Mental Health Board Updates Committee on 2026 Grant Cycle and Funding Priorities

Will County Board Executive Committee Meeting | December 11, 2025

Article Summary: The Will County Community Mental Health Board provided a quarterly update, outlining the timeline and strategic priorities for the upcoming 2026 grant cycle. Director Teena Mackey emphasized a focus on workforce development and awareness campaigns.

Mental Health Board Update Key Points:

• Grant Cycle: The 2026 Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) was released on December 8, 2025. Applications will be accepted from January 2 through January 30, 2026.

• Priorities: Strategic priorities include crisis supports, intellectual/developmental disability programs, suicide prevention, workforce development, and awareness campaigns.

• Budget: The 2026 budget outline includes $10 million total, with $4 million allocated to the Health Department and $4 million for sustained funding of successful 2025 grantees.

The Will County Board Executive Committee received an update on Thursday, December 11, 2025, from Teena Mackey, Director of the Will County Community Mental Health Board (WCCMHB).

Mackey reported that the board is currently midway through its 2025 grant cycle, having reimbursed over $1.6 million to date out of a $5 million commitment.

Looking ahead to 2026, the board has identified workforce development as a critical priority. “Availability… people are waiting a long time for services because there just aren’t enough providers,” Mackey said. She noted that the board aims to incentivize clinicians to obtain additional certifications to train others.

Member Julie Berkowicz raised concerns about funding distribution, asking how the board ensures new organizations have an opportunity to receive grants if existing grantees are prioritized.

“I want to make sure that we are… that new people in the community have an opportunity and that they’re not all fighting for a small piece of that levy,” Berkowicz said.

Mackey clarified that while successful programs are prioritized for sustainability, the process remains competitive. “We start from scratch… It’s a points program. There’s an independent consultant,” Mackey explained.