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.
The WCCMHB manages the sales tax fund and allocates resources in accordance with its Strategic Plan to develop, maintain, and enhance vital mental health and substance use services across the county. It does this by funding and supporting local organizations, nonprofits, and government agencies that provide essential mental health and substance use services to Winnebago County residents.
The Strategic Plan will be found on the "Funding Resources" Page.
Meetings
The WCCMHB meets on the first Wednesday of every month, except for January and July, at 2 PM. Visit the "Meetings & Updates" page for full details. If you would like to sign up for public comment, requests to speak must be made by email to jholcomb@r1planning.org no later than 2 hours before the meeting starts, or by signing the sign-in sheet at the meeting no later than 5 minutes before the start. You will have up to 3 minutes to make your comments.
About Half-Cent Sales Tax
In the March 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 61.2% YES! The community was willing to do something about the mental health crisis right here at home.
Before the half-cent sales tax, Winnebago County was the largest county in Illinois with no local public funding for mental health care. This tax means that for every $2 spent, one penny is allocated for community mental health and substance use disorder services in Winnebago County.
The voters renewed the tax in November 2024, extending it through June 30, 2031, and it is now generating approximately $20 million annually for mental health and substance use services across the county.
WCCMHB Establishment
The WCCMHB was established by Winnebago County Resolution 19-128 in October 2019 and operates pursuant to the Illinois Community Mental Health Act (CMHA), 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.
Increased awareness surrounding the conditions of state hospitals led to the deinstitutionalization movement of the 1950s and 1960s. Ultimately, it culminated in the approval of the Community Mental Health Act of 1963, authorizing the closure of state and national hospitals for people with mental illness and the creation of local mental health boards. In turn, a new approach to mental healthcare was needed, and mental health boards envisioned creating local systems of care that could provide all the services individuals need to live and recover within their own communities, rather than in institutions. Unfortunately, funding issues and varied programming across states did not translate into the community-centered, comprehensive healthcare model originally imagined.
Community Mental Health Boards (also known as 708 Boards) now exist more universally across the nation, providing a range of services and funding opportunities to improve the quality and availability of care for people with mental health or substance use issues, helping them recover and live as independently as possible. Shortly after the Community Mental Health Act of 1963, the State of Illinois passed the Community Mental Health Act (405 ILCS 20), which allows counties, municipalities, and townships to establish Community Mental Health Boards and outlines a Board’s responsibilities. As of March 2026, 95 counties, municipalities, and townships in Illinois have established a Community Mental Health Board.
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: jholcomb@r1planning.org
Mailing Address:
Winnebago County Community Mental Health BoardThrough an intergovernmental agreement, Region 1 Planning Council provides administrative and technical support for WCCMHB.
Board Members
MAbate@mentalhealth.wincoil.gov
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.gov
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.gov
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.gov
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.
ABragg-Shaw@mentalhealth.wincoil.gov
Andrell Bragg-Shaw, LPC, M.S., is a licensed professional counselor with over a decade of experience in private practice settings. She holds a Master of Science in Counseling from National Louis University. Mrs. Bragg-Shaw specializes in evidence-based therapies and working with diverse populations. She has worked with individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities, raising awareness of their rights in the classroom as a part of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). Mrs. Bragg-Shaw also works with survivors of sexual assault, facilitating impactful recovery through methods such as trauma-informed therapy. She also practices cognitive behavioral therapy, emotion-focused therapy, and interpersonal psychotherapy. Outside of her counseling work and role on the Winnebago County Community Mental Health Board, Mrs. Bragg-Shaw leads community support groups on grief topics and steers youth social-emotional learning sessions.
KECopeland@mentalhealth.wincoil.gov
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.
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.
JNielsen@mentalhealth.wincoil.gov
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.
APenney@mentalhealth.wincoil.gov
Dr. Amanda June Penney, DSW, LCSW, is a licensed clinical social worker with over a decade of experience in community based mental healthcare. Dr. Penney graduated from Aurora University. She has spent her entire career working with children and adults that struggle with mental health concerns. Outside of her current role of helping homeless Veterans get housed, Dr. Penney is on an editorial board for the Journal of Social Service Research.
CTaylor@mentalhealth.wincoil.gov
Dr. Collene Taylor is a Certified Life Coach, author, and speaker who owns and operates WithU Counseling Group, PLLC, a private practice based in Rockford, IL. She is dedicated to serving adults, families, and couples, with a strong commitment to fostering growth and resilience. Dr. Taylor is licensed to practice psychotherapy in Alabama, Arizona, Florida, Illinois, and Texas. Dr. Taylor provides clinical supervision for license and license-eligible clinicians in Florida, Illinois and Texas, guiding professionals with compassion, mentorship and leadership, shaping the next generation of mental health professionals.
She holds a Doctorate in Organizational Leadership from Argosy University and a Master of Science in Community Counseling from the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater. With 30 years of professional experience, Dr. Taylor has provided psychotherapy services in both public and private sectors. Her diverse background includes work in hospitals, community agencies, mental health centers, residential and community-based settings, substance abuse treatment facilities, facilities for individuals with developmental disabilities, senior living communities, and various roles at the university level.
MYunus@mentalhealth.wincoil.gov
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.