Springfield, IL (CAPITOL CITY NOW) – Members of Sangamon County’s new mental health commission heard from the experts at their first meeting Wednesday.
“Why are community health boards needed?” asked Jodi Dart (pictured, right) of the Association of Community Mental Health Authorities of Illinois. “With covid there was an increase in anxiety, depression, substance use, and suicide rates.”
But there is a manpower shortage.
“There are very few graduate programs that train people to work with that population,” said Tim Macken (pictured, left), executive director of the Macon County Mental Health Board. “Most people who specialize in that get it through experience. You learn by doing.”
Greater Springfield Chamber of Commerce president Mike Murphy chairs the new commission. “When I was asked to do this, I immediately thought that I had to say yes, because my body of work right now is trying to make sure people have opportunities that they deserve,” said Murphy. “I’ve been able to do a lot of cool things in my life, and it’s solely because people gave me opportunities, and, unfortunately, there are some people in our community who are not fulfilling the life that they should have.”
The police killing of Sonya Massey in her Springfield home last year shines the light on the need for a stronger mental health infrastructure.
