Change sought in addressing mental health issues in Lake County
Gathering and sharing information across a range of concerned interests will be key to more efficient and effective services, say members of the new Lake County Mental Health Coalition.
The introductory meeting Thursday of the diverse group marked the start of a countywide effort to identify gaps in existing care and other goals regarding what has been described as a growing mental health crisis.
"What we're trying to effect is communitywide level change," said Amy McEwan, assistant county administrator and coalition member.
The coalition, made up of representatives from hospitals, the health field, housing groups and others, was announced in August by Lake County Board Chairman Aaron Lawlor and former state Sen. Susan Garrett to share information, identify gaps and recommend a continuum of care for a "vulnerable" population.
"These individuals are too often ending up in emergency rooms, in jail or homeless on our streets, and none of these are good options," Lawlor said at the time.
Thursday's meeting in Waukegan was to get the ball rolling on what is expected to be a complicated and lengthy process.
"We can't just sit and talk about these issues and hope they'll go away," said Tim Sashko, president of the Lake County Board of Health. "There's a lot of horsepower in this room."
The initial focus will be to share information regarding the affect of mental and behavioral health on Lake County residents and communities.
The complex issue of sharing data given health privacy laws will be among the items to be addressed. McEwan said data gathering in a "legal and appropriate way" will help the coalition understand problems and challenges and hone in on treatment objectives. That process is expected to take 18 to 24 months.
"We need to understand what services we already have, where those groups are and opportunities where we can make a difference," McEwan said.
Reducing the stigma of mental health issues and spreading the message that they should get the same attention as physical problems is another goal.
"There's a tendency to try to hide that, and it compounds your whole life," she added.
Lawlor said the group will be "checking all the boxes" to make sure no area is overlooked. For example, Lake County is "woefully behind" in supportive housing, he said.
"It's going to have to go in someone's backyard. It can go in my backyard. I'll take the pledge, but it has to happen quickly," he said.
Lawlor said subcommittees of those with specialized expertise will be needed to ensure no areas are overlooked.
"It's not going to be one of those groups we have a big kickoff and it dissolves," he said.