AID Crisis Unit Offers 24/7 Mental Health Support, Safety Tech, and a Place to Heal
As mental and behavioral health demands grow in Illinois, the Association for Individual Development (AID) is providing crucial support through its 24-hour crisis hotline and mobile crisis response teams. Designed to respond quickly, compassionately, and when possible, without law enforcement involvement, AID's crisis services aim to meet people where they are, both physically and emotionally.
Alyssa Marrero, Director of Crisis Care Services at AID, oversees both the mobile teams and the 24/7 crisis hotline, which fields between 50,000 and 80,000 calls annually. Since launching the mobile crisis unit in 2021, AID has responded to approximately 500 on-site emergencies in southern Kane County. AID is one of three providers covering Kane County. Ecker Center serves the central region, and Family Service Association covers the northern portion. The initiative was initially funded by a state grant in anticipation of new laws that will eventually redirect mental health-related 911 calls away from police departments and toward trained crisis professionals.
“We're focused on de-escalation and recovery," said Marrero. “Our main goal is to keep police out of it when possible. One in four fatal police encounters involves someone with mental illness. That's why this work is so important."
Each mobile response team includes a crisis counselor and a recovery support specialist, someone with lived experience, who can relate to the person in crisis and offer both clinical and emotional support. “They can say, 'We've been here. We see you.' That can be powerful in the middle of a crisis," Marrero noted.
To ensure team safety and enable rapid response, AID uses a Bluetooth-enabled “silent beacon." This discreet personal alarm, introduced in 2021, notifies supervisors and emergency contacts of the team's location when activated, along with a message indicating they are handling a potentially volatile situation. A real-time GPS system also allows for location tracking and team check-ins.
“It's not just the individual who may cause a safety concern," Marrero explained. “Sometimes it's the environment, the neighborhood, the building, that creates risk."
While the mobile crisis teams are effective in the field, challenges remain, particularly when it comes to long-term care. “Stabilizing someone in crisis is one thing," Marrero said. “But what happens next? Often, there's nowhere to send them. Waitlists are long, and some people need repeated care to reach a point where they can stand on their own."
One solution that's working is the AID Living Room. Located at 309 New Indian Trail Court in Aurora, the Living Room is open 24/7/365 and provides a safe, supportive, non-clinical alternative to emergency room visits. Guests can rest, receive peer support, and work on recovery plans with staff. No appointment is necessary.
For immediate help, community members can call the AID 24-hour Crisis Line at (630) 966-9393 or text (833) 243-8398. Individuals can also dial 988 for mental health support, 211 to identify local social services, or 911 for emergencies.
The Kane County Health Department offers a wide variety of resources for mental and behavioral health. Learn more at https://www.kanehealth.com/
