Illinois lawmakers, DuPage County health officials, and community members gathered to celebrate the new DuPage County Crisis Recovery Center at a ribbon-cutting event on Wednesday.
Crisis Recovery Center is the first of its kind
The new $25.8 million facility, located at 115 N. County Farm Rd. in Wheaton, is the first of its kind.
Once officially open, it will be equipped with trained mental health and substance abuse professionals who will provide 24/7 support for those in crisis.
“We want people to understand it’s okay to not be okay. It’s not okay to have nowhere to go. And now there’s somewhere to go. And we intend to eliminate stigma here in our crisis recovery center,” said Deborah Conroy, chair of the DuPage County Board.
The center will serve people of all ages, regardless of financial status.
“We often talk about public health as being about prevention, access, and equity. This center embodies all three things. It will save lives. It will remove barriers. And it will demonstrate that in DuPage County, no one will face a behavioral health crisis alone,” said Sam Tornatore, president of the DuPage County Board of Health.
Different areas designed for different groups and needs
Different areas of the building include the adult and youth mental health units and the adult substance abuse stabilization unit, which will provide sobering care and withdrawal management.
DuPage County health officials say the center will be a designated resource for those in crises that would otherwise result in law enforcement interactions or trips to the emergency room.
“Our team will be ready to provide immediate assessment, stabilization, and connection to ongoing services with compassion, with professionalism, and with urgency,” said Lori Carnahan, deputy director of behavioral health for the DuPage County Health Department.
The Crisis Recovery Center took a little more than a year to complete, with officials breaking ground in the spring of 2024.
The new facility is expected to serve up to 42 people at a time and approximately 15,000 each year.
The center will officially open its doors the week of Sept. 2.
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