Sangamon County to Place Mental Health Board Referendum on March 17, 2026 Ballot

The Sangamon County Board has approved placing a referendum on the March 17, 2026 ballot asking voters whether the County should establish a countywide Mental Health Board. The decision follows several months of research, data analysis, and public engagement conducted by the Sangamon County Mental Health Commission, which was tasked with evaluating local mental health and substance use needs and recommending potential solutions.

Throughout its work, the Commission reviewed survey data, gathered public input, and heard testimony from service providers, families, and individuals impacted by gaps in mental health care. Sangamon County Board member Gina Lathan said the findings consistently pointed to significant unmet needs across the community. “Forty percent of Sangamon County residents reported unmet mental-health needs, and a large majority of community members supported expanding mental-health services,” Lathan said. “We also found youth, rural residents, and incarcerated individuals often struggle to access the services they need.”

In its final report, the Commission noted that nearly four in ten residents surveyed experienced an unmet mental health need within the past three years. Survey results also showed strong public support for increasing county funding for mental health services, as well as broad backing for crisis response models that include mental health professionals working alongside law enforcement. Local providers reported similar challenges, with many indicating that current services are insufficient and that clients often face difficulty navigating or accessing appropriate care.

If approved by voters, the Mental Health Board would focus on priority areas identified by the Commission. These include crisis co-response teams pairing clinicians with law enforcement, intensive psychiatric case management for individuals with serious mental illness, housing-related case management, representative payee services to help vulnerable residents manage benefits, and culturally responsive, community-based programming delivered through schools, faith-based organizations, and local nonprofits.

Sangamon County Board member James Schackmann said the Commission’s findings reflected the testimony heard throughout the process. “We heard from professionals, families, and individuals who either need services or don’t know how to access them,” Schackmann said. “A mental-health board gives us a tool used successfully across Illinois to coordinate efforts and make sure people get the help they need.”

The proposed Mental Health Board would be funded through a 0.50 percent countywide sales tax increase, projected to generate approximately $14.7 million annually for mental health services. The increase would add about five cents to a $10 purchase. Groceries, prescriptions, and other items exempt from state sales tax would not be affected.

The Mental Health Commission emphasized that the initiative is intended to keep local dollars within the community, reduce strain on the criminal justice and emergency medical systems, and ensure residents receive timely, coordinated care. Members also noted that stronger mental health services can support families, schools, and the broader community by addressing challenges before they escalate.

With the County Board’s approval, the referendum will now appear on the March 2026 ballot, where Sangamon County voters will decide whether to establish a dedicated Mental Health Board to expand and improve local services.

Learn more about the Mental Health Commission