The Community Mental Health Board Trains Police Chiefs and 4th Ward Municipality on The Hub
CONTACT: Vanessa Matheny, Community Mental Health Board
708-358-8855, vmatheny@cmhb-oakpark.org
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: August 15, 2019
The Community Mental Health Board Trains Police Chiefs and 4th Ward Municipality on The Hub
A free online tool is now available for community members and organizations to connect to local free and reduced- cost social programs
On August 6, 2019, the Community Mental Health Board of Oak Park Township, along with Healthy Communities Foundation and River Forest Township, provided training to Police Chiefs, State’s Attorneys, Judges, and Public Defenders on The Hub, a new tool that help connect community members to local free and reduced-cost social programs and services via an online closed-loop referral platform.
The Hub is a free, easy-to-use online platform that is available to the public and offers an opportunity for direct service providers to make appointments for their clients based on need, waitlist, and insurance filtering. The Hub connects community members to quality care and social services when they need it the most, ranging from housing to mental health services, and helps providers to deliver competent, compassionate, and efficient care. The Hub has reporting tools to better track referrals, both inbound and outgoing. "We are grateful to receive training on the Health Connection Hub. I often hear from attorneys, public defenders, state’s attorneys, and police officers that much of their day includes aspects of social work—having one location to access such a comprehensive set of resources is not only a timesaver but could literally save lives,” says Chief Judge Ingram.
Since January 2019, the Community Mental Health Board, Healthy Communities Foundation, and River Forest Township have held eight trainings for 175 individuals representing local community-based organizations and community partners within Oak Park and surrounding areas to increase awareness and usage of The Hub. Those organizations include libraries, schools, courts, social service, and legislators. It’s for anyone who needs to connect to services for themselves or others.
To learn more about The Hub, please contact Vanessa Matheny, Contracts Manager, Community Mental Health Board of Oak Park Township, at 708-358-8855 or visit The Hub at www.healthconnectionhub.org.
The Community Mental Health Board of Oak Park Township assists in planning, developing, coordinating, evaluating, and funding mental health, substance use disorder, and intellectual/developmental disability services in Oak Park. The Township’s Community Mental Health Fund provides over $1 million in financial support for programs and services to 22 agencies per year in Oak Park.
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