Living Room

What is the NAMI DuPage Living Room Program?

The Living Room is a peer-led non-clinical alternative to the traditional emergency room for those experiencing a mental health crisis. A visit to the Living Room provides the guest a safe and calm atmosphere where he or she can talk through and de-escalate the crisis, develop a plan to manage symptoms and receive resource information. Our Living Room is located at the Linda A Kurzawa Community Center, 115 N County Farm Road, Wheaton, IL 60187, and is open Monday – Friday from 3:00 pm – 8:00 pm, for adults 18 and older only.

If you are feeling anxious, upset, scared, angry, or are experiencing an increase in your typical mental health symptoms, the Living Room is open for you.

What To Expect

The guest is assessed for safety prior to meeting with a Recovery Support Specialist, who will talk the guest through the immediate crisis, offering empathetic listening, practical solutions, and additional resources. A clinician from the DuPage County Health Department Crisis Services is available for consultation, if needed. In the event that symptoms are not able to be managed, the DuPage County Crisis Services team will make recommendations for care.

A Recovery Support Specialist is an individual who has their own lived experience with a mental health condition and are living in recovery. The Recovery Support Specialist has been trained to provide one-on-one peer support.

The Living Room is a FREE service for all guests. The guest has an opportunity to request additional one-on-one sessions with a Recovery Support Specialist for continued peer support.

For more information about the Living Room, please contact Eric Metcalf, Director of Peer Support Services, at [email protected], or by phone at (630) 752-0066