MORRIS, Ill. — Grundy County’s Board of Health recently shuttered its mental health services despite an increase in patients in recent years.
The decision to close the behavioral unit, located within the health department, came during a closed-door meeting on May 14. The decision was not made open to the public, but people with knowledge of the situation tell WGN News that’s when it occurred.
More than 1,600 children and adults received treatment last year through the unit, for everything from substance abuse help to elderly group therapy. The total number of patients increased by nearly 160% compared to 2023.
The unit was officially shuttered on June 13. In a letter to clients, the health department did not give a direct reason for the closure.
“We understand that this news may be disappointing and potentially challenging, and we sincerely apologize for any disruption this may cause,” part of the letter reads.
In a social media message to the public that day, the county’s health department touted the network of mental health agencies in and around Grundy County, which is a rural community southwest of the city, as a reason to end the unit.
“This is not a result of a crisis or service failure, but a strategic reorganization that reflects the changing dynamics of care delivery in our area,” the health department said in a press release.
The Board of Health would not speak about the decision to WGN News.
A longtime former counselor at the unit, who is remaining anonymous, said there were staffing shortages and that employees had quit amid conflicts with a new leadership team.
They believe the unit should figure out a way to provide the services and stated most patients were low-income.
“The culture was unhealthy and over a period of time everyone left,” the former counselor said. “Why was that not a red flag to the Board of Health?”
Six weeks prior to the decision to close, clients were sent the following staffing message assuring that they were “fully aware of the vital importance of mental health support” while saying a new team was being recruited.
County data since 2020 shows that clients and services increased. Mental health and substance abuse services nearly doubled for the unit since the beginning of the pandemic.
Clients age 19 and under expanded over the course of it — from a total of 59 in 2022 to 513 last year. The unit would send counselors into schools as part of its program.
Data shows that as clients and services increased, so did expenses. However, the county used a public subsidy to plug the budget gap. In 2023 and in 2025, revenue exceeded expenses.
It’s no secret that one of the most devastating consequences of depression and substance abuse can be the loss of life through suicide.
In Grundy County, the suicide rate has skyrocketed this year.
‘Tough pill to swallow’
John Callahan has seen his share of horror as the Grundy County coroner since 1998.
He showed up to the scene of a suicide a few years ago and found something harrowing in the person’s pocket.
“I found a business card to the county health department but the appointment was scheduled for next month. Unfortunately, in a mental health crisis — they couldn’t wait,” Callahan said. “It’s a tough pill to swallow.”
It’s something that stuck with him.
The coroner’s office handled four suicides in 2023, eight in 2024 and has already handled nine halfway through 2025.
Callahan was just at the scene of a suicide Monday night of a 58-year-old man.
He’s upset that the unit was shuttered.
“I’m shocked and saddened they did away with it,” Callahan said. “No one with knowledge of behavioral health in the county would dispute that we need behavioral health.”
It also shocked the chairman of Grundy County’s board, who explained the Board of Health, appointed by the board, acts completely autonomously.
The early morning executive meeting was called after a marathon county board meeting on May 13. A licensed counselor, Dr. Bipin Sharma, was trying to open up an in-patient drug and alcohol rehab facility at the spot of the former Gippers II in Coal City.
It was voted down 10-7 by the county board.
“We turned our back on the rehab center and now we’ve turned our back on behavioral health,” Callahan said. “The county took a double whammy there.”
‘Community in a panic without having a solution’
Drew Muffler, the chairman of Grundy County’s board, had no idea that the Board of Health was going to shutter the program. He found out about it in their press release that afternoon.
The county board did not have the ability to interject or stop the move, he said.
Muffler’s phone started to light up and he became upset.
“They should have talked about this and say ‘let’s make sure our bases are covered and we aren’t slapping our community in the face,'” Muffler said. “We should have known about this and been in the process. It got the whole community in a panic without having a solution ready.”
The behavioral unit helped with treatment alternative court in the Grundy County judicial system. Muffler and a judge said that they rushed to make sure the courts weren’t affected and Crossroads Counseling and North Central Behavioral Health Systems stepped up to the plate to take the services.
As far as general mental health and addiction, Muffler told WGN News 63 patients, not hundreds, were affected by the unit’s closing on May 14.
“63 patients were placed after the closing. To my knowledge, there has been as limited disruption as possible,” Muffler said while pointing to Crossroads and North Central.
Angela Solis, the owner of Crossroads, told WGN News they were not contacted by the health department prior to May 14.
A longtime therapist and clinic owner, she was confused on the move to shutter.
“(Mental health) is constantly a community problem that comes up again and again,” Solis said. “I definitely believe some county board members still want this. It felt like we got broken up with via text without a conversation prior to talk about it.”
North Central initially had some scheduling issues but has them sorted out after hiring a counselor who used to work in the behavioral unit.
Noting that summer can be a dip for mental health services, Solis is confused on where everyone is at. Both Crossroads and North Central take low-income options like Medicaid.
“We do not have a waitlist and still have openings,” she said. “What is happening and where are these people going?”
‘They saved lives’
One man, who was a client of the behavioral health unit for three years, expressed frustration with scheduling issues after the initial decision. He claims he could not get in anywhere right away because he is Medicare and gave up his search.
The man, who is remaining anonymous, told WGN News he relapsed with benzodiazepines and marijuana after 21 years of sobriety.
He credits his three-year experience in the behavioral unit for helping him find the root of his issues.
“I’ve seen people just like me walk into the program, walk in struggling with mental health and addiction — struggling to survive,” he said. “They saved lives and did wonderful things. I can’t imagine being anymore grateful than I am.”
His relapse is gutting to him. He said he knows three others in the program who relapsed and one person who ended up back in jail.
A mother told WGN News she was so thankful for the health department’s program of sending counselors into schools for her daughters, 15 and 13.
The intern program, which gave upcoming counselors hours they needed to get licenses, was abruptly canceled in March with no warning, according to the mother.
“Suddenly the day before their appointment, I received a call saying the internship program was ending abruptly and canceled less than 24 hours,” she said. “That was an extreme adjustment and was really hard on her.”
She told WGN News she’s had a hard time getting them into a new place due to having HMO insurance.
Crossroads said they are going to pick up the counseling program in schools for the upcoming year.
In Grundy County, the next board meeting is scheduled for July 8. Over 600 people have signed a petition online against the Board of Health’s decision.
