Mental Health Awareness Ribbon

There has been a recent amendment to the Community Mental Health Act (405 ILCS 20) to authorize counties with no local mental health authorities to form mental health advisory committees comprised of community stakeholders. The mental health advisory committee is charged with identifying and assessing current mental health services, monitoring the expansion or contraction of those services, and, if necessary, recommending any additional services.

As federal and state health/Medicaid reform must be implemented locally and now, more than ever, local mental health authorities serve as a safety net for the community mental health system, it is important to form, at a minimum, a voluntary mental health advisory committee to coordinate local efforts to carry out these new federal and state policies.

If you are interested in applying to participate in a 7-member task force–to be selected by the county chair– let us know.