How Expanded Mental Health Services Programs (EMHSPs) Work
1. Expanded Mental Health Services Programs Are Authorized by a State Law
In 2010-11, the Coalition drafted and spearheaded the passage of the Community Expanded Mental Health Services Act [405 ILCS 22/]. This act gives residents in any Chicago community the ability to create a community initiated, funded, and approved mental health center.
By creating a mental health center in this way, communities have ownership for their program and the centers created are able to tailor their services and programs directly to the community they are serving.
2. Residents Must Place a referendum question on the ballot and win the support of voters
To create an EMHSP, the Coalition organizes residents around the issue of mental health in their community. Local residents and institutions learn about the program and work together to gain the support of the their neighbors for the program.
To gain this support, the Coalition works with residents to gather signatures from registered voters in their community. Once the requisite number of signatures are gathered, a referendum is placed on the ballot asking residents to approve the creation of an EMHSP in their area.
The referendum question not only asks residents to approve the program, it asks voters if they are willing to increase their own property taxes by .025% of the EAV of their property— an amount of approximately $4 per $1000 currently paid in property taxes— to pay for these expanded services. For example, a homeowner paying $5,000 in property taxes would pay an additional $20 per year.
3. A New Community Mental Health Center Opens!
If the voters approve the referendum question, the new EMHSP goes into effect. A Governing Commission of nine local residents is nominated by local nonprofits to represent the community and oversee the program. This Commission holds monthly open meetings and is the only entity capable of obtaining and using the community’s funds.
With the program approved, a new community mental health center opens to meet the needs of the community. Programs are services are tailored to the needs of the area and services are provided at the center and out in the community.
