Mental health grant allows Ill. police access to social worker

By Hannah Prokop
Northwest Herald

MCHENRY COUNTY, Ill. — Whether it’s a teenager refusing to go to school, a senior in need of assistance or a couple involved in a domestic dispute, police are frequently called to situations that are escalated by an underlying problem, Cary Police Deputy Chief Scott Naydenoff said. 

Under a new program funded by the McHenry County Mental Health Board, McHenry County police departments can have access to a social worker who helps refer callers to the services they need. 

“Ultimately, if you get to the root cause of what’s causing us to be there, our hope is the recidivism decreases,” Naydenoff said. 

Full story: McHenry County Mental Health Board grant allows Cary, Algonquin police access to social worker