SANGAMON COUNTY, Ill. (WAND) — The Sangamon County Mental Health Commission (SCMHC) has approved its final report and videos recommending the creation of a Sangamon County 708 Mental Health Board.
The commission, which was appointed by the Sangamon County Board to study the impact of establishing a mental health board and how to fund it, presented its findings to the county board at the November 10 meeting.
According to a survey done by the commission, four out of ten Sangamon County residents reported an unmet mental health need in the last three years.
89% of residents surveyed support more county funding for mental-health services, and 83% favor having mental-health professionals respond alongside law enforcement during crises.
"Over the course of this year, it became clear that Sangamon County's greatest health challenges are not about lack of caring — they're about lack of coordination and consistent funding," said SCMHC Chairman Mike Murphy. "By establishing a 708 Mental Health Board, we can ensure local dollars stay local and reduce the strain on our jails and emergency departments. We agree with the previous recommendations to establish a board like this from the Massey Commission and the Mid-Illinois Medical District Commission."
The SCMHC report outlined five priority investment areas for the proposed board.
- Crisis co-response teams — pairing mental-health clinicians with law enforcement to de-escalate crises.
- Intensive psychiatric case management — ongoing support for people with serious mental illness.
- Housing case management — helping individuals secure and maintain stable housing.
- Representative payee services — managing benefits for vulnerable clients to ensure stability.
- Culturally responsive, community-based programs — expanding trusted care through schools, churches and neighborhood organizations.
The report proposed that the Sangamon County Board place a referendum on the March 17, 2026 ballot asking voters to approve a 0.50 percent countywide sales-tax increase to fund the new board.
The proposed measure would generate around $14.7 million annually, all dedicated to local mental health services. The board said this means shoppers in Sangamon County would pay five cents more on a $10 purchase, but not on groceries, medicine and other items exempted in state law.
The commission's final report and videos can be found on the Sangamon County website.
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