The DuPage County Crisis Recovery Center in Wheaton completed more than 2,200 mental health and substance use crisis assessments in its first year of operation, the county announced Tuesday, Sept. 8.

Of those assessments, 386 involved youth. Ninety-seven percent of visitors were supported without a hospital stay, according to the county.

The center opened in September 2025 and operates around the clock, seven days a week. It serves residents of all ages and accepts visitors regardless of insurance status or ability to pay.

Most people walked in on their own or with a family member, the county said. Community providers and schools accounted for the next-largest share of referrals.

DuPage County Board Chair Deborah Conroy credited broad community support for the milestone.

"We brought together community leaders and families who supported our goal to create one central place that truly delivers person-centered care at a critical moment," Conroy said in the county's announcement.

Conroy said DuPage County is "setting the standard for the state and nation" with the center.

Adam Forker, executive director of the DuPage County Health Department, said the center has become a place where people feel safe asking for help. He said the staff listens, supports visitors and helps them find a path forward. The center never turns anyone away.

The anniversary falls during Suicide Prevention Month. DuPage County now operates a coordinated behavioral health crisis system that includes the national 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline, the DuPage Crisis Hotline at 630-627-1700, mobile crisis response teams and the recovery center itself.

Residents shared testimonials with the county. One parent said the center "gave them space to breathe and get help for their child." Another visitor said a follow-up call "made them feel human again."

The center is open 24 hours a day at 115 N. County Farm Road in Wheaton. Residents in crisis can walk in, call 988 or reach the DuPage Crisis Hotline at 630-627-1700. More information is available at dupagecrc.org.

If you are having suicidal thoughts, call or text 988 to reach the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline.