New funding helped Rosecrance cut wait times by 22 days in Rockford
By Kevin Haas
Rock River Current
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ROCKFORD – Winnebago County mental health sales tax funds helped Rosecrance hire 20 people to support programs designed to increase access to mental health care.
As a result, the nonprofit organization said more than 500 new individuals received psychiatric services and the wait for care dropped by an average of 22 days. Rosecrance also says more than three-quarters of its clients showed improvement in education and housing stability.
Those were the benefits Rosecrance says were the result of nearly $2.7 million in funding it received last year during the Winnebago County Mental Health Board’s first allotment of sales tax dollars. Last month, Rosecrance was one of 10 organizations awarded continued funding for its program. This time, it will receive more than $2.8 million.
“We are grateful for the continued support of the Winnebago County Mental Health Board, our partners, and county residents,” Craig Stallings, regional vice president of operations, said in a news release. “By working together, we are making it possible for many more members of our community to receive quality care in a timely manner.”
Related: Winnebago County Jail adds mental health services, aims to keep inmates connected to care after release
The money went toward Rosecrance’s Access to Care program, which includes additional psychiatrists who provide evaluation and medication monitoring services, counselors for care and case management who meet people in the community, and nurses at the Rosecrance Mulberry Center.
Rosecrance and the city of Rockford also will share funds directed toward the crisis co-response team, which pairs mental health counselors with law enforcement officers on certain crisis calls.
Last year, that team served nearly 1,700 people, and more than 60% of interactions resulted in connection to mental health or substance abuse services, Rosecrance said.
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Mental Health Awareness Month
May is Mental Health Awareness Month, which has been observed in the United States since 1949. Throughout the month, the Rock River Current will publish several stories looking at use of the mental health sales tax in Winnebago County and other local initiatives centered around mental health.
This article is by Kevin Haas. Email him at khaas@rockrivercurrent.com or follow him on Twitter at @KevinMHaas.
