Kane Health Department to offer suicide prevention signs, gun and opioid safety materials at St. Charles event
On Friday, April 25, the Kane County Health Department will host a drive-through pick-up event for residents to receive free suicide prevention signs and gun and opioid use safety materials, according to a press release from the department.
The event will take place in the Kane County Circuit Clerk's parking lot at 540 S. Randall Road in St. Charles from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., the press release said. It kicks off the Kane County Health Department's 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline awareness campaign, which is meant to increase awareness of the national suicide and crisis phone number – which is free, confidential and open 24/7, according to its website.
Those attending the April 25 event can pick up yard signs, window clings and bumper stickers with the 988 number, according to the press release.
Those who pick up the materials are encouraged to take a photo with their 988 sign, share it on their social media platforms and tag the Kane County Health Department to let their friends and family know that support is always available, according to the release.
The event will also have free gun trigger locks, biometric gun safes and naloxone – the opioid overdose-reversing nasal spray. Gun owners must show a valid FOID card to receive a gun safe, the release noted.
Michael Isaacson, the health department's executive director, noted in the press release that the campaign can help 'reach more people, start important conversations and ensure that no one feels alone in a moment of crisis.'
The event aligns with the county's yearlong initiative meant to help residents learn how to access mental health and substance use resources, the release said. In February, Kane launched its Behavioral Health 360 website, according to the county. The website offers screening and assessment tools, informational articles, self-help guides and a guide to providers in Kane County.
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USA Today
14-05-2025
- USA Today
More than 100 lawmakers urge scrapping of federal plans to cut LGBTQ lifeline services
More than 100 lawmakers urge scrapping of federal plans to cut LGBTQ lifeline services Show Caption Hide Caption Surgeon General calls for warning labels on social media platforms US Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy called for warning labels on social media, citing concerns about children's mental health. More than 100 Congressional Democrats have signed a letter urging U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to scrub planned budget cuts that would eliminate crucial mental health services for LGBTQ+ youth, who face greater mental health challenges than their peers. At stake are services offered through the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline, which has fielded more than 13 million calls, texts and chats from across the U.S. and its territories since its inception. Created through a bipartisan measure signed into law by President Trump in 2020, the lifeline serves veterans and non-English speakers in addition to LGBTQ+ young people. Similar to calling 911, people looking for mental or emotional health support can call 988, with the further option of being directed to a counselor trained in LGBTQ+ youth support. The proposed cuts, first reported by The Washington Post, would slash the lifeline's LGBTQ+ youth services as part of an HHS overhaul. The restructuring will consolidate the agency's 28 divisions into 15 divisions, including the newly created Administration for a Healthy America to implement Kennedy's 'Make America Healthy Again' agenda. 'Ending this mental health support for youth in distress would devastate a vital resource for some of our nation's most vulnerable young people,' the lawmakers' letter stated. 'This shortsighted and dangerous plan undermines 988's ability to provide tailored support for a population with a higher risk of suicide and will have lethal consequences if enacted.' The letter is signed by 109 members of Congress, including Rep. Seth Moulton, D-Massachusetts; Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi, D-Illinois; Rep. Rashida Tlaib, D-Michigan; and Rep. Mark Pocan, D-Wisconsin. 'Mental health crises do not recognize partisan differences, and this is why support for 988 and its specialized services has always been firmly bipartisan,' the representatives wrote. '…. We urge that you scrap this ill-advised plan. Our nation's children deserve nothing less.' Their missive echoes a similar letter issued on May 7 by a group of Democratic senators including Tammy Baldwin of Wisconsin, Jeff Merkley of Oregon and Elizabeth Warren and Edward Markey of Massachusetts. The proposed cuts, to take effect October 1, come as LGBTQ+ youth are experiencing a spike in mental health issues triggered by the Trump administration's heightened attacks on the community. The plan is still in draft form and its final version will need Congressional approval. About 1.2 million of the 13 million calls, texts and chats received by the lifeline have been directed to its LGBTQ+ Youth Hotline. The frequency of those contacts has spiked over the last several months, according to The Trevor Project, one of seven federally funded contact centers that partner with the lifeline to offer specialized support for LGBTQ+ young people. According to the Trevor Project, a national organization focused on suicide prevention for LGBTQ+ young people, suicide is the second leading cause of death among those aged 10 to 14 and the third leading cause for those aged 15 to 24. LGBTQ+ young people are more than four times as likely to attempt suicide than their peers, and the project estimates more than 1.8 million LGBTQ+ young people in the U.S. seriously consider suicide annually. 