Earlier this month, Vermilion County Mental Health 708 Board Executive Director Jim Russell asked for the Danville City Council to contribute $25,000 for part of an initial one year salary for a new position. It would be for the Mental Health Board to hire a full time coordinator to help put the ROSC system to work. ROSC is “Recovery-Oriented Systems of Care.”
As Russell stated to the City Council back on July 5th, the idea is that with so many residents struggling with addictions such as opioids, fentanyl, and more; why not bring in a liaison to help connect those that NEED help with those that CAN help.
While the City Council still has to discuss in committee whether to grant the $25,000 for the position requested by Russell, the Vermilion County Board said ‘yes’ during their meeting this past Tuesday (July 11th) to Russell’s request for a $75,000 donation.
As County Board Chairman Larry Baughn explains, the $75,000 for the position salary will be funded by COVID relief money, but the County Board also intends to give some money to the ROSC program from some of the county’s share of an opioid state lawsuit settlement negotiated by Attorney General Kwame Raoul.
AUDIO: And so we’ve transferred some of that money in there as well, because it only has certain allowable expenses in there, and mental health training is one of those expenses. We think it all goes to a great cause; Jim and Beth and Jerry and everyone involved do a great job with that program.
Russell has stated that although the Mental Health Board could not obtain a state grant to fund the first year of the position, they plan to apply for it again for the subsequent years of the position.
