New Resource Guide Designed to Help Prevent Local Suicides

Knowing you are not alone and finding help when you need it are components of maintaining good mental health. The Lake County Health Department/Community Health Center, in conjunction with the Lake County Suicide Prevention Task Force, is offering a new online resource guide to help connect individuals with the care they need.

Written in English and Spanish, the guide features a local listing of resources such as food pantries, financial advice, hospice care, dental programs, counseling for sexual abuse and domestic violence, shelters, assistance for senior citizens, addictions treatment, disabilities and crisis hotlines. Most of the organizations listed in the guide provide services at no cost or offer a sliding fee scale based on income.

"In times of crisis, it is common to feel overwhelmed and that there is nowhere to turn for help," said Meredith Wood, a Senior Therapist at the Health Department and Chair of the Task Force. "It is our hope that this guide will help connect people to the resources they need during a crisis. Our goal is to make it available to as many people as we can."

To review the guide, visit: http://health.lakecountyil.gov/Behavioral/Documents/Community%20Crisis%20Resource%20Guide.pdf

In 2013, 64 deaths were ruled as suicides in Lake County, a 1% increase over the 63 deaths ruled as suicides in 2012. The most common types of suicide were by gunshot wound or hanging. The number of suicides is much greater than the number of homicides, with just 17 homicides recorded in Lake County for 2013.

The Health Department is a member of the Lake County Suicide Prevention Task Force, which meets on the second Monday of every month from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at the Health Department, 3010 Grand Avenue in Waukegan (third floor Board Room). The public is welcome to attend. The mission of the Task Force is to deepen awareness, prevent suicide and save lives through education, linkage to resources and treatment within the community. For more information on the task force, call: (847) 377-8244. For 24-hour crisis assistance, call the Health Department's Crisis Care Program at: (847) 377-8088.