'Suicide prevention is about risk, not identity,' said Jaymes Black, The Trevor Project's CEO. Ending the lifeline's specialized LGBTQ+ youth services, Black said, 'will not just strip away access from millions of LGBTQ+ kids and teens. It will put their lives at risk.' In response to the lawmakers' letter, a spokesperson for HHS' Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration noted that all 988 services currently remain available and unaltered. 'The 988 Lifeline offers 24/7 call, text and chat access to skilled, caring crisis counselors who can help people experiencing suicidal, substance misuse, or mental health crises, or any other kind of emotional distress,' the spokesperson said. 'People can also call, text or chat 988 if they are worried about a loved one who may need crisis support. The 988 Lifeline is a direct connection to immediate support and resources for anyone in crisis.' What is the 988 lifeline? The national 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline and Veterans Crisis Line launched in July 2022 to assist people experiencing mental health, substance use or suicidal crises. The service stemmed from the Federal Communications Commission's July 2020 adoption of 988 as a nationwide dialing code for people in crisis to connect with suicide prevention and mental health crisis counselors. Several months after the FCC action, President Donald Trump signed the National Suicide Hotline Designation Act of 2020, incorporating the 988 lifeline into law. 'When Congress established the 988 lifeline, signed into law by President Trump during his first term, we intended it to be a resource for any American experiencing mental distress,' the representatives' letter said. 'To a young person feeling alone and scared, 988 is truly a lifeline.' Community and mental health advocates agreed. Tom Milam, a psychologist who serves as chief medical officer for Iris Telehealth, which has a strong LGBTQ+ community presence, said the proposed cuts would likely compound the stresses already faced by overloaded behavioral health resources. Put off by long waitlists for outpatient behavioral health services, patients have increasingly turned to emergency rooms and urgent care centers for mental health and addiction treatment, he said. '988 has been a game-changer as a resource for people struggling with mental health and addiction issues,' Milam said. Should that option cease to exist or experience extended hold times because of inadequate staffing, more patients will call 911 or seek emergency-room care – not only the costliest option, he said, but one with minimal access to quality mental health care. 'We see hospitals and health systems doing the best they can to serve people in their community with mental health and addiction issues, but it is rarely enough,' he said. Rachael Fried, executive director of Jewish Queer Youth, a New York-based mental health organization better known by the acronym JQY, said eliminating the life's LGBTQ+ services would contribute to 'an even greater loss of hope.' 'The administration's proposal to cut services for LGBTQ youth through the 988 suicide and crisis hotline will have devastating and deadly consequences,' she said. Black, of the Trevor Project, noted a 2024 Trevor Project survey that found that 40% of LGBTQ+ young people had seriously considered suicide in the past year, while 12% had attempted it. 'We urge Congress to defend its establishment of this data-based, bipartisan program to allow its life-saving services to continue for generations to come,' they said. 'We do not have to agree on every policy issue to agree that every young life is worth saving.' If you or someone you know is struggling or in crisis, help is available. Call or text 988 or chat at
Yahoo
06-05-2025
- Yahoo
988 Lifeline decals to be added to Mercer County Sheriff's Office cruisers
PRINCETON, WV (WVNS) — Decals will be placed on cruisers with the Mercer County Sheriff's Office to help raise awareness for mental health resources in the Mountain State. According to a press release, 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline decals will be placed on all Mercer County Sheriff's Office's department cruisers as part of a partnership between Community Connections, the Mercer County Coalition for Healthy Communities, and the Mercer County Sheriff's Office. Concord University receives grant from Truist West Virginia Foundation By placing these decals on patrol vehicles, we're sending a clear message to the community: help is always available, and it's okay to reach out. We're proud to work with the Mercer County Sheriff's Department to promote this life-saving resource. Candace Harless | Chairperson of the Mercer County Coalition for Healthy Communities The press release stated that the addition of the decals during Mental Health Awareness Month in May will mark the first time a sheriff's office in the Mountain State added 988 decals to their cruisers, and is part of the Mercer County Coalition for Healthy Communities' goal to increase access and raise awareness to mental health support in the Mountain State. We see this daily – the mental health crisis that is going on and sometimes that flows over to our guys. So, this is a dual-purpose thing for us. If our guys can help those that are in need, then they see it is okay for them to ask for help as well Sheriff Alan Christian | Mercer County Sheriff's Department Sheriff Christian's department has been undergoing crisis intervention training, which will help them better communicate with those who are suffering from mental health issues. Sheriff Christian and Harless hope that other departments around the state will get on board to make everyone aware of 9-8-8's services. Three Mercer County Robotics teams headed to world championship in Dallas According to the press release, the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline, which allows people to get into contact with trained crisis counselors by using a three digit number 24/7 especially for those dealing with suicidal, mental health, or substance use crises, was launched in July 2022. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
05-05-2025
- Yahoo
Trump administration wants to cut 988's LGBTQ+ youth line. Baldwin vows to fight for it.
The Trump administration intends to cut funding for a specialized line dedicated to LGBTQ+ youths and young adults on the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline, according to a leaked budget proposal reviewed by the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. All calls to 988 connect people in need with a crisis counselor, but two high-risk groups, military veterans and LGBTQ+ youths, were identified early as requiring a more culturally sensitive approach. Just as veterans may feel more inclined to open up to someone who has lived through the experiences of war and active duty, LGBTQ+ youths may also express themselves more authentically to someone who understands what it means to be queer. Those calls are staffed by people who understand the issues facing LGBTQ+ youths, such as discrimination and the complexity of family support. They also can connect callers to support and resources tailored to LGBTQ+ people. Having a specialized line for LGBTQ+ youths, too, increases the likelihood that a young person will reach out if they're experiencing a crisis, said Mary Kay Battaglia, executive director of NAMI Wisconsin, which stands for National Alliance on Mental Illness. "It makes it much more comfortable, knowing you're going to talk to someone that understands the stressors you're going through," Battaglia said. LGBTQ+ youths are more than four times as likely to attempt suicide than their peers, according to the Trevor Project, a national nonprofit focused on suicide prevention and crisis intervention for LGBTQ+ young people. Research from the nonprofit estimates that at least one LGBTQ+ youth attempts suicide every 45 seconds in the United States. In step with national trends, Wisconsin's youths continue to struggle with their mental health, but conditions like anxiety, depression and suicidal thought disproportionately impact the state's LGBTQ+ students. The 2023 Youth Risk Behavior Survey, which surveys high schoolers across Wisconsin, has found lesbian, gay and bisexual youth have the highest rates of mental health concern. A separate survey focused on trans youth in Wisconsin shows that this population has even higher rates of depression, anxiety, self-harm and suicidal thought, despite making up just 4% of the student population. DHS emphasized over email that these elevated mental health conditions do not stem from their sexual orientation or gender expression, but rather, how LGBTQ+ people are treated, whether due to bullying, discrimination and/or societal and family rejection. These mental health concerns have been exacerbated by ramped-up rhetoric on the federal level that denies the existence of transgender and gender nonbinary youths. A 409-page report published May 1 by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has gone as far as to dismiss the need entirely for gender-affirming care in young people who experience gender dysphoria. "The LGBTQ community is under more political attack than we've seen in years," U.S. Sen. Tammy Baldwin told the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. "That a lifeline for those in crisis would be taken away is outrageous." The news organization reached out to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services for comment, but did not hear back. Baldwin, a Democrat who was responsible for the creation and congressional enactment of the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline, has championed additional funding for the three-digit crisis line, which launched in July 2022. Of the more than $400 million allocated nationally for fiscal year 2024, a little more than $33 million went to the LGBTQ+ youth line. The elimination of a specialized crisis line for LGBTQ+ youths would further chip away at a program that federal cuts have been slowly eroding. February's cuts, led by Elon Musk's Department of Government Efficiency, hobbled Veterans Affairs, and included the termination of 15 employees who operate the Veterans Crisis Line, the specialized 988 Suicide and Prevention line dedicated to veterans. After Baldwin became aware of those fired employees, she urged Veterans Affairs Secretary Doug Collins to reinstate them. "We do believe the folks who were laid off have been reinstated, but it takes constant vigilance with this administration because they have been running roughshod with their personnel and funding actions," Baldwin said. By the end of February, the Department of Health and Human Services slashed 10% of SAMHSA, which funds the 988 Lifeline. By the end of March, the federal health agency stripped $1 billion from SAMHSA in federal grants allocated to states during the pandemic, and fired another 10,000 employees. This slashing away of SAMHSA appears to have served as a prelude to HHS' restructuring plan to roll the mental health agency into a new agency within HHS called Administration for a Healthy America, or AHA. Baldwin has vowed to fight against the elimination of 988's specialty line for LGBTQ+ youths, emphasizing that it is Congress, not HHS, that decides how funding is spent. Similarly, Baldwin said she would take action to preserve SAMHSA, which not only oversees 988 Lifeline but substance abuse and mental health programs across the country. If you or someone you know is dealing with suicidal thoughts, call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 988 or text "Hopeline" to the National Crisis Text Line at 741-741. Natalie Eilbert covers mental health issues for the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. She welcomes story tips and feedback. You can reach her at neilbert@ or view her X (Twitter) profile at @natalie_eilbert. This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Trump administration wants to cut separate LGBTQ+ line for 988 callers
