YES for Mental Health

Please join these organizations and over 300 of your friends and neighbors in supporting the Moraine Township Mental Health Referendum on November 5th:

Organizations:

Faith in Action

Josselyn
JCFS Chicago

NiCasa Behavioral Health Services

Rebecca’s Dream

The Balance Project

The League of Women Voters of Highland Park-Highwood

Individuals:

Nancy Rotering Annette Lidawer Andrés Tapia Yumi Ross Kim Stone Barisa Meckler Bruckman Tony Blumberg Jeff Hoobler Eric Falberg Brad Slavin Andy Peterson Jim Hospodarsky Paul Frank Rhoda Pierce Anne Flanigan Bassi Gail F. Brown Pablo Alvarez Mark Haggarty Alison Levin Nancy Chausow Shafer Terry Grossberg Cal Bernstein Jennifer Freeman Rafael Labrador Lisa Hirsh Dan Jenks Bennett Lasko Cindy & Rick Heineman Cindy Wolfson Amy Zizook Dan & Amy Kaufman John Sirotti Lucy Hospodarsky Betsy & David Brint Sue Blumberg Lauren Beth Gash & Greg Garmisa Ali Abrams Wendy M. Abrams Elaine Allison Leslie Alter Barbara & Ron Altman Sofia Alvarez Andy & Richard Amend Dave Anderson Valerie Archambeau Michael Baim Christine Bakalar Marcia Balonick Piper Baracam Elise Barack Victor Bassi Ashbey Beasley Susan & Wayne Benjamin Barbara Berger Joan Bergman Lindsey Berkun Marcia Bernstein Liz Bernstein Arthur H. Bloch, M.D. Rich & Kathy Blumberg Barbara & Ron Borden Robbie Boudreau Gayle Brandeis Robyn Brecker Amy Bricker Deborah Brill Karly Brinla Honey & Dan Bronson Andrew Brown Debbie Brown Roberta Brown Deborah Brown Joel Bruckman Dana Bulbin Cindy & John Burrell Paula & Paul Canchester Jenny Cardenas Joel Carp Susan Coale Rena & Sonny Cohen Cheryl and Carey Cooper Rich & Heather Cordero Maria De La Cruz Robert Daugherty Allie Davidson Karen Yellen Dillon Lisa Edison Marilyn & Stanley Eisenstein Steve & Donna Elrod Jamie Engle Rick Esker Terri & Avram Feldman C. M. Fell Lori Fink Janet Freed Jim Freeman Jody Friman Elise & Ira Frost Jenny Futterman Anne & Walter Fyk Stephanie & Tom Garrity Shannon & Michael Garrity Kari Guhl & Larry Gerber Leonard Gilbert Lindsey Gladstone Leslie Glazer Sarah Glazier Alan & Nancy Goldberg Roberta & Bob Goldman Jill Goldstein Diane Golin Luis Gonzalez Marty Gonzalez Alex & Julie Gordon Julie Gordon Sandra Gore Jim Gottlieb Diana Gran Lisa Greene Laurie & Gary Greenfield Ida Greenfield Marla Grossberg Amy Gudgeon Ellen & Lee Gussin Emily Halliday Jeff Hamburg Cindy Hamilton Mary Patricia Henahan Amyra and Ken Henry Mary Hershman Joseph Herz Hazel Herzog Carol Hillsberg Rick & Bobbie Hinden Jacqueline Hirsh Marissa Hopkins Georgann Humphrey Kathleen Illes Linda Illes Julie Isaacsons Lauren Jacker MD Rachel Jacoby Jamie Kach Gayle Weinberg Kalmin Linda & Peter Karmin Lori Kash Terry & Geoff Kass Judith Kaufman Gerry and Steve Keen Francesca Kelly Dennis & Barb Kessler Bryan & Grace Khoury Jennifer Klein Lori Kohn Cookie & Henry Kohn Monica Kornberg Lacey Kornick Edward & Bonnie Koven Emma Kowalenko Dr. Paul C Kredow Nancy & Hal Krent Matt Kriser Barbara Kronish Binita Kwankin William & Sally Laegeler Bob & Peg Laemle Cristina Lasko Betsy & Scott Lassar Alena K Laube Linda & Robert Lawrence Nancy Lerner Daniel Leshtz Helene & Al Levi Tess Levin Brad Levin Jeff Levin Julie Levine Arlene Levy Fran Levy Sara Lewis Ruth D Lion Barb & Steve Lippai Leslie Lipschultz Stephanie Luger Emily Mace Rosa E. Machabanski Samantha Malach Beth Malosti-Gerber Ed & Paulette Margulies Tomasina Martin Jeff and Barbara Mazur Caroline McCarthy Jack McGregor Bridget McNulty Sara Mesirow Karen Meyer Susan & Michael Millenson Maureen Chertow Miller Jeff Miller Peggy & Stan Miller Nancy Mills Erin Molk Cristina Mota Cathy Nachman Jeff and Lori Nathan Leslie Neilan Gail and Bill Neiman Beth & Neil Olderman Yvonne Ornt Molly Oxman Amy Pena Matt & Jamie Pestine Julie Pick Mary Pike Fran and Jeff Pine Francie Pinkwater Sam & Susan Piro Ilana & Marc Platt Billy Platt Noah Plotkin Linda & Richard Price Doug Purington Marjorie Rissman Kathy and David Robin Cindy Robinson Charles & Ellen Romick Sarah Rosen Amy Zisook & David Rosen Faye Rosenberg Sharon Rosenzweig Cary Rositas-Sheftel Jody Rotblatt Gerry Rudman Caren Rudman Ruth Sang Cathy & Joel Schneider Lauren Schrero Fred & Ginger Seff Agi Corona Semrad Stuart & Marlene Senescu Melissa Septon Barbara Sereda Lonni Serlin Mary Shea Don & Peggy Shearn Sara & Michael Sher Ben Sher Amy Shimoni Jorie Sigesmund Jill & Michael Silverman Marilyn G Slutzky Debbie Smith Jean & David Sogin Marnie & Bill Solomon Kathy & Ron Sonenthal Karen Spinelli-Flaberg Helene Stone Janet & Walter Swartz Jane Talesnick Terri S. Tiersky Sue Tolpin Merle & Steven Tovian Chuck Turck Kathryn & Tom Vandenberk Aviva Waitz Elaine Weinberg Barbara Weiner Leigh Weisz Rachel Werner Meggie Wessel David Wollard Laurie Young Anne Zavell Lois Zisook Steve & Elizabeth Zweiback Suzanne & Ron Zweig

YES for Mental Health is an advocacy group working to pass the referendum. We are reaching out to a broad coalition of residents, community leaders, mental health professionals and organizations to get behind this important initiative to allocate resources efficiently to address critical unmet needs in a process-driven, non-bureaucratic way.

What is a Community Mental Health Board?

Under the Illinois Community Mental Health Act (405 ILCS 20), a Community Mental Health Board is a local entity designed to bridge the gap between needs and available resources for mental health, substance use disorder and intellectual and developmental disabilities.

Key things to know about the Community Mental Health Board:

• It is created through a voter-approved referendum.
• It is comprised of 7-9 volunteer Moraine Township residents appointed by the
  Township Supervisor.
• Over 90 similar boards already exist in other Illinois communities, providing
  critical additional resources.

The Community Mental Health Board can:

• Assess local needs: Conduct an annual needs assessment for mental health, substance use and I/DD services in Moraine Township.
• Allocate funding: Direct resources based on the needs of Moraine Township residents.
• Provide targeted support: Examples include grants for substance abuse treatment,
  respite care, co-pays for patients with limited income, additional social workers and
  prevention programming.
• Enhance community services: Provide transportation to access services.

The need for these services is growing across the country:

• In 2023, the U.S. Surgeon General announced that the mortality iimpact of being socially disconnected is like that caused by smoking up to 15 cigarettes a day.
• Nationally, nearly 1 in 5 adults and 1 in 5 adolescents live with mental illness, and suicide is now the second leading cause of death for 15 to 24-year-olds.
• In 2019, one in three high school students and half of female students reported persistent feelings of sadness or hopelessness, an overall increase of 40% from 2009.
• In Illinois, 23% of adults with mental illness are unable to receive treatment.

Local statistics show that we have a high need in our community:

• Highland Park/Highwood Fire Department has responded to over 500 calls involving suicide attempt, behavioral/psychiatric episode, alcohol use or anxiety reaction in the past 2.5 years.
• Highland Park Hospital has admitted almost 300 patients for mental health or substance use disorder in the past two years; nearly 30% aged 10 to 19 and nearly 60% under age 30.
• At Highland Park High School, student hospitalizations for mental health or substance use disorder range from 30 to 50 per year.
• Nearly 50 Township residents are on a waitlist for state I/DD services with an average wait time of 38 months.

Cost and Benefit to Taxpayers

• Minimal cost: The proposed tax levy of 0.03% translates to approximately $10 per year for $100,000 of fair market value ($50 per year for a $500,000 home).
• Local benefit: All funds raised (around $800,000 - $900,000 annually) stay within our community to address the needs of Moraine Township residents.

Why should You Vote YES?

• Support our residents: The Mental Health Board will provide a vital service, working to identify and support essential mental health services to friends, neighbors, and the Township.
• Enhance community safety and wellbeing: Provide resources to fill gaps in funding services for Moraine Township residents ONLY.
• Invest in the future: communities are healthier and more productive when all their residents have access to mental health care. 

More Information:

www.MoraineTownship.org

Information can be found in English and Spanish on the Home Page, scroll down to NEWS.

How can you help? We need:

• Volunteers during the election season.
• Yard signs all over the Township.
• Your name on our list of supporters.
• Donations to help cover costs.

Go to this form to volunteer, host a yard sign, and/or lend your name to our list of supporters and make a donation. No need to sign in.

Any questions? 

Email info@yesformentalhealth.org.

Voting Options:

• September 26 at the Lake County Clerk’s Office
• October 21 at county-wide sites
• Election Day November 5, 6:00am to 7:00pm
• Vote by Mail ballots mailed September 26

For more information visit the Lake County Clerk website.