Oak Park Newspaper

April 6, 2011

The Community Mental Health Board of Oak Park Township Releases Their Community Needs Assessment and Three Year Strategic Plan

(Oak Park, IL) The Community Mental Health Board of Oak Park Township (CMHB) is an appointed board (708 Board) that plans, develops, funds, and oversees mental health, substance abuse, and developmental disability services for township residents.

Over the past year the CMHB conducted an extensive assessment of the needs in these areas through a survey of residents, focus groups, interviews with community leaders, and an analysis of the Oak Park community. Based on this information, the CMHB has developed a Three Year Strategic Plan, to serve as a guide for the work of the board.

The CMHB has recently released to the public the results of their Community Needs Assessment and the Three Year Strategic Plan. These can be downloaded from either of their websites-

http://www.cmhb-oakpark.org and http://www.cmhb.networkofcare.org.

“We are pleased to present our comprehensive study of the needs of Oak Park residents in the areas of mental health, substance abuse and developmental disabilities. This analysis will help us to identify unmet needs, to utilize our resources more wisely, and to improve the quality of the services we fund”, said Richard Carroll, Ph.D., CMHB Board President.

“The CMHB’s Strategic Plan guides us towards our goal of creating a continuum of services that demonstrates effectiveness and efficiency and is responsive to community needs, such as the reduction of stigma and easy access to local resources”, said Lisa DeVivo, Executive Director.

The Strategic Plan focuses on (7) priority areas:

1. Achieve an effective information and referral system for services;

2. Educate the community on mental health,
substance abuse and developmental disability, as
well as reduce stigma associated with these conditions;

3. Establish needed support and self-help groups,
as well as strengthen current ones;

4. Develop and implement high quality
outcome measurements to assure effective services;

5. Reduce alcohol and substance abuse in youth
through evidence-based strategies;

6. Expand supportive and other services for person
with developmental disabilities over age 22; and

7. Enhance effective services and outcomes for
minority populations.

For more information, visit http://www.cmhb-oakpark.org or http://www.cmhb.networkofcare.org, or call 708-358-8855.