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OFFICE OF THE STATE'S ATTORNEY
LAKE COUNTY, ILLINOIS
MICHAEL G. NERHEIM
STATE'S ATTORNEY
October 29, 2020
For Immediate Release
Contact: Lee Filas
(847) 377-3141 – office
(847) 707-6479 – cell
lfilas@lakecountyil.gov
Lake County State's Attorney's Office secure $750,000 grant to staff and supply crisis stabilization center
(Lake County, IL) The Lake County State’s Attorney’s Office has been notified by the U.S. Department of Justice that the Office of Justice Programs has approved their application for a Justice and Mental Health Collaboration Program: Support for Mental Health Centers grant in the amount of $750,000 to staff and supply a proposed 23-hour Crisis Triage Stabilization Center to assist people struggling with a mental health crisis.
The Lake County State’s Attorney’s Office worked jointly on obtaining the three-year grant with Nicasa Behavioral Health Services. The $750,000 grant will help support the personnel and fringe costs of a project director, a project coordinator, a clinical director, and counselor positions, along with other program costs necessary to run the program.
“Currently, so many people that struggle with substance abuse or mental health issues end up in the criminal justice system. As a society, we must do better,” said Lake County State’s Attorney Michael Nerheim. “This center will allow us the opportunity to enhance our current efforts to divert those people away from the court system and towards the help they need. This has been a long-time goal for our county and I am excited to see it come to fruition."
The free-standing crisis center is a massive collaboration by the Lake County State’s Attorney’s Office, the Lake County Sheriff’s Office, the Lake County Opioid Initiative, the Lake County Health Department, Nicasa Behavioral Health Services and Lake County government. The new center is expected to open in 2021.
“The funding from this grant will allow us to address those in need with compassion and immediacy, in a non-threatening way, which has been proven to be very effective in other programs we have looked at around the U.S.,” said Bill Gentes, Executive Director of the Lake County Opioid Initiative. “We are excited to be able to get this program started here in Lake County.”
When open, the facility will be used as a prearrest police drop-off for individuals experiencing mental illness or mental illness and co-occurring substance abuse issues. The center will provide a safe resource for people suffering from a mental health crisis rather than the alternative of transporting them to jail or to an emergency room.
“Having this crisis center here in Lake County is long overdue,” said Lake County Sheriff John Idleburg. “The Lake County Jail is not the place for someone in mental crisis, they deserve to get the supportive resources needed. The Lake County Sheriff’s Office will continue to work with our county stakeholders to make this crisis/wellness center a reality.”
“The goal of the center is to provide an alternative location to jail or the emergency room for law enforcement officers to bring individuals that are not a safety risk to themselves or others,” said Bruce Johnson, CEO of Nicasa Behavioral Health Services. “At this center, individuals will meet with counselors and peer recovery specialists who - through assessment and referral to services - will guide them to start the road to recovery."
“The County Board is looking forward to partnering with our state’s attorney’s office, the health department, and the sheriff’s office to bring this important facility to our community,” said Lake County Board Chair Sandy Hart.
While the Crisis Triage Stabilization Center will provide mental health support to people interacting with law enforcement, additional mental health resources are available to Lake County residents. The Lake County Health Department’s Crisis Care Program offers a free, confidential hotline for anyone experiencing a mental crisis or substance use issue at (847) 377-8088. Counselors are also available in person at 3002 Grand Avenue, Waukegan, Illinois. People wishing to speak with a counselor can call or walk in, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Anyone seeking mental health or substance use treatment can also call 211 or text their zip code to 898211 to speak with someone who can help.
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Lake County State's Attorney's Office 18 N. County Street Waukegan, IL 60085 Phone: (847) 377-3000
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