To the Editor:

The mental health crisis in our communities continues to increase. We see our organizations struggling to keep pace with the demands and the growing mental health needs of people in our community. But treatment costs money, and the dollars allocated to the McHenry County Mental Health Board have simply not kept pace with the needs. In the fall, the Mental Health Board requested a $2.5 million increase in the budget, but was approved for only $525,000.

In looking for a solution, the County Board voted almost unanimously to put a referendum on the March primary ballot that would remove the mental health funding from the property tax and instead fund it through a $0.25% increase in the retail sales tax. Most food, medicine and medical equipment would be exempt. This extra 25 cents on a $100 purchase would help to close the gap between the need and the capacity of our mental health organizations.

We strongly urge you to join with our organizations and many others in our community to support this bipartisan approach to mental health funding and vote “Yes” for mental health on the March 19 ballot.

Phyllis Seyler

Board Co-President, NAMI-McHenry County

Linnea Kooistra

Board Chair, Family Health Partnership Clinic