Will County is considering a plan to provide no-cost mental health care to county residents.

The propoasal will be considered by the Will County Board when it meets on Thursday.

The initiative will encompass a current program being run by the Joliet Fire Department, according to a news release from Will County Board Member Vince Logan.

The program would be supported by a $1.9 million grant from the state of Illinois, according to the release.

The Will County CARES (Crisis Assistance & Response for Emotional Support) would seek to address mental health issues in the county by providing no-cost mental health care to all 700,000 Will County residents, according to the release.

“The true success will be measured by long-term impacts like reduced homelessness, substance abuse, and suicide,” Logan said in the release.

In its first 18 months, the Joliet program provided over 8,000 therapy sessions and led to a 50% reduction in suicide rates, according to the release,