Mental Health

McLean County Board chair Elizabeth Johnston said she made no assumptions about whether the city and town would still push the suspension after the county tried to let the idea die, but she said she supports the audit and hopes it can provide a new framework “so that we were all beginning the negotiations again from a shared financial footing.”

Illinois will continue to provide mental health support for LGBTQ+ youth despite federal funding cuts to the service.

The McLean County Board on Thursday approved an audit of the county’s mental health and public safety sales tax fund. The resolution to the intergovernmental agreement [IGA] will require approval by the Town of Normal and City of Bloomington.

Bloomington Mayor Dan Brady said the decision by the county board executive committee against approving a hiatus on sales tax sharing drives home the seriousness of the matter.

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.

Starting July 17, the federal government's Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration [SAMHSA] will no longer offer specially trained counselors for LGBTQ+ youth on its suicide prevention hotline.

A new intensive outpatient program at Carle BroMenn is helping patients in need of support transitioning from around-the-clock care to independent living.

Kendrique Coats recently accepted a three-year role as mental health advisor for the committee. He spoke with WGLT correspondent Braden Fogerson about the need for more focus on student-athlete mental health.