Expanded Community Connections Center needed in Mount Prospect, survey says

An expanded Mount Prospect Community Connections Center was recommended in a community needs assessment.

James Corbett, a principal with Initium Health, which the village hired to do the assessment, delivered its findings at Tuesday’s village board meeting.

“An expanded space is needed to support multiple programs simultaneously and to provide private, confidential consultation areas,” he said.

For 15 years, the center at 1711 W. Algonquin Road has mainly served the diverse population in the south end of town, meeting its needs and reducing barriers to accessing services. It is run by the village’s Human Services Department, but the Mount Prospect Library also operates its south branch there.

Esther Salutillo, the village’s deputy director of human services, explained that the center currently provides social services including help with Medicaid and SNAP applications, mental health assessments and referrals, food pantry services and emergency assistance.

The assessment, funded through $99,550 in American Rescue Plan Act funds, surveyed more than 703 people and conducted five focus groups along with 27 stakeholder interviews.

The assessment said there is a need for expanded social services, particularly in the areas of mental health access, youth programming and senior services.