Suicide prevention does not begin in an emergency department or when someone reaches a breaking point. It starts earlier: when warning signs are recognized, parents know where to turn, and timely care is within reach.
The need is urgent. Nationally, four in 10 high school students reported depressive symptoms, and two in 10 students seriously considered attempting suicide. In Illinois, roughly half of children have experienced worsening mental health symptoms in recent years. Yet too many still experience challenges accessing support.
Meeting this crisis requires investments and partnerships that reach families before a crisis. As federal support for programs that serve Medicaid and other vulnerable communities becomes increasingly uncertain, Illinois must prioritize these services and strengthen public-private partnerships that expand access to care.
At Josselyn, improving lives through quality mental health care is our mission. For more than 75 years, our community mental health center has served Illinois, offering a view into challenges and the solutions that work.
One example is Josselyn’s Intensive Outpatient Program (IOP), which provides evidence-based, group-based treatment for adolescents in northern Illinois, helping participants build skills to manage anxiety, depression and more. Recently, this work received support from partners like The MolinaCares Accord, whose investment strengthened this care by providing transportation assistance and support for family and group therapy.
This care is essential. According to the Illinois Children’s Behavioral Health Transformation Initiative, 40% of Illinois young people who experienced major depressive episodes did not receive mental health care. Programs like IOP help close this gap by stabilizing youth before they require hospital-based treatment.
This kind of care delivers results. In 2025, Josselyn served over 7,600 clients in Lake County, including more than 60 adolescents in IOP. This has helped reduce hospitalizations by 54%, demonstrating how targeted investments can improve outcomes.
This is what meaningful suicide prevention looks like: an ongoing commitment to our community.
Young people need care that is timely, accessible and rooted in the community. Illinois must ensure that care is available when and where families need it most.
Susan Resko, CEO and President
Josselyn
Northbrook
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