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NEWSSurvey reports more mental health strugglesand less trust in policeCOUNTY Kenneth LoweMany Sangamon County residents struggle withtheir mental health, see race as a barrier to careersuccess and distrust police. Those are among thefindings of a University of Illinois Springfield (UIS)citizen survey. UIS conducts the survey on localquality of life every two years. The most recentresults were announced in late September.The Sangamon County Citizen Survey heardfrom more than 700 Sangamon County residents this time. Results showed that the fewestrespondents since at least 2013 believe SangamonCounty is “heading in the right direction,” with50% saying they believed it was. While the resultsdidn’t differ much between respondents of differentraces or sexes, there was a split between parentsand nonparents: 53% of nonparents say SangamonCounty is headed in the right direction vs. 40% ofparents.Kenzie Anderson, president of the JuniorLeague of Springfield, said parents offer a certainperspective. “If kids are the future of our community, what are we doing to make that positiveimpact for them?”The survey also found a sharp increase in thenumber – 56% within the past month – of peoplewho report having had a bad mental health day.The number was 18% in 2013, and besides a slightdecline in 2015, has steadily increased in each successive survey.The COVID-19 pandemic has made mattersworse, and is occurring at the same time as providers of mental health care are experiencing staffingshortages, said Diana Knaebe, president of Memorial Behavioral Health.“I think since the beginning of COVID, we’veseen everything from folks who were concernedabout COVID itself, about being isolated, aboutall of the additional demands, people whose financial situations were impacted due to loss of a job orsomething along those lines,” Knaebe said. Knaebeadded, in a more positive light, stigma aroundmental health may be subsiding.The survey also found a stark divide betweenmen and women when it came to mental health,with 63% of women saying they had experienceda day of poor mental health compared to 50%of men. And while 45% of respondents said theyhad a day of poor physical health, the split waspronounced between those who earn more than 100,000 – just 33% – and those who earned 30,000 or less – 60%.An overwhelming majority – 70% – of respondents said they believed racism could hinder the4 www.illinoistimes.com October 7-13, 2021Workers process waste dropped off at a previouscollection. PHOTO BY KAREN WITTERGet rid of hazardouswaste Oct. 23CAP CITY Karen Ackerman Wittercareer of a person of color. Dominic Watson,president of the Springfield Black Chamber ofCommerce, said the sentiment is unsurprising.“Oftentimes, from a Black-communityperspective, we are motivated to become entrepreneurs because we have limited alternativesto growth from a career standpoint. But oncewe become an entrepreneur, we face lack of access to capital or lack of being taken seriously,”Watson said. “Even as an organization thatserves people of color, we see barriers ourselvesto funding.”Watson said after last year’s civil rightsuprising, more people appear to be aware ofthe racial equity work that needs done. Thesurvey’s results found hardly a gap betweenwhether white and nonwhite respondents saidthey thought race was a career barrier.“I think when America slowed down during COVID and everyone was working fromthe confines of their home, and then the deathof George Floyd happened, people started tothink about the marches, the challenges of access to health care, the disproportionate deathsof minorities,” Watson said. “Those who werecompelled to get involved in a more concentrated way did so, and oftentimes dollars camewith that.”Springfield Black Lives Matter presidentSunshine Clemons said the survey resultsshould be a wake-up call that discriminationis happening in Springfield. Another signifi-cant change over recent years reflected in theresults was a decline in respondents who saidthey trust local police. Of respondents, 54%reported they have a “great deal” of trust inpolice. That number has been on the declinesince at least 2013, when 68% said yes.“I think trust in police in general is declining nationwide because we don’t see a wholelot of improvement,” Clemons said. “We areconstantly seeing police mistreating people,especially communities of color. Correctiveactions are so very few and far between.”There has also been a significant increase inthe last four years of those who say they havethought of moving out of Sangamon County,with 36% of respondents saying they werethinking about it in 2017 and 58% saying soin the 2021 survey, though only 19% of respondents in 2021 reported applying for jobsoutside the county. The most-cited reasonsfor pondering leaving included state and localtaxes, government and politics.Watson said Springfield needs to put moreeffort into convincing people to stay.“I think we’re all in agreement that the cityhas work to do in order to continue to growthe number of individuals that they’re retaining,” he said. “Oftentimes that is due to a lackof forward thinking and execution.”Kenneth Lowe is a staff writer for Illinois Times.Contact him at klowe@illinoistimes.com.Now is a good time to clean out your garageand basement and get rid of unwanted productsthat shouldn’t be thrown into the garbage.The city of Springfield is collaborating withthe Illinois Environmental Protection Agencyfor a household hazardous waste collectionon Saturday, Oct. 23, at the Illinois StateFairgrounds. This is open to all Illinoisresidents, but not businesses or organizations.Participation is free, but you must register inadvance to receive a voucher. Appointments areavailable every 15 minutes from 8:15 a.m. until2:45 p.m. When registering, you must designatethe category of materials you will bring. Thismakes the process more efficient and preventslong waits. Acceptable items include lawnchemicals, pesticides, aerosol and oil-basedpaints, paint thinners, cleaning products,fluorescent tubes and bulbs, old medications,motor oil, lead acid and lithium batteries andsolvents. To register and for a complete list ofitems that are accepted, go to rks/HHW.aspx or call the Office of Public Works at217-789-2255.Latex-based paint is NOT accepted becauseit has a low toxicity level and disposal throughhousehold hazardous waste collections isexpensive. Liquid latex paint should not beplaced in your trash, but dried latex paint canbe legally and safely disposed of in the garbage.Use kitty litter to dry out the can. Or, pourpaint in thin layers on a disposable materialand allow to dry. Better yet, use the paint foranother project or donate leftover paint to anindividual or organization that can use it.Registration is open through noon onFriday, Oct. 22. On the day of the collection,you will stay in your vehicle while designatedstaff unload items from your trunk. Enterthrough Gate 6 on Taintor Road at yourdesignated time. Facemasks are required.

