Kane County encourages veterans to seek out local resources

There are more than 20,000 veterans in Kane County and officials are encouraging any who may need help coping with the unrest in Afghanistan to seek out local resources for assistance.

"As always but perhaps even more so now, Kane County is here to support its veterans who may need assistance as a result of the sudden U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan," said Kane County Board Chair Madam Corinne Pierog. "The Kane County Veterans Assistance Commission does an outstanding job of serving our nation's heroes and has put together a list of local resources that are here to assist our veterans during these uncertain times."

Any veteran regardless of era, discharge status, or financial situation is eligible for mental health care through the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) for 90 days based on a special policy enacted by the Secretary of the VA in 2017.

The following is a list of local resources available to veterans in Kane County:

• Veterans Assistance Commission of Kane County, 719 S. Batavia Ave., Building A Geneva, IL 60134; (630) 232-3550 or www.countyofkane.org/Pages/veterans.aspx

Hours: 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday to Friday.

Assistance with a wide array of benefits including enrollment of veterans in the VA Health Care System

• Vet Center, 750 Shoreline Drive, Suite 150 Aurora, IL 60504; (630) 585-1853 orwww.va.gov.

Hours: 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday to Friday

Vet Centers are community-based federal VA counseling centers that provide a wide range of social and psychological services, including professional readjustment counseling to eligible veterans, active duty service members, including National Guard and Reserve components, and their families.

• Aurora VA Clinic, 161 S. Lincolnway, Suite 120 North Aurora, IL 60542; (630) 859-2504 or www.hines.va.gov.

Hours: 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday to Friday

Behavioral Health services including individual and group counseling.

• Hoffman Estates VA Clinic, 4885 Hoffman Blvd. (near Sears Center & Cabelas) in Hoffman Estates, IL 60192; (847) 645-1443 or www.hines.va.gov.

Hours: 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday to Friday

Behavioral Health services including individual and group counseling.

• Edward Hines Jr. VA Hospital, 5000 S. Fifth Ave., Hines, IL 60141; (708) 202-8387 or www.hines.va.gov.

Houres: Open 24 hours per day, 7 days per week, 365 days per year including for mental health

The 147-acre VA Hospital campus that provides emergency, specialty, primary and mental health care for veterans

• Veterans Crisis Line, dial 988, press option 1

Open 24 hours per day, 7 days per week, 365 days per year

The Veterans Crisis Line is a free, confidential resource available to any veteran, even if they are not enrolled in VA health care or registered with VA. Care does not end when the conversation is over. It can connect veterans to their local VA Health Care Coordinator, who follow up to coordinate care.

Additional information is available on the Kane County Veterans Assistance Commission Facebook page.