Moraine Township has its Mental Health Board

Three months after Moraine Township voters gave officials the go-ahead, the township announced its inaugural Community Mental Health Board.

According to a press release from the Township, more than 30 community members applied to join the board and nine were chosen: David Paushter (chair), Kari Guhl (secretary), Allison Levin (a Moraine Township trustee), Nora Barquin, Zach Duenow, Anne Lapedriza, Desmond Raftery, Heather Schwartz and Daniel Yohanna.

“We received … applications from astoundingly qualified residents with professional or lived experience in one or more of the issues to be addressed by the board,” Levin said in a statement. “This first-rate applicant pool allowed us to assemble a diverse board bringing vital skills and experience to this important work.”

More than 70% of voters in the township, which includes Highwood and much of Highland Park, supported a tax increase that is funding the Community Mental Health Board, which held its first meeting on Jan. 13.

The board is meant to provide services and resources to Moraine Township residents who are struggling with mental health concerns, intellectual and developmental disabilities, and substance use disorders.

Funding comes via proceeds from the approved .03% property tax increase proceeds township wide. The increase results in an additional $10 per year for the owner of a single-family home worth $100,000.

Officials previously estimated the increase will generate between $800,000 and $900,000 in new funding for the mental health board. The board will develop a budget and allocate funds to provide resources for Moraine Township residents.

Board Chair David Paushter said in a statement that the board will use needs assessments to help determine how and where to send resources.

“We are committed to continuing to monitor and measure the impact of these additional resources, as we comply with the statute’s requirement for one- and three-year plans to make a difference for our residents,” he said.

The board will meet in public sessions at 6:30 p.m. on the second and fourth Monday’s of each month at the township office, 800 Central Ave., Highland Park.

You can keep up with the board’s agendas and more on the Township’s website.

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