Mental health funding dispute leaves Rockford trauma center on life-support
A program designed to help witnesses and victims cope in the aftermath of a violent crime will for now struggle to make ends meet after the Winnebago County Board froze mental health funding.
Established three years ago, the OSF Strive Trauma Recovery Center was, until a few months ago, funded by a state grant augmented with additional funding from the Winnebago County Mental Health Board and OSF HealthCare. When state grant funding was cut last fall, Trauma Recovery Center Manager Therasa Yehling turned to the Mental Health Board for financial assistance.
Amid a dispute over how mental health funding is being spent and managed countywide, the Winnebago County Board froze the mental health board's budget and slashed its 2024 appropriation from $31 million to $12 million.
Suddenly, the board's funds could not be touched, forcing the Recovery Center to figure out another way to fund the program.
"Any support — we need that because we are doing impactful, good work," Yehling told Mental Health Board members.
More: Rockford mayor wants power to appoint members to county mental health board
Trained Strive personnel provide therapy, counseling, case management and advocacy. They typically don't require clients come to OSF Saint Anthony Medical Center and instead go to clients, Yehling said. They will go with clients to meet with police officers, lawyers or as they make court appearances. They also can help clients obtain orders of protection.
The services are provided free of charge to violent crime victims or witnesses 14 years or older who are experiencing post-traumatic stress.
OSF HealthCare, which previously matched a percentage of about $750,000 in annual state grants that paid for the program, now is paying to keep the program operational.
Mental Health Board funding will remain frozen until Jan. 1 when a new state law will put the Mental Health Board itself in charge of its own appropriation.
While the impact of the County Board's actions will be temporary, they do raise questions regarding the county board's support of the mental health board's work, which is funded by a 0.5% sales tax that must be renewed in a few years.
Winnebago County Board members have raised concerns over what they said is a $28 million reserve that is not flowing to programs they say need it to help people with mental health and addiction. They have also raised concerns over what they say appears to be exorbitant administration costs.
Mental Health Board officials have disputed those claims, saying their administrative costs are low compared to similar boards in Illinois. They also say that programs funded by the relatively new organization are ramping up and carefully putting more of the sales tax funding to good use.
Mental Health Board President Mary Ann Abate said that until January, they would need County Board approval for a change in appropriation. That means current finanicial obligations can continue, but an additional appropriation like the one OSF Strive had requested, cannot be accommodated until the change in state law takes affect.
"By the time OSF came in and asked us, our budget had already been cut by the County Board," Abate said. "They certainly are being awarded what we promised them for the initial part of it, but they needed more. We've encouraged them, to you know, come back to us."
Jeff Kolkey writes about government, economic development and other issues for the Rockford Register Star. He can be reached at (815) 987-1374, via email at jkolkey@rrstar.com and on Twitter @jeffkolkey.
This article originally appeared on Rockford Register Star: Rockford-based trauma center funding hindered by County Board dispute
