Answering Questions Concerning Mental Health Sales Tax on Ballot

Election Vote Logo
Spread the love

Kankakee County residents have an opportunity to vote on a sales tax referendum at the April 4 General Election. Voters will decide if they are willing to adopt a ¼ cent sales tax to create local, long-term solutions to address chronic gaps in the mental health system of care.

Several objections and questions have been raised about the need for the tax and how the funds will be spent. Kankakee County Citizens for Mental Health will hold four informational meetings to provide residents the opportunity to discuss these issues, as well as other questions they may have.

The last session will be held on Friday, March 31, from 5:30 – 6:30 p.m., at Leo Hassett Community Center, 211 N Main Street, Manteno.

Responding to allegations the group failed to secure enough signatures to put the referendum on the ballot and called in favors from Kankakee County Board members, Debra Baron states, “There are two ways to get a referendum on the ballot. One is to get a prescribed number of citizen signatures, and the other is having the governing body that will implement the measure pass a resolution to put it on the ballot.”

“Rather than waiting another year to gather signatures to place this question on the ballot and have people continuing to go without mental health services, the majority of county board members agreed it was time to give voters the opportunity to decide if they were willing to support funding for mental health services. The county board has used this option in the past to place other referenda on the ballot,” she added.

Proponents of the tax argue that even with this increase, the highest sales tax rate (8.5 percent) in Kankakee County would still be significantly less the rates in Cook County and Chicago. Baron claims, “Identifying and addressing mental illness early saves more than it costs in the long run.”

Opponents of the tax maintain there are enough mental health services in Kankakee County. Yet, for nearly a decade, the Partnership for a Healthy Community has identified the shortage of mental health services as priority public health concern. Long wait times to begin receiving treatment and gaps in service are well documented. The need is further evidenced by the ratio of population to mental health service providers. In Kankakee County, it is 660 residents to one mental health service provider. This is much higher than the state ratio of 410-to-one and national ratio of 380-to-one.

Many of the questions raised center around who and how will decisions be made about spending the monies collected. According to the Illinois Community Mental Health Act, before it may levy the tax, the county board must establish a seven-member community mental health board, who will administer these funds. The board will be appointed by the county board chairman, with the advice and consent of the members of the county board. All members of the Community Mental Health Board must be appointed within 60 days of the referendum.

The Act requires that members of the Community Mental Health Board must be residents of Kankakee County. They should include representatives of interested groups of the community, such as the local health department, medical societies, hospital boards, lay associations concerned with mental health, as well as the general public. However, no member of the Community Mental Health Board may be a full-time or part-time employee of the Illinois Department of Human Services or a board member, employee, or any other individual receiving compensation from any facility or service operating under contract to the board. No member shall receive payment, except expenses, for service on the board.

According to Baron, “The Community Mental Health Board will not add another layer of government. The Illinois Community Mental Health Act specifies the board work with existing nonprofits, county, state, and federal governments to fund services that are not funded elsewhere. The Community Mental Health Board must look at unmet local needs and provide funding and direction to meet those needs. It may only provide direct services in very limited situations.”

Proceeds of the tax will be deposited into a special county occupation tax fund for mental health purposes. As described in the Act, applicants for funding may be an individual or a public or private entity providing mental health services to residents of Kankakee County.

Kankakee County Citizens for Mental Health maintain the Illinois Community Mental Health Act lays out clear requirements to ensure the Community Mental Health Board will operate with the highest level of transparency and accountability to Kankakee County residents. Oversight of the operations of the board to comply with the requirements will be the responsibility of the citizens of Kankakee.

Those with additional questions and concerns are urged to attend one of the informational meetings that will be held at various locations in the county.


Spread the love

1 Comment

  1. Caryn Alder on March 31, 2023 at 7:41 am

    I would like to get a sign for mental health to put in my yard!!!




Illinois News


Smart Start preschool expansion ahead of schedule in first fiscal year
Smart Start preschool expansion ahead of schedule in first fiscal year
State Supreme Court upholds downstate police, firefighter pension consolidation
State Supreme Court upholds downstate police, firefighter pension consolidation
Lawmakers introduce bill to create state prescription drug price oversight board
Lawmakers introduce bill to create state prescription drug price oversight board
Pritzker announces milestones for preschool program, industry development
Pritzker announces milestones for preschool program, industry development
Patchwork aid system and uncertain funding leave thousands of migrants in limbo
Patchwork aid system and uncertain funding leave thousands of migrants in limbo
State opens migrant shelter, Pritzker talks supplemental spending plan
State opens migrant shelter, Pritzker talks supplemental spending plan


Classifieds


New-Project-1
Purchase premium quality patches at a reasonable price!
personal statement writer
logo
Best CV Agency In Ireland
HD!! WATCH Poor Things (2023) HD English Full Movie exn
ON~PUTLOCKERZ’S.!! WATCH The Boy and the Heron (2023) full free at putlocker lil
WATCH Priscilla (2023) ssh
–Logo submitted.

Chess League at Kankakee Public Library

Spread the love

Spread the loveLooking for a place to hone your chess skills and enjoy a bit of competition along the way? A new season of the library’s regular chess league will launch at the Kankakee Public Library, 201 E. Merchant Street, on Saturday, January 20, beginning at 10 a.m. A one-time entry fee of $30 is…


Spread the love
The Green Garden Golf Dome collapsed on January 12 due to inclement weather causing a light pole to puncture the dome. –Photo by Bruce Samborski.

New Year, New Weather

Spread the love

Spread the loveBy Andrea Arens The New Year started off mild, but it wasn’t long before the winter storm hit. Peotone saw more snow in just the beginning of this winter (13.3 inches) compared to all of last winter (11.9 inches, data from peotoneweather.com). Of course the timing wasn’t great either; it hit just for…


Spread the love
–Graphic submitted.

Joyce Kicks-Off Seniors’ Valentine’s Day Card Drive

Spread the love

Spread the loveIn an effort spread love and uplift the spirits of seniors in the 40th District, State Sen. Patrick Joyce invites residents of all ages to get creative and donate homemade or store-bought valentines. “This card drive is an opportunity for every member of our community to come together and show appreciation for our…


Spread the love
–Photo submitted.

Riverside Welcomes Katherine LeClear, FNP-BC, to Immediate Care Providers

Spread the love

Spread the loveRiverside Healthcare is pleased to welcome immediate care provider Katherine LeClear, FNP-BC, who completed her Bachelor of Science in Nursing at the University of Saint Francis in Joliet. She then received her Master of Science in Nursing – Family Nurse Practitioner Degree, at Lewis University in Romeoville. Immediate care is intended to provide…


Spread the love
Community News Logo

Beating Winter Blues Workshop January 20

Spread the love

Spread the loveA Beating the Winter Blues Grief Workshop will be held on Saturday, January 20, from 10 to 11:30 a.m., at the UpliftedCare Community Grief Center, 3115 N. 1000 West Road, Bourbonnais. The cold, winter months contribute to isolation and can be especially difficult for those struggling with grief emotion. This workshop is intended…


Spread the love

Gotion Holding Job Fairs at KCC’s Riverfront Campus, North Extension Center

Spread the love

Spread the loveGotion, Inc., will hold two local job fairs to recruit workers for the electric vehicle battery manufacturing plant to be located in Manteno and has positions in all employment segments, not just manufacturing positions. The company is looking for a variety of skill sets, said Annie Quach a member of the Gotion Recruiting…


Spread the love
Vedette logo

Manteno Citizens Group Files Lawsuit Against Gotion

Spread the love

Spread the loveBy Stephen Nelson Concerned Citizens of Manteno filed a lawsuit in Kankakee County Court on December 22 in an effort to reverse a zoning decision approved by the village’s planning commission and the village board that would allow the Chinese-based company Gotion to build a lithium battery manufacturing plant on the former Kmart…


Spread the love
Pictured from left to right are Mayor Curtis, DC Austin, Officers Schmidt, Fabbro, Keane, and Gesler, and Chief Kidwell. Photo courtesy the Kankakee Police Department.

