CLINTON — Sharon Mills, of the county’s mental health board, recently gave county board members a survey of how the mental health board functions and how it provides funds to mental health agencies.

Mills was present in the virtual meeting to recommend the board reappoint Sandra Beecher to the mental health board. Mills also offered a brief history of the mental health board. 

The board includes seven volunteer members.  County board member Jay Wickenhauser serves as the county liaison to the mental health board.

Voters approved the establishment of the DeWitt County Mental Health Board by referendum in 1967.  The Community Mental Health Act was passed a few years earlier giving authority to the formation of the local boards.

“Not every county has a 708 board,” Mills said, referring to the statute number under which the authority was granted.

Mills said a local mental health board may be established at the township level or at the county level.

“Our mission here in DeWitt County is to provide funding through mental health funds that the county board levies …to support programs and services that support DeWitt County residents with mental illness, substance abuse disorders and / or developmental disability,” Mills said.

• See the complete story in the Friday, Jan. 1 print edition of the Clinton Journal, out on Thursday this week, or right now in the Journal E-Edition for subscribers.