The Winnebago County Board of Supervisors have begun the process on how to handle the social services programs in the future. The original social services region of Worth, Hancock, and Winnebago Counties known as WHW has now broken up with the dissolution of the 28E Agreement between them. The counties shared an advocate who would administer the program, but that has now changed with her departure.
The county used to pay her through a fund known as the Fund 10 which was comprised of property tax dollars, but recent legislation eliminated the use of property tax money to administer mental and social health services. Supervisor Bill Jensvold explains.
Now county social and mental services programs rely on a different income source.
Jensvold and the board explained that the sales tax money does not come directly to the county.
The county is exploring options on the administering of the social programs. One option would be to look at local hospitals and the other would be to go through an area group known as NICAO. The board has decided to explore the options available before coming to a final decision possibly as early as next week.