Kankakee Puts Ordinance in Place Regarding Migrant Buses

Spread the love

Spread the loveBy Stephen Nelson At its Tuesday, January 2, meeting, following in the footsteps of suburbs closer to Chicago, the Kankakee City Council passed an ordinance putting requirements on the owners of buses used to bring migrants from the border areas of Texas. The ordinance requires drivers to notify Kankakee County law enforcement, in…


Spread the love
Clove alliance logo

Clove Alliance Offers Workshop Combatting Familial Trafficking

Spread the love

Spread the loveJanuary is Human Trafficking Awareness Month, and Clove Alliance invites community members to learn more about familial trafficking, a highly prevalent form of human trafficking by attending their upcoming workshop. The workshop will be held at Kankakee Community College on Wednesday, January 24, from 10 a.m. – noon. Registration fee is $10, and…


Spread the love
Join others at Christ Community Church for a fun-filled pre-Valentine celebration. –Photo submitted.

Christ Community Church Hosting Valentine Event

Spread the love

Spread the loveChrist Community Church will host a “Bee” My Valentine social event for adults on Saturday, February 3, from 6 – 8 p.m., at 103 W. Corning Avenue in Peotone. Guests will enjoy an evening of pizza, cupcakes, bottled water, games, prizes, in addition to entertainment. Comedian and Peotone resident Tracy DeGraaf will emcee,…


Spread the love
–Afton Swanson is seeing radiation oncology patients at Riverside Cancer Institute in Bourbonnais. –Photo submitted.

Riverside Cancer Institute Welcomes Afton Swanson, FNP-BC

Spread the love

Spread the loveRiverside Healthcare is pleased to welcome Afton Swanson, FNP-BC, to its team of oncology providers and will be seeing radiation oncology patients at the Riverside Cancer Institute in Bourbonnais. Having been a Riverside employee since 2018, Swanson has worked in both pulmonology and the intensive care unit (ICU) at Riverside Medical Center. She…


Spread the love
–Logo submitted.

45th Gallery of Trees Winners Named

Spread the love

Spread the loveWinners for the 45th annual Gallery of Trees “Favorite Themes from the Past” display recently were announced. Congratulations to the following winners. In adult voting, first place was won by the Kankakee Valley Garden Club, whose theme displayed birds. Second place was taken by the Kankakee Kultivators, featuring All Things Bright and Beautiful,…


Spread the love
–Photo submitted.

Miranda Sirvinskas, FNP-C, Joins Riverside’s Primary Care Providers

Spread the love

Spread the loveRiverside Healthcare is pleased to welcome internal medicine nurse practitioner Miranda Sirvinskas, FNP-C. Sirvinskas completed her Bachelor of Science in Nursing and Master of Science in Nursing, Family Nurse Practitioner degrees at Chamberlain University in Addison. In addition to her education, Sirvinskas is a Board-Certified Family Nurse Practitioner by the American Academy of…


Spread the love
–Photo submitted.

From Sen. Joyce

Spread the love

Spread the loveThe holidays are the perfect time for the gift of reflection, to be thankful for our loved ones and our progress during the past year. A year ago in this space, I told you about the untimely passing of my Illinois Senate colleague, Sen. Scott Bennett. Just 45 years old, Scott suffered a…


Spread the love
Naval recruits stationed at Great Lakes got a treat on Christmas Day. Photo by Dan Gerber.

Manteno Legion Members Spend Christmas Day at Great Lakes

Spread the love

Spread the loveManteno Legion Commander,  Sean McNamara, spent Christmas day at the Tinley Park VFW, deep frying about 10 large turkeys for Navy recruits from from Great Lakes Naval Station who couldn’t leave training to go home for Christmas. He was accompanied by Senior Vice, Ed Rafalski, and legion member Dan Gerber, who brought his…


Spread the love