County Board releases action plan for improving mental health

May 19--BLOOMINGTON -- Sweeping changes are needed to improve significant shortcomings in community mental health services that have left people vulnerable and at risk for incarceration.

That's the conclusion of a Mental Health Action Plan released Tuesday by the McLean County Board.

The report is the culmination of 15 months of work by two county board advisory panels on mental health. The panels included county board members, health care providers and community members.

County Board Chairman Matt Sorensen said the document outlines the board's expectations for how mentally ill people should be treated.

"This really becomes a road map that will drive much more hard work," Sorensen said of the 92-page report.

The report found significant gaps and delays exist in mental health services. Several primary weaknesses contribute to the problem, said the report.

"There is an urgent need to enhance the transitions of individuals between institutions and community providers. Lack of interagency communication, absence of data rich reporting, failure to ensure that other payers for mental health services are leveraged first and inadequate supply of mental health professionals," were outlined as major problems.

The lack of support by local providers for mentally ill people released from jail adds to the problem, said the action plan.

"Moreover, due to lack of support outside the justice system, treatment within the justice system goes for naught as detainees return to unstructured and untreated environments that relegate improvements and stabilization within the criminal justice system and recidivism continues," notes the report.

Board member John McIntyre, one of four board members who headed committees that drafted the final report, said a proposed Behavioral Health Coordinating Council could help the board with policy decisions on mental health.

The plan could take several years to implement, said McIntyre, adding that, "I know as a County Board, we're in it for the long haul."

A county board oversight committee to review public and behavioral health programs is also an objective under the plan.

The plan could serve as a model for other communities and enhance McLean County's economic status through its efforts to improve critical services, said board member Erik Rankin.

"This could be a large economic driver to put McLean County on the map as the model for Illinois and the region," said Rankin.

The plan acknowledges the progress that's been made on some fronts, including the opening of a crisis stabilization center by Chestnut Health Systems and specialty courts to divert people from the criminal justice system.

Specific portions of the plan that fall under county board control will be directed to committees later this summer, said Sorensen.

Follow Edith Brady-Lunny on Twitter: @pg_blunny

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