SPRINGFIELD, Ill (WICS) — The Sangamon County Mental Health Commission is expected to hold its sixth meeting Wednesday night at the Sangamon County building.
The commission is a temporary commission meant to assess whether Sangamon County would benefit from a 708 mental health board.
The commission considers how exactly a mental health board would be implemented within the county.
A mental health board typically coordinates mental health services for citizens.
“There’s approximately 80 or 90 mental health boards across the state of Illinois. And the Massey commission thought that it might be beneficial for Sangamon County to have one. So our group is studying if there’s a need,” chairman for the commission Mike Murphy said.
Murphy said the commission will talk about options for funding and structuring the board and staffing tonight.
One responsibility of the commission is determining what county funds would go towards a mental health board.
Murphy said it would need to come from taxes.
He said the county is expected to make a presentation regarding those details tonight.
“Nobody likes to increase taxes, but that’s the only way to fund. We’re gonna see what a sales tax looks like on different products and a property tax–how it would affect the average home, and how it would affect farm grounds as well,” Murphy said.
The commission will also hear from the Sangamon County Farm Bureau and non-profit Helping Hands.
The commission will need to present their findings to the Sangamon County Board by December 1.
Commission meetings are open to the public. The meeting will begin at 6pm.