Sangamon County extended the application deadline for a vacant seat on the Sangamon County Mental Health Board to Monday, Nov. 30, at 5 p.m., NPR Illinois reported.
Voters in Sangamon County approved a tax increase in March to fund the creation and operation of the mental health board, wandtv.com reported. The new group received almost $1.5 million in one month alone.
Dr. Tatyana Gardner leads the new group as its only paid staff member. Gardner is a lifelong Springfield resident who holds master’s and doctorate degrees in public health and previously led health initiatives at the Springfield Urban League.
“I noticed that everything that we did at the Urban League had an aspect of mental health involved,” Gardner told wandtv.com. “I can get you to take your blood sugar … I can get you in for a rapid HIV test. But within that conversation, we were speaking on how you were mentally.”
County officials and Mental Health Board Chairman Steve Nardulli discussed the vacancy before pushing back the submission deadline, according to The State Journal-Register. County officials are especially encouraging residents of rural Sangamon County communities to apply to ensure the board considers perspectives from across the entire county, Springfield Herald News reported.
Applicants must submit a resume, a letter of interest, and supporting documents such as letters of recommendation. Materials can be delivered in person to the Sangamon County Board Office at 200 S. Ninth St., 2nd Floor, Springfield, IL 62701, or emailed to [email protected].
Under Illinois State Statute (405 ILCS 20/3a), no member of a mental health board may be a board member, employee, or individual receiving compensation from any facility or service operating under a contract with the board. Entities expecting to receive tax revenue funding must avoid placing affiliated individuals on the board to prevent statutory conflicts of interest.
Interviews with finalists could occur between Dec. 1-4, with a potential appointment to the Mental Health Board at the Dec. 8 Sangamon County Board meeting, NPR Illinois reported.
Meanwhile, Gardner has been building the new board from scratch, handling logistics like renting space, buying a desk, and writing by-laws. She is currently finalizing a one-year and three-year plan by the end of the month.
“I have been working the last few weeks with board members and community stakeholders, just getting opinions and feedback on what I’ve written so far,” Gardner told wandtv.com.
“I really want to focus on grassroots organizations and, you know, providing funding for smaller community programs that need the help to kind of help alleviate the issues that are prior to the crisis,” Gardner told wandtv.com. “How can we stop individuals from reaching the state of crisis?”
Residents of Sangamon County can apply, with rural community members especially encouraged. Per Illinois State Statute 405 ILCS 20/3a, applicants cannot be board members, employees, or compensated individuals at any facility operating under a contract with the Mental Health Board.
Applicants can submit a resume, letter of interest, and supporting documents via email to [email protected] or in person at the Sangamon County Board Office, 200 S. Ninth St., 2nd Floor, Springfield, IL 62701.
Gardner is scheduled to complete and finalize a one-year and three-year plan by the end of the month after gathering feedback from community stakeholders.
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