Youth in Crisis Coalition Launches Suicide Prevention Resource

LISLE—The Youth in Crisis Coalition, formed in late 2017 in response to the pain and impact of suicide on communities in the greater DuPage County area, is launching a public webpage of community resources and information as part of its commitment to reduce youth suicide rates.

The Coalition is composed of a diverse group of community stakeholders that represent municipalities, county agencies, schools, parents and non-profit organizations that serve residents within the Townships of Lisle, Downers Grove, and Naperville.

“Right now the biggest obstacle to effective prevention is silence,” said Mary Jo Mullen, Lisle Township Supervisor. “Proactive suicide prevention is about starting the conversation on mental health before it adversely impacts our lives.”

The Coalition strives to engage youth, parents and organizations to reduce suicide attempts and completions and disrupt the journey to suicide by providing tools, skills and the resources of our coalition partners and the wider community. This is part of the Coalition’s mission to raise visibility, provide education and training, and take action to influence public policy and institutional change.

Different monthly themes and relevant resources will be explored in depth beginning with the “Protective Factors” that promote resiliency and empower youth, and combat common risk factors of this demographic. A future feature of the webpage will be a self-select decision tree that, while not diagnostic or prescriptive, will help guide users to relevant community services and resources based on particular areas of concern for themselves or a loved one.

The Youth in Crisis Coalition webpage can be accessed at:

https://itonlytakesone.org/youth-in-crisis

For more information, contact Sarah Breithaupt at sarahb@LisleTownship.com or 630-968-2087, ext. 14