Village of Lombard contracts with social services agency

LOMBARD, Illinois— The Village of Lombard has contracted with the Association for Individual Development (AID) Victim Services to offer a social services option for residents in need.

Victim Services provides life-enriching services to people in crisis, including crisis intervention, victim's services, counseling, mental health treatment, behavioral intervention, children's services, respite care and more.

Village employees have been undergoing orientation and training on the new program so as to be better prepared and educated about the scope of the services available to residents. The Village employees may make referrals to the Victim Services hotline should they encounter someone who may need assistance during the course of their day.

Once a referral to the Victim Services agency is made, the counselors will work directly with the resident who has been referred. Depending on the type of assistance requested and the emergency level, the response time may be 15 minutes to one hour.

During the first few weeks of the educational training, about six referrals had already been made through the Lombard Police Department. “The program has been enthusiastically received,” said Joanne Furnas, Director of Crisis Services for AID. Aurora, Batavia, North Aurora and the Sugar Grove Fire Protection District currently use this program.

The Victim Services program is available 24/7. Residents wishing to take advantage of the program may contact (630) 966-9393 for referral information.