created my own helper file because I don't want to have to copy and paste it over and over again. I check the session footprint against the footprint I put into my database. However, now I have no way of getting to the database or the session data because I can't use the class functions inside a regular function. Ideas? Or am I just missing something?