Community Mental Health Board To Conduct Assessment

PRESS RELEASE:

OSWEGO, IL — The Kendall County 708 Mental Health Board is conducting a Community Mental Health Needs Assessment to better understand the concerns and mental health needs of Kendall County residents.

"As we emerge from the pandemic, resources for mental health have become even more critical to the residents of Kendall County. Assessing our needs as a community will help us to assist those who are most in need," Scott Gryder, chairman of the Kendall County Board, said.

The 708 Community Mental Health Board of Kendall County exists to ensure that all residents of the county have equal access to a high-quality comprehensive mental health care delivery system. The need for a comprehensive mental health system has been amplified over the last almost two years due to the pandemic. This time of our lives has provided an unprecedented opportunity to take care of each other like we never have before, which starts with listening and understanding.

Kendall County Board Member and 708 Board liaison, Robyn Vickers, states, “Access to quality mental healthcare is vital to the wellbeing of the residents of Kendall County. This needs assessment is sure to provide valuable information about the strengths and opportunities for improvement in the county and will help practitioners make informed decisions about future programs. With the ongoing pandemic, these services are more important than ever.”

By completing this anonymous survey, Kendall County residents are supporting the community and helping the 708 Community Mental Health Board better understand the needs in Kendall County at a household and individual level. The perspectives of Kendall County community members will help the 708 Board identify the most critical areas of need and drive decisions to strategically allocate funding through the Kendall County 708 Mental Health levy.

Long-time community member, clinical therapist, and leader in the field of behavioral health, Wallace Hamlin, states, “A mental health needs assessment is an opportunity to put into realistic perspective of how people feel supported in our community.”

Please consider completing the survey, the link for the 708 Community Mental Health Needs Assessment survey is https://forms.gle/UgQ5EwN8Zy3MqN6Q6.