Stopping stigmaScholarship honors students who are open about their mental healthHEALTH Rachel OtwellPeople who struggle with mental healthdisorders often also struggle with stigma. Thisyear, Gift of Voice – an Edwardsville-basedtechnical assistance and mental health trainingcenter led by those in mental health recovery –kicked off its Disclosure Scholarship. Winnerswere announced last month. The scholarshipawards students who have gone public withtheir mental health experiences in ways thatpromote dignity. Disclosure is one key tounlocking resources.AJ French, CEO for Gift of Voice, is openabout having attempted suicide multiple timesin the past. “I myself am a person in recovery,and it was the disclosure of other people thathelped me tremendously in my own journey.”French said she found support in herchurch and in mental health treatment. Often,as in her own case, recovery takes a mixtureof various resources. The more the public isaware of ways to support those in need, thebetter. And often, hearing from others whohave struggled is the most effective way toreach those still struggling, said French.The new Disclosure Scholarship, whichwill be offered annually, is one step Gift ofVoice is taking to make discourse aroundmental health a more common and celebratedoccurrence. This year, an anonymous donorhelped initiate the scholarship.Morgan Rondinelli, 26, was one of twowinners. She lives in Bloomington-Normaland is studying creative and professional writing. She is co-founder of Not Alone Notes,a nonprofit that mails handmade cards topeople with obsessive compulsive disorder(OCD) and their caregivers. For several years,Rondinelli has written about her own experience with OCD on her blog, MyOCDVoice.com. Entries on the site include resourcessuch as ways to find OCD specialists and waysto talk about the disorder with loved ones.The insights are personal. While people havedifferent experiences, even when they havethe same diagnosis, firsthand accounts areespecially helpful, echoed Rondinelli.And there is a benefit for Rondinelli as wellwhen it comes to being open about her experiences. “It reduces internalized shame andstigma too, because it’ s easy to be like, ‘Ohwell, I don’ t care what other people think,’but we can still judge ourselves.”When she was a student at University ofMichigan, Rondinelli helped facilitate a showcalled the Mental Health Monologues. “Theywere terrified,” Rondinelli said about thestudents who shared their own experienceson stage. “But after they were done you couldjust see the look of relief on their faces andhow proud they were,” she said. “That reallyshowed me the power of speaking out.”Traci Carrano Jones is the other scholarship winner. She is a Chicago School of Professional Psychology student. “Not disclosingkeeps us shackled and stagnant in life. It holdsus to that stigma that society places upon us,”she said. Carrano Jones is open about herpost-traumatic stress disorder. “I saw opportunities by sharing my own lived experiences tohelp others navigate their struggles,” she said.After the loss of an infant daughter andlater her husband, Carrano Jones said a love ofanimals helped her and her surviving daughtercope with the mental anguish. She started thenonprofit Rise Phoenix Rise, Inc., based inColorado. It also has a focus on peer recovery,where those seeking support learn from otherswho have been through treatment.Peer recovery grantsIn September, the Illinois Department of HumanServices Division of Mental Health announced an 8 million grant meant to enhance career pathways for those in recovery from mental or substance use disorders. Through the grant, the statewill contract with higher education institutions todevelop programs for peer recovery credentials.The grants will be awarded to Illinois collegesand universities to go toward developing curriculathat meets training standards as set by the IllinoisCertification Board Peer Recovery Support Training Program Accreditation Standards, accordingto a news release. The deadline to apply is Oct. 18at noon. The link tinyurl.com/t3fknyz3 containsmore information about the grant and how toapply.French said there are many paths to recovery,and those who gain credentials in peer support aretrained on how to share their own experiences inways that can best help others. “It gives so muchhope and so much encouragement for people toknow that they’re not alone in their own journey,”she said.Contact Rachel Otwell at rotwell@illinoistimes.com.October 7-13, 2021 Illinois Times 5

Work withIllinois Timesto sell yourIn-person andonline eventtickets.Call 217-679-7814or emailmarketing@illinoistimes.comfor a demonstration of our ticketing platform.Keep your dollars local.6 www.illinoistimes.com October 7-13, 2021NEWSSweetening the shotAiming to convince the vaccine-hesitant with incentivesPUBLIC HEALTH Maria GardnerTeresