The Will County Community Mental Health 708 Board awarded $5,015,282 to support 42 grant proposals from 39 agencies, and grantees described early uses of that funding during a presentation to the Will County Executive Committee.

The awards, approved previously by the 708 Board on April 14, fund programs that board staff and recipients say target gaps in services across Will County such as mobile sensory supports, counseling copay assistance, school-based prevention and day programs for adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities.

Tina Mackey, a representative of the Will County Community Mental Health 708 Board, told the Executive Committee that the board accepted grant applications Jan. 2–Feb. 14 and announced awards April 15. She said the board is monitoring expenditures and building community partnerships to increase awareness of the funded services. Mackey said grantees will seek reimbursements and must meet performance reporting requirements through the Amplifund software; the board’s first-quarter reimbursement reporting deadline is July 15.

Grant recipients who spoke at the meeting described how the funds will be used. Tom Krause of Lincoln Way Special Recreation Association said the group recently acquired a sensory bus and that the 708 grant will help secure a second vehicle and let staff bring a sensory-room experience to community events across eight member park districts. Melissa Jensen, who appeared with Krause, explained the mobile unit allows participants “to recenter themselves” during large events and rent the bus to partner organizations to extend services.

Representatives of Mental Health Matters reported that since the April awards they had moved 25 Will County families off a counseling waiting list by covering barriers such as weekly copays. Paula Ekstrom and Jessica Schnitker of the Wilmington Coalition described school-based prevention efforts: Ekstrom said middle-school students are working on policy-change projects, and Schnitker said Wilmington currently has “mental health resources [that] are really lacking,” noting she had to drive 45 minutes for therapy and that two young people she knew had died from suicide attempts in the last three years.

Lauren Paymer of Hive Day Program in Mokena described services for adults who age out of school-based supports. Paymer said Hive Day works on vocational and life skills, runs a full kitchen and washer/dryer for hands-on training, and currently serves 36 members, “80% are Will County residents.” Paymer said the grant will help fund wheelchair‑accessible transportation, staff training and community integration; she reported the program’s waiting-list numbers changed between the grant application and the presentation (the application counted 12 people on a waiting list; presenters also referenced 14 and 16 in later statements).

Mackey provided a budget overview for the 708 Board: a December payment of $3,750,000 already went to the Will County Health Department; the board expects roughly $4 million will be collected from the May and October levy; the board’s FY2025 operating budget is $347,000 (under 4% of the overall budget). She said the board structured grants as reimbursements and requires supporting documentation (receipts, payroll, timesheets) alongside performance reports.

Committee members asked whether awardees can reapply in future cycles; Mackey said there are “no restrictions” on applicants reapplying and that the board approached this as an annual cycle while hoping to sustain effective programs. She also said staff are developing a small promotional piece with a QR code linking to the grantee list so residents and referral sources can find funded services.

The presentation ended with an invitation to view the sensory bus outside.