By Eric Stock

BLOOMINGTON – McLean County will be setting up a new advisory council to address gaps in mental health care in the community.

The County Board approved creation of the council was approved in a 14-4 vote on Tuesday. It’s just one of many recommendations a county task force created to address mental health needs.

County Board member Chuck Erickson, R-Bloomington, objected to the setup of having the council of experts serve as advisers who he said might truly be advocates – possibly for their own interests.

“They are saying ‘My agency can fill that gap,’ That’s a problem,” Erickson said. “Those people are going to be the so-called experts who are going to advise the County Board on what to do?”

Erickson said the county should have the council instead testify as advocates before a County Board subcommittee rather than report directly to the County Board.

“If you oppose it or you think there’s a different way of doing it, you might get the ‘size of your heart question,” Erickson said.

Board member John McIntyre, R-Normal, who served as co-chairman of the county’s mental health needs task force, said regardless of the how it is structured, the county is still in control.

“It doesn’t say a ‘coordinating board,’ it says ‘behavioral health coordinating council’ that will advise to us,” McIntyre said. “(The County Board) is still going to vote on funds and funding and what’s going on.”

McIntyre added mental health experts have already been advising the county of the last year and a half as the county has developed a mental health action plan.

Board member Victoria Harris, D-Bloomington, said she is fine with mental health experts driving the discussion.

“I’m not arrogant enough to think that because I’m an elected official that I would have the answer to best practices,” Harris said.

Eric Stock can be reached at [email protected].