A federally funded program that trained thousands of Lake County residents to recognize and respond to mental health crises is over.
The Lake County Health Department announced in its October newsletter that its Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) program has ended after the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) cut the grant that funded it.
Over the life of the program, 3,707 Lake County residents completed MHFA training. Of those, 3,165 took the adult course and 542 took the youth version. The department said 232 instructors were trained to lead classes across the county, and the program generated 15,459 referrals to mental health care.
The department credited Phil Deruntz, the program's coordinator, and Sarah Foote, its grant evaluator, for their work running the program. A newsletter photo showed a training session held in January 2026, indicating the program was still active as recently as January.
SAMHSA terminated roughly $2 billion in grants nationwide on Jan. 13, according to the American Psychological Association. That funding was reinstated the next day after bipartisan pushback. The Trump administration's proposed fiscal year 2026 budget would dissolve SAMHSA entirely and cut about $1 billion from its programs. Congressional approval would be required.
In Illinois, the state Department of Human Services said SAMHSA grant terminations could cost the state up to $2.5 million annually in funding for substance use prevention and Youth Mental Health First Aid training for school staff.
The Lake County Health Department directed residents who still want MHFA training to the national Mental Health First Aid website to find a course. The department's Crisis Care Program and the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline remain available for mental health emergencies.
Three new Board of Health members
The Lake County Board appointed three new members to the Board of Health, the department announced.
Dr. Ben Feinzimer is an emergency medicine physician with Endeavor Health who also serves as EMS medical director for multiple area fire departments. Dr. Mary Faith Terkildsen is a sexual health and menopause specialist at Beyond Gyne Health. Dr. Mary Roberson is the founder and CEO of the Northern Illinois Recovery Community Organization (NIRCO) in Waukegan, where she has spent nearly three decades in behavioral health advocacy. Roberson also serves on the Lake County Opioid Initiative and Drug Court Team.
The three replace departing members Dr. Sylvia Johnson Jones, Lucille Devaux and Dr. Rachel McDowell. The newsletter did not specify the date of the appointments or the new members' term lengths.
School health form deadline
The department also reminded families that children must submit health forms for physical exams and vaccinations by Thursday, Oct. 15. Children who do not submit updated records will be excluded from school.
Physical exams are required for entry to preschool, kindergarten, sixth grade and ninth grade. Dental exams are required for kindergarten, second grade, sixth grade and ninth grade.
