In 1982 Survivors of Suicide (SOS), a self-help group to help families and loved ones who have experienced a suicide, and the Crisis Line of the Fox Valley were founded by Stephanie Weber. Stephanie single-handedly and voluntarily leads the SOS. group, which meets once a month at the Advent Christian Church in Aurora. In 1997 the board of SOS. began convening community forums on the need for more prevention and intervention for at-risk persons not yet identified in the mental health system. Out of these community meetings, Suicide Prevention Services (SPS) incorporated on May 29, 1998.

Since then SPS it has formed partnerships with many community agencies: Aurora University, Kane County Health Department, Cities in Schools, Inc., 708 Board for Mental Health and Mental Retardation Funding, Mutual Ground, A.I.D., police and fire departments, and schools.
The goal of SPS. is to reduce suicide risk and completions by massive public education, depression screening, and early identification and intervention before a crisis.

Advocacy and collaboration have always been the community methods used--hence the name "services" and not "center." National partnerships continue with American Association of Suicidology, Suicide Prevention Advocacy Network, and American Foundation for Suicide Prevention. In the summer of 1999, combined local and national forces led to the Surgeon General's Call to Action for Suicide Prevention, which encourages Congressional forces to allocate specific funds for suicide prevention.

In the Spring of 2000 our own Stephanie Weber was awarded the year 2000 honor of becoming the National Suicide Survivor of the Year by American Association of Suicidology. She was awarded for her dedicated and tireless work to help survivors and to establish new programs in the field of prevention in the Aurora area.

Stephanie L. Weber, SPS Director

Stephanie with her Grandson, Ryan.

Stephanie L. Weber is Director of Suicide Prevention Services, Inc., a non-profit located in Kane County, Illinois. She has a B.S. in teaching from Northern Illinois University, and an MS from Indiana State University in Counseling. She has since secured vast study throughout the United States. Stephanie founded Survivors of Suicide, a 20-year-old self-help group. As a well-known suicidologist, grief counselor, speaker and crisis coach, her calendar gratifies. She is the founder and former Executive Director of the A.A.S.-approved Crisis Line of the Fox Valley, a 24/7 hotline for all callers who get ample care from highly trained volunteer para-professionals. She is a member of the board of directors of the American Association of Suicidology, the center of the regional 1-800-SUICIDE for Hopeline, and a member of the Illinois Counselors Association. Stephanie received "Survivor of the Year 2000" from AAS. She accepted the Kane County "Hidden Hero" award in 2000. She is the current Survivor Chair of the American Association of Suicidology. Ellen Weber, Stephanie's widowed mother, took her own life in 1979.

Stephanie with her husband Bill Harding at SPS Dinner Auction in 2004

Stephanie has spoken at forums and meetings held across the United States. She has appeared on radio and television programs and many talk shows. She mothers four adult children, and grandmothers four granddaughters and one grandson. She seizes time to upgrade the 100+ year-old home she shares with her husband and three aging cats and to plain-dirt flower garden. She teaches Suicide Prevention at the local community college each semester when not gardening or knitting prize items. She has written for Before Their Time by Mary and Maureen Stimming and shared two videos, Hope for Healing and Help Those You Care For with Iris Bolton. She, and her allies, agree to hold workshops and seminars in close and far places of North America.

Honors and awards that Stephanie has received are as follows: 1987 - First Annual Governor's Volunteer Award: Outstanding Director in a not-for-profit program in the State of Illinois (presented by Gov. James Thompson) 1992 - Women in Management, Aurora Chapter, Woman of Achievement 1992 - National Charlotte Danstrom Woman of Achievement Award for Outstanding Achievement in the Not-For-Profit/Social Services Category 1994 - YWCA Woman of Distinction 1999 - National Association of Social Workers - Fox Valley - Citizen of the Year 2000 - Kane County Public Health Dept., Hidden Hero 2000 - American Association of Suicidology, National Survivor of the Year 2006 - Grassroots Award from SPAN-USA

Awareness Bracelet Offer:  Suicide Prevention Services is presently doing a fund-raiser in which we sell "awareness bracelets" of the kind that are currently popular. The bracelets are made of a silicone material with words stamped on them. Ours are a pinkish purple and are inscribed with "Suicide Prevention Services - Here for Life!" They are $5.00 each (plus $1.00 shipping per bracelet ordered). 
Click here to order.

A Thank You to our Annual Funders:

Annual Funders: 708 Mental Health/Mental Retardation Services of: Aurora, St. Charles, Geneva, Kendall County, Aurora Township, Communities in Schools, United Way/Community Chest, Aurora, Batavia, Geneva, Metro Chicago, St. Charles, Illinois Violence Prevention Authority. Special Thanks to: Kane County Board of Directors, Community Foundation of the Fox River Valley, Bersted Foundation, Hansen-Furnas Foundation, Old Second Bank. Service clubs who have supported SPS: Geneva Lions, Kiwanis Coub Of Geneva, and Batavia Rotary Club Of Geneva, and Batavia Exchange Club of Aurora. Deep appreciation for all the individual donations SPS receives throughout the year and volunteer help on fund-raising.

Donations and fundraising constitute over 30% of our budget. We could not provide services without your help!  To Donate: Please click here.