Behavioral Health Coordinating Council

McLean County Board Chair Elizabeth Johnston said there's significant movement on mental health program spending in the county. That comes from sales tax money shared with the county by Bloomington and Normal.

The latest missive on the dispute between the City of Bloomington, Town of Normal, and McLean County over how the county government handles shared sales tax money includes a vigorous defense of previous allegations against the county and proffers a reciprocal olive branch.

A big chunk of the counselors and social workers in McLean County just got trained in a rising therapy model that can help people overcome anxiety, depression, and PTSD. It's called Eye Movement and Desensitization and Reprocessing, or EMDR.

McLean County's three-year plan is the third of its kind, developed by an independent council of mental health stakeholders.

McLean County Board chair Elizabeth Johnston said the priorities in next year’s $144.5 million budget approved this week remain similar to the current year spending plan.

McLean County government has offered an olive branch in its response to notice of default from the City of Bloomington and Town of Normal in a protracted dispute over shared sales tax money.

An Illinois State University researcher says more than half of the McLean County jail population has a mental or behavioral health condition. Mental health programming at the jail is one of the topics ISU's Stevenson Center is studying right now.

Normal City Manager Pam Reece says some of the mental health and behavioral health initiatives McLean County runs are, in effect, pre-funded.

The McLean County Board Executive Committee on Monday approved an audit of the county’s 1% mental health and public safety sales tax fund. The full board will consider the resolution at its regular meeting Thursday.

The tax money would instead stay with the municipalities during that time. The County Board’s Executive Committee is expected to consider the measure during its 4 p.m. meeting on Monday.