A DuPage County crisis center kept 97% of its visitors out of the hospital during its first year, giving Naperville residents a walk-in alternative to the emergency room.

The DuPage County Crisis Recovery Center (CRC), a $25.8 million facility at 115 N. County Farm Road in Wheaton, completed more than 2,200 onsite crisis assessments since opening Sept. 2, 2025, according to a Choose DuPage announcement published Tuesday, Sept. 8. Of those, 386 were youth assessments.

The one-year milestone landed on 9-8-8 Day, a national awareness date for the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline, and during Suicide Prevention Month.

The 24/7 walk-in center, operated by the DuPage County Health Department, accepts visitors regardless of insurance status or ability to pay. Most people walked in on their own or with a family member, according to the county. Community providers and schools accounted for the next-largest share of referrals.

The diversion rate climbed over the year. In the CRC's first four months, 95% of assessments resulted in community care options such as crisis residential placement or a safety plan at home, NCTV17 reported in January. By the one-year mark, that figure reached 97%.

DuPage County Board Chair Deborah Conroy, who championed the facility during its planning stages, said the center fills a gap the county had long needed to close.

"Now, the Crisis Recovery Center is the place where anyone can go to receive professional, compassionate care, regardless of their insurance status or ability to pay," Conroy said in the announcement.

In the CRC's first four months, staff made 745 onsite referrals, according to NCTV17. During that early stretch, 61% of referrals came from the individual or a family member. Schools sent 9%, police and EMS 6%, and the 988 hotline 5%.

At a DuPage County Board meeting in January, Health Department Executive Director Adam Forker called the early results "incredibly encouraging," saying the team was "delivering exactly the kind of responsive care that our members deserve in their greatest moments of need."

County Board member Sam Tornatore, who represents District 1 and serves as president of the DuPage County Health Department board, described the CRC as "a jewel in our county" at that same January meeting.

The 2026 Presidents Cup at Medinah Country Club announced a $250,000 donation to support the center, according to the Chicago Golf Report. DuPage Health Matters, the Health Department's nonprofit arm, raised $535,405 in 2025 to support the CRC.

The center is part of a broader county crisis system that includes the 988 lifeline, the DuPage Crisis Hotline at (630) 627-1700, and mobile crisis response teams. Residents can walk in at 115 N. County Farm Road in Wheaton or visit dupagecrc.org.

No Naperville-specific usage data has been published. Residents who want a breakdown of how many Naperville visitors the CRC has served can file a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request through the DuPage County Health Department.

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