Mental Health Referendum in Elgin Township

Mental illness is a well known and poorly addressed public health issue in the U.S. as a whole, and the communities we serve are no exception.

Greater Family Health understands the importance of having access to mental health services and works hard to provide these services to our patients. Currently, we offer psychiatry and behavioral health services in 2 of our 9 Health Centers: Greater Family Health in Elgin and Greater Family Health in McHenry.

Funding for mental health services is difficult to obtain and as a result many people who need these services do not have access to them. A group of Elgin area nonprofits, including Greater Family Health, are hoping to change that for residents of Elgin Township.

This group of nonprofits has begun the process for adding a question to the Elgin Township General Election ballot that would allow voters to support mental health service providers like Greater Family Health. This question will ask voters whether Elgin Township “shall establish and maintain community mental health facilities and services, including facilities and services for the person with a developmental disability or a substance use disorder, and levy therefore an annual tax of not to exceed 0.15%.”

Before residents can vote on the question above, the group of nonprofits involved must collect 850 signatures from registered voters who reside in Elgin Township expressing their support for simply adding the question above to the November 2018 ballot.
Once the question is on the General Election ballot, it will be up to all registered voters of Elgin Township to decide if they support or oppose the levy of an annual tax that would allow Elgin Township to fund community mental health facilities and services.
Since we are one of the nonprofit organizations working to make this happen, we are asking our patients and community partners who are registered voters of Elgin Township to help us by signing the Mental Health Referendum petition.
If you are a resident of Elgin Township, you are registered to vote and are interested in supporting this effort please help us by signing the petition. Petition forms are posted in the reception areas of both Greater Family Health. Feel free to call 844-599-3700 if you have any questions.

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