DuPage County Health Department recognizes Suicide Prevention Month

Every year, during National Suicide Prevention Month, individuals and organizations come together to highlight the problem of suicide and advocate its prevention. The DuPage County Health Department (DCHD) encourages residents to raise awareness in their communities—it could save someone’s life.

While suicide prevention is multi-layered, knowing the warning signs and supportive services available is one way everyone can contribute to preventing suicide deaths.

Suicide warning signs for youth:

• Talking about or making plans for suicide.
• Expressing hopelessness about the future.
• Displaying severe/overwhelming emotional pain or distress.
• Showing worrisome changes in behavior, particularly in combination with the warning signs above, including significant:
• Withdrawal from or changing social connections/situations.
• Changes in sleep (increased or decreased).
• Anger or hostility that seems out of character or out of context.
• Recent increased agitation or irritability.

Suicide warning signs for adults:

• Talking about or making plans for suicide.
• Acting anxious or agitated; behaving recklessly.
• Talking about being a burden to others.
• Talking about feeling trapped or in unbearable pain.
• Increasing the use of alcohol or drugs.
• Talking about feeling hopeless or having no reason to live.
• Sleeping too little or too much.
• Withdrawing or feeling isolated.
• Showing rage or talking about seeking revenge.
• Displaying extreme mood swings.

For anyone experiencing difficult or suicidal thoughts, or anyone who knows someone who is, DCHD resources are available 24/7, including:

• 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline – A national crisis line, the 988 Lifeline is available 24/7 for free and confidential support for people in distress, prevention and crisis resources for you or your loved ones. Call or text 988, or chat at 998lifeline.org.
• DCHD’s Crisis Hotline – The DuPage County Crisis Hotline is available 24/7 at 630-627-1700. Callers can expect staff to provide support and guidance to manage the crisis, explore options and provide other resources that may further assist them in resolving the crisis.
• Mobile Crisis Response – Mobile Crisis Response in DuPage County is available 24/7 for youth and adults at the location of the crisis and can be accessed at 630-627-1700. Mobile crisis staff will provide support to manage the crisis, explore service needs and provide necessary resources.
• Crisis Residential – Crisis Residential is a 24/7, 12-bed unit that provides short-term crisis stabilization services for adults in DuPage County. Services can be accessed by calling 630-627-1700.

Suicide is a serious public health problem that can have lasting harmful effects on individuals, families and communities. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), suicide is a leading cause of death in the United States. According to a news release, suicide continues to be a persistent threat to community members and their families. DuPage County has averaged 94 deaths per year to suicide over the past five years according to data from the DuPage County coroner. In 2023, there have been a total of 61 deaths by suicide reported in DuPage County. Each one of these deaths is a tragedy and suicide can be preventable through timely intervention.

DCHD has been working to build the ideal behavioral health crisis system for years - a system that ensures individuals experiencing a moment of crisis will receive the support they need by ensuring they have “someone to call, someone to respond, and somewhere to go.”

The work is ongoing, and the need continues to grow. Currently, DCHD is finalizing plans to build a Crisis Recovery Center (CRC) in DuPage. This center will offer mental health and substance use services for children, adolescents and adults, ensuring individuals in DuPage County have “somewhere to go.” This CRC will enhance the ability to provide immediate help and appropriate treatment as well as linkage to other supportive services to individuals experiencing a mental health and/or substance use crisis.

To learn more about the Crisis Recovery Center, visit: dupagehealth.org/747/Crisis-System-Expansion