Mental Health First Aid Training You would know what to do if your child or co-worker cut his finger, but would you know how to intervene if the ailment didn’t show on the outside? Developed by the National Council on Behavioral Health, Mental Health First Aid is a free, 8-hour course that equips adults with the knowledge they need to identify and address symptoms of mental illness. Fully trained, nationally-certified instructors offer adult and youth versions of the course. Mental Health First Aid is co-managed by NAMI Metro Suburban and NAMI DuPage, and is supported by a grant from Community Memorial Foundation REGISTER TO ATTEND OR HOST AN MHFA TRAINING

 Mental Health Resource Guide The Foundation maintains a mental health guide, which features both community and hospital-based mental and behavioral health services throughout the Foundation’s service area. We invite you to download, print and share this document with your network.ACCESS MENTAL HEALTH RESOURCE GUIDE

The Living Room The Living Room is a nationally-recognized model and proven alternative to the hospital emergency room. With locations in La Grange and Broadview, its goals are to decrease unnecessary hospitalizations, break the cycle of isolation, and develop a peer-based support network. The Living Room is managed by NAMI Metro Suburban, in partnership with Pillars Community Health and Healthcare Alternative Systems. Both facilities are open 365 days/year and provide services free of charge, with no insurance required. They are supported in large part by Community Memorial Foundation.

Crisis Text Line Partnership The Foundation recently partnered with Crisis Text Line to provide a unique keyword to local community members seeking supportive text services. Crisis Text Line (CTL) is a nonprofit organization that provides free crisis intervention via SMS message. Their services are available 24 hour/day every day, throughout the U.S. When users text “NOW” to 74141, they will begin a text conversation with a trained crisis counselor. This unique keyword allows CTL to confidentially collect data from our region to (1) increase public awareness about how crisis and help-seeking occur in real-time; (2) decrease stigma around help-seeking; and (3) provide community leaders, journalists and organizations with insight to support their efforts to improve mental health.

Youth Suicide Prevention PSA The Foundation recently produced a youth suicide prevention PSA, encouraging those who may be having suicidal thoughts to begin a conversation and seek help. If you or someone you know is having suicidal thoughts, there is help; there is hope. #letstalkaboutit National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 800.273.8255 Crisis Text Line: text NOW to 741741