Accelerator Award information and Strategic Plan 2.0 Approved Final will be on the “Funding Resources Page.” Select in the menus above.
Purpose
The purpose of the Winnebago County Community Mental Health Board (WCCMHB) is to plan, implement, and monitor a system of mental health and substance use services for Winnebago County residents suffering from serious mental illness and substance use. The WCCMHB distributes sales tax proceeds to provide services to individuals whose illnesses prevent their functioning in age-appropriate social roles. The use of clinical, evidence-based practices allows individuals with serious mental illness and substance use disorders to remain in the community while accessing their care needs.
About
In the 2020 Winnebago County primary election, there were 43,723 votes cast for the following question: "Do you support raising our community’s sales tax one-half cent on a dollar to fund mental health services in our area?" The answer was a resounding YES! The community was willing to do something about the mental health crisis right here at home. When you spend two dollars, an additional penny is exclusively earmarked for community mental health and substance use disorder services in Winnebago County. The half-cent tax generates about eighteen million dollars in revenue each year.
The WCCMHB was established by county ordinance and operates pursuant to the Illinois Community Mental Health Act, 405 ILCS 20/0.1, et seq. Inaugural board members were Mary Ann Abate, president; Richard (Dick) Kunnert, vice president; the Reverend Doctor K.E. Copeland, treasurer; Danielle Angileri, secretary; and board members Dr. Bill Gorski, Dr. Terry Giardini, Dr. Julie Morris, Linda Sandquist, and Tim Nabors. Wendy Larson-Bennett and Jay Ware were board advisors.
The WCCMHB meets on the first Wednesday of every month at 2 PM. If you would like to sign up for public comment, requests for speaking must be made by email to info@mentalhealth.wincoil.gov no later than 2 hours before the meeting start time or by sign-in sheet at the meeting no later than 5 minutes prior to the start of the meeting. You will be given up to three minutes to make your comments.
Through an intergovernmental agreement, Region 1 Planning Council provides administrative and technical support for WCCMHB.
Contact Us
Staff Liaison
Jason Holcomb
Director of Community Impact
Email: jholcomb@r1planning.org
Phone: (815) 277-1022
Accommodations
For accommodation requests, contact Jason Holcomb (Contact info above)
FOIA
For Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests, contact Timothy Nabors, FOIA Officer.
Email: TNabors@WinCoIL.us
Board Members
MAbate@mentalhealth.wincoil.us
Mary Ann Abate, currently Board President, is a former Licensed Social Worker in Illinois. She received her MS in Community Mental Health from Southern New Hampshire University with an emphasis on clinical services for individuals with co-occurring disorders of substance abuse and psychiatric disabilities. Abate began her career at the Janet Wattles Mental Health Center, where she was a director before becoming the Vice President of Public Health Policy at Rosecrance.
DKunnert@mentalhealth.wincoil.us
Dick Kunnert is currently Board Vice-President. He previously served as Director of the Singer Mental Health and Developmental Center for 11 years. Prior to that, he was Assistant Regional Administrator for Mental Health Programs (1971-1987). Kunnert has served on the state board of NAMI and the Mental Health Association of Rock River Valley and chaired the Mayor’s Homeless Task Force for 18 years. Prior to the creation of the WCCMHB, he served six years on the Winnebago County Mental Health Advisory Board.
BGorski@mentalhealth.wincoil.us
Dr. Bill Gorski is currently the Board Secretary. Before completing his residency at the Illinois College of Medicine, Dr. Gorski graduated from Kenyon College and the University of Cincinnati Medical School. After 21 years practicing family medicine at a SwedishAmerican clinic, he was appointed CEO of the health system for 16 years before retiring. He works to increase access to care, especially for those who experience vulnerability in the community.
TGiardini@mentalhealth.wincoil.us
Dr. Terry Giardini is a Rockford native and proud East High E-RAB. He earned his master’s degree at National Louis University and his doctorate from California Southern University. Dr. Giardini served as a beloved special education teacher at East High for 35 years prior to retirement, as well as led group therapy and performed forensic fieldwork.
Bio coming soon
KECopeland@mentalhealth.wincoil.us
Reverend Dr. K. Edward Copeland is the lead pastor at New Zion Baptist Church. He is a graduate of the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign (B.A.in English/Rhetoric), the University of California, Berkeley (J.D. 1987), Golden Gate Baptist Theological Seminary (M.Div. 1992), and Trinity Evangelical Divinity School (D.Min. 2017). He serves on several state and national boards. He is a consultant on issues of criminal justice and public education.
Bio coming soon
Timothy Nabors received degrees from Rock Valley College and the Worsham College of Mortuary Science. He serves as the Funeral Director at Carl E. Ponds Funeral Home and is the County Board Member for District 14. Tim is an advocate for mental health.
Jeff Nielsen was appointed to the WCCMHB in July 2024. He is a retired Chief of the Rockford Police Department, having served 34 years with the Department in various positions, including his last five as Chief. He graduated from Northwestern University’s School of Police Staff and Command. Currently, he serves as President of the Rockford Police Pension Fund Board. Previously, he served on the Janet Wattles Mental Health Center Board and the Rosecrance Board after the merger of the two organizations. Jeff has a strong interest in mental health, especially concerning public safety and first responders.
Bio coming soon
Mohammad Yunus was appointed to serve on the board in March 2023. He has been a faculty member of the University of Phoenix's John Sperling College of Business since 2003 and has authored over a dozen business articles. From 1991 to 2005, he served as Singer Mental Health Center's Chief Financial Officer and then as its Hospital Administrator from 2005 to 2012. In 2012, the U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services appointed Yunus to serve on the SAMHSA CSAT Advisory Council for a five-year term. Additionally, he served on the Evaluation & Improvement Council of the University of Phoenix from 2015 to 2016. Yunus was a grant reviewer for the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services Access to Recovery Committee in 2004 and 2007 and served as a Panel Member of the Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools from 2005 to 2009.