On Friday, April 25, the Kane County Health Department will host a drive-through pick-up event for residents to receive free suicide prevention signs and gun and opioid use safety materials, according to a press release from the department.
The event will take place in the Kane County Circuit Clerk’s parking lot at 540 S. Randall Road in St. Charles from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., the press release said. It kicks off the Kane County Health Department’s 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline awareness campaign, which is meant to increase awareness of the national suicide and crisis phone number – which is free, confidential and open 24/7, according to its website.
Those attending the April 25 event can pick up yard signs, window clings and bumper stickers with the 988 number, according to the press release.
Those who pick up the materials are encouraged to take a photo with their 988 sign, share it on their social media platforms and tag the Kane County Health Department to let their friends and family know that support is always available, according to the release.
The event will also have free gun trigger locks, biometric gun safes and naloxone – the opioid overdose-reversing nasal spray. Gun owners must show a valid FOID card to receive a gun safe, the release noted.
Michael Isaacson, the health department’s executive director, noted in the press release that the campaign can help “reach more people, start important conversations and ensure that no one feels alone in a moment of crisis.”
The event aligns with the county’s yearlong initiative meant to help residents learn how to access mental health and substance use resources, the release said. In February, Kane launched its Behavioral Health 360 website, according to the county. The website offers screening and assessment tools, informational articles, self-help guides and a guide to providers in Kane County.
