County Announces Mental Health Board Nominees

The Sangamon County Board has announced nominees for the newly established Sangamon County Mental Health Board, following voter approval of the March 2026 referendum and a public application and review process.

The county received 103 applications from residents interested in serving on the board. Applicants were asked to submit resumes, letters of interest and supporting materials. Members of the review committee reviewed applications, evaluated professional experience and identified candidates with the background needed to help guide the county’s mental health funding priorities.

“We are grateful to everyone who stepped forward and expressed an interest in serving on the Sangamon County Mental Health Board,” said Sangamon County Board Chairman Andy Van Meter. “We also want to thank the Mental Health Commission and the review committee for the time and care they put into this process. These nominees bring experience from mental health, healthcare, corrections, education, the courts and community service. The board has a lot of challenging work ahead to coordinate and strengthen our support for citizens who need help.”

The nominees expected to be considered by the County Board at its May meeting are Jennifer Douglas, Re-Entry Supervisor for the Illinois Department of Corrections and former social worker; Janice Gambach, retired President of Memorial Behavioral Health; Steve Nardulli, retired Judge of the Circuit Court for the Seventh Judicial Circuit; Margaret Seymour, psychiatric clinician and former Emergency Room and outpatient therapist; Leigh Steiner, former Commissioner of Mental Health for the State of Illinois and former CEO of the Andrew McFarland Mental Health Center, now known as the Elizabeth Parsons Ware Packard Mental Health Center; William Moredock, President of Sacred Heart-Griffin High School, clinical psychologist and former guidance counselor; and Brian Wojcicki, attorney, lobbyist, Massey Commission Member, and Co-Chairman of the Massey Commission work group on mental health.

State law allows the board to begin with seven members and expand to nine after an official request from the seated board. That action is expected based on guidance from experts consulted during the process and best practices reviewed from similar mental health boards across Illinois.

The two additional nominees expected to be recommended following that request are Michael Gaines, Corrections Coordinator for the Illinois Department of Public Health and former executive board member of the NAACP and Springfield Boys & Girls Club; and David Racine, former Executive Director of the Center for State Policy and Leadership at UIS, founding member of the Points of Light Foundation, with decades of experience evaluating and measuring government program outcomes.

“The creation of this board began with the work of the Massey Commission following the murder of Sonya Massey, and I am proud the community came together to approve the creation of the board,” said State Senator Doris Turner. “This is a diverse and extremely qualified group of nominees, and their work will help Sangamon County build a stronger system of support for residents and families who need access to mental health services.”

"For far too long, our community has struggled with adequate mental health services for people in crisis”, said Tony DelGiorno, Sangamon County Board Democratic Caucus Leader. "With gratitude to the voters of Sangamon County, we take the first step today to honor the life of Sonya Massey who embodied the struggle so many of our friends, family, and neighbors have faced. I am encouraged by the team that has been assembled as our first County Mental Health Board and look forward to the progress they will make for our community."

The Sangamon County Mental Health Board will be responsible for evaluating community needs, establishing funding priorities and overseeing the distribution of resources to local service providers. The board was recommended after more than a year of study and public input by the Sangamon County Mental Health Commission, which was created in January 2025 following a recommendation from the Massey Commission.

“The quality of the applicants made this a difficult but encouraging process,” said Mike Murphy, Chairman of the Sangamon County Mental Health Commission. “The number of people willing to serve shows how much this issue matters to the community. Now the real work begins, and this board will help turn the community’s support into better access to services, while easing the pressure on law enforcement, the County Jail and hospitals by helping people find care earlier.”

The commission submitted its final report in November 2025. The report identified gaps in access to care, challenges navigating the current system and strong public support for additional investment in mental health services. It also identified priority areas for funding, including crisis response, case management, housing support and community-based programs.

“This process showed the depth of professional experience that exists in Sangamon County,” said Dr. Gina Lathan, County Board member and review committee member. “I have confidence this board can provide a strong foundation for the work ahead. Too many residents and families are struggling to find the right help when they need it, and too often those needs show up in emergency rooms, the jail, or other parts of the system that were never meant to be the first place people turn for mental health care.”

“The nominees bring the experience needed to move Sangamon County toward a stronger mental health system,” said James Schackmann, Chairman of the County Board Public Health Committee and review committee member. “This board is being created because families, providers, law enforcement, schools and community organizations all see the need for better access to care and a more coordinated system of support.”

Revenue collection to support mental health services can begin no sooner than July 1, 2026. The first distribution to the Mental Health Board will occur no sooner than October 1, 2026.

The newly appointed board is expected to hold its first meeting within the next 30 days. All meetings of the Sangamon County Mental Health Board will be conducted in accordance with the Illinois Open Meetings Act.