§ 5-25025 — Mental health program

If the county board of any county having a population of less than 1,000,000 inhabitants and maintaining a county health department under this Division desires the inclusion of a mental health program in that county health department and the authority to levy the tax provided for in subsection (c) of this Section, the county board shall certify that question to the proper election officials, who shall submit the proposition at an election in accordance with the general election law. The proposition shall be in substantially the following form: ------------------------------------------------------------ - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Shall ...........County include a mental health program in the YES county health department, and levy an annual tax of not to exceed --------------------- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - .05% of the value of all taxable property for use for mental health purposes by the county health NO department? -------------------------------------------------------------- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - If a majority of the electors voting at that election vote in favor of the proposition, the county board may include the mental health program in the county health department and may, annually, levy the additional tax for mental health purposes. All mental health facilities provided shall be available to all citizens of the county, but the county health board may vary any charges for services according to ability to pay. If the county is also subject to the Property Tax Extension Limitation Law, then the proposition shall also comply with the Property Tax Extension Limitation Law. Notwithstanding any provision of this Section, any referendum imposing an annual tax on or after January 1, 1994 and prior to the effective date of this amendatory Act of the 103rd General Assembly that complies with this Section is hereby validated. When the inclusion of a mental health program has been approved: (a) To the extent practicable, at least one member of the County Board of Health, under Section 5-25012, shall be a person certified by The American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology professionally engaged in the field of mental health and licensed to practice medicine in the State, unless there is no such qualified person in the county. (b) The president or chairman of the county board of health shall appoint a mental health advisory board composed of not less than 9 nor more than 15 members who have special knowledge and interest in the field of mental health. Initially, 1/3 of the board members shall be appointed for terms of one year, 1/3 for 2 years and 1/3 for 3 years. Thereafter, all terms shall be for 3 years. This advisory board shall meet at least twice each year and provide counsel, direction and advice to the county board of health in the field of mental health. (c) The county board may levy, in excess of the statutory limit and in addition to the taxes permitted under Sections 5-25003, 5-25004 and 5-25010, an additional annual tax of not more than .05% of the value, as equalized or assessed by the Department of Revenue, of all taxable property within the county which tax shall be levied and collected as provided in Section 5-25010 but held in the County Health Fund of the county treasury for use for mental health purposes. These funds may be used to provide care and treatment in public and private mental health facilities. (d) When a mental health program has been included in a county health department pursuant to this Section, the county board may obtain the authority to levy a tax for mental health purposes in addition to the tax authorized by the preceding paragraphs of this Section but not in excess of an additional .05% of the value, as equalized or assessed by the Department of Revenue, of all taxable property in the county by following the procedure set out in Section 5-25003 except that the proposition shall be in substantially the following form: ------------------------------------------------------------ - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Shall.... county levy, in excess of the statutory limit, an additional YES annual tax of not to exceed .05% for -------------------- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - use for mental health purposes by the NO county health department? ------------------------------------------------------------- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - If the majority of all the votes cast on the proposition in the county is in favor thereof, the county board shall levy such tax annually. The levy and collection of this tax shall be as provided in Section 5-25010 but the tax shall be held in the County Health Fund of the county treasury for use, with that levied pursuant to paragraph (c), for mental health purposes.

Legislative History

(Source: P.A. 102-839, eff. 5-13-22; 103-565, eff. 11-17-23; 103-1070, eff. 3-21-25.)