After an intense study and survey into the mental health of Oak Park and River Forest, the Community Mental Health Board is looking to amp up efforts to tackle festering issues.
The board, a part of Oak Park Township, received a comprehensive report prepared by the University of Illinois breaking down what the lingering health problems are in the two communities. The board launched a new three-year plan this week to bring together multiple organizations to address the issues.
Board Director Lisa DeVivo said it is crucial for the health of the residents to not only feel they have a place to go, but to also feel knowledgeable and comfortable enough to seek help.
“People still feel stigma when they are having depression or anxiety and they don’t get help,” she said. “But if you have cancer, you would tell people and go see the doctor right away.”
The 65-page report contains a slew of statistics gathered from outside sources, or through interviews and surveys with local residents. The numbers are being used to focus where the efforts should be. For example, the study found that 60 percent of Oak Park adults with developmental disabilities have applied for state help, but are still on a waiting list. The numbers are worse in River Forest, where 78 percent are still waiting.
As such, developmental disabilities for adults are on the priority list in the three-year plan, along with drug use prevention, mental health education and referral services, support groups and greater services for minority populations.
Funding is an issue, DeVivo said, so they cannot simply throw money at the problems, mostly because there is little money to throw. The group has a $1.7 million budget and, with numerous cuts at the state level, don’t expect to see an increase in fudning. The board does not offer services directly, but supports and funds other organizations. For the first nine months of 2010, the board assisted in helping more than 5,300 people. Numbers for the last three months are not yet available.
With tight finances, DeVivo said there are two basic priorities: to get existing organizations to work together in a network more efficiently and to educate residents on services already available.
For example, the board wants to further promote its current Network of Care website, which has vetted links to mental health resources, services and social networking for those seeking help.
“All the information is in one place, versus Googling and getting a million results,” DeVivo said. “It’s a one stop shop.”
More plans will be formulated as the organizations continue to meet, using the three-year plan as a guideline.
DeVivo said she is thankful there are so many organizations and so much involvement to help tackle mental health and behavioral issues.
“We have a lot of residents who see that there is a problem,” she said. “Not just here either, they see a problem nationally. The difference is we are taking our heads out of the sand.”
