What is the Winfield Township Mental Health Board
The purpose of the Mental Health Board is to aid individuals in the enhancement, maintenance, and/or restoration of their mental health within the context of their environment. As the local mental health authority for Winfield Township, the Board shall have the power to construct, repair, operate, maintain, and regulate community mental health board facilities and/or to contract with providers of services for Winfield Township residents with, or at risk of:
- Mental Illness
- Developmental disabilities
- Substance Use/Dependence/Addictions.
The function of the Board shall be to provide leadership in the promotion of mental health, strengthening mental health producing factors in the environment and preventing the development of mental health-inhibiting factors. This shall be accomplished by developing and maintaining:
- An on-going needs assessment and planning process involving Winfield Township, its residents, and organizations serving the community;
- A comprehensive continuum of effective services being made available to Township residents with, or at risk of, mental and emotional illness, developmental disabilities and substance use/addictions;
- An integrated network of mental health and human services, coordinated to provide intra- and interagency continuity of care.
- A service delivery network or system which is accountable to both the public and its users.
The specific service objectives are:
- Identification in early stages – to identify populations in need of service.
- Crisis stabilization – to assist those in crisis in returning to a state of equilibrium.
- Prevention- to establish a defense against an illness by elimination of an essential causative factor.
- Rehabilitation- to restore individuals to the highest level of independent activity of which they are capable.
The Mental Health Board shall consist of seven members appointed by the Winfield Township Supervisor with the advice and consent of the Township Trustees. Members of the Board shall be residents of Winfield Township and shall include citizens, consumers, and representatives of community groups concerned with mental health, developmental disabilities, substance use/addictions, as well as representatives of interested organizations such as local health departments, medical societies, local comprehensive health planning agencies, hospital boards, and schools. One Board member shall be a member of the Board of Trustees of Winfield Township. No member of the Board may be a full-time or part-time employee of the Illinois Department of Human Services and the various divisions within the Department, or a board member, employee or individual receiving compensation from any facility, service or organization operating under contract to the Board, with the exception of the Winfield Township Board Liaison.
The term of office shall be four years, provided, however, that of the initial members, two shall be appointed for a term of two years, two for a term of three years and three for a term of four years. All terms shall be measured from the first day of the year of appointment.
Therefore, a call for service is requested by Township Supervisor, Nicole Prater.
Winfield Township is looking for six board members for their new Mental Health Board.
These individuals are appointed by the Township Supervisor, Nicole Prater.
In her quest to find adequate board members she asks that you send a resume and reasons why you would like to be a board member to the Mental Health Board. Please email her at [email protected]
Thank you!