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Council to consider $1 million Will County grant to expand no-cost counseling and add a social worker
Summary
City staff presented an ordinance to accept a $1,000,000 Will County Community Mental Health Board grant to fund no-cost counseling, amend the 2026 budget and create a grant-funded social worker position; council asked about sustainability if grant funding ends.
City staff asked the council to accept a $1,000,000 grant from the Will County Community Mental Health Board to support the city’s no-cost counseling program and to amend the 2026 budget to expend the funds. The ordinance would create an additional grant-funded social-worker position to perform program activities.
Council members raised sustainability questions and asked what would happen if the grant funding were not renewed. Staff said the position is grant-funded and could be phased out if funding stops; if demand remained and partner communities wished to continue participation, other communities could contribute funding to sustain the role. “If the grant went away and we no longer needed that service, we would just phase out the position,” staff said.
Staff emphasized existing program demand and said the grant would allow the city to expand services, noting that the program already serves residents beyond Joliet. The matter was presented as an ordinance on the formal agenda for council action.
The council did not take final action during pre-council; the item was listed for full consideration on the upcoming council agenda with the staff recommendation to accept the grant and amend the budget.
