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DuPage County highlights courthouse behavioral health navigator added to 2025 budget
Summary
DuPage County marked Mental Health Awareness Month and described a new behavioral health court navigator placed in the DuPage County Courthouse, funded in the county's 2025 budget and currently providing on-site services part time.
DuPage County Board members on May 13 proclaimed May 2025 Mental Health Awareness Month and described a newly funded behavioral health court navigator stationed in the DuPage County Courthouse.
The county chair, Deborah A. Conroy, said Chief Judge Bonnie Wheaton requested funding for the navigator and "with your support, it became part of our 2025 budget." The board then read and enacted the proclamation recognizing mental health and the new courthouse services.
Amy Kloman, behavioral health supervisor at the DuPage County Health Department, told the board the county placed a clinician in the courthouse this year to respond to crises and link people to services. "Going to the courthouse is stressful," Kloman said. "Beginning this year, the health department has a clinician on-site 20 hours a week to respond to mental health crises in real time, provide support to the community and court staff, and be a starting point for anyone who needs linkages to community based resources." She said staff have assisted with crisis intervention, sat with individuals during difficult court dates, provided resources such as Narcan and linked people to the health department's crisis unit.
Chair Conroy framed the program as a county-court partnership, saying the initiative is part of coordinated work among the 18th Judicial Circuit, the county chair and the DuPage County Health Department. The proclamation also recognized behavioral health staff who "provide critical support deescalating, calming, and supporting individuals in need." The board enacted the proclamation by voice vote.
The program description on the record is limited to what county staff presented: a clinician on-site about 20 hours per week, operational earlier in 2025, providing crisis intervention, brief support during court interactions, Naloxone (Narcan) distribution in some cases and referrals to the county crisis unit. The board did not adopt new ordinance language or set a new recurring funding authorization during the meeting; Conroy said the navigator position had been included in the 2025 budget.
