Mental Health

Ridgeview High School in Colfax hosted conference rivals Flanagan-Cornell for a Midday Madness event combining sports and student safety.

A delay last year in finishing the external audit for McLean County government put grants at risk and further heightened periodic and recurring tensions. McLean County Board Chair Elizabeth Johnston said in a WGLT interview she thinks this year will go much better.

A federal grant in McLean County that provides community-based children’s services of welfare, mental health and schools has been terminated, effective immediately. The county is still determining how to fill a $500,000 funding gap.

During a visit to Bloomington-Normal on Tuesday, Gov. JB Pritzker said he supports changing how state colleges and universities are funded, but wouldn't commit to releasing discretionary funds held back last fall.

Counselors say January is the most depressing month of the year, as longer nights disrupt our circadian rhythms.

An advisory committee that helps direct funding for mental health and public safety programs in McLean County is signaling support for two court programs that lost federal funding. But how they will be funded in the long term remains unclear.

Brightpoint runs two long-running programs in the McLean County court system. The nonprofit is about to run out of money for those programs after the federal government cut $150,000 in October.

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.

A youth substance misuse prevention program from the Illinois Association for Behavioral Health has partnered with the Illinois High School Association and IESA to expand outreach efforts.

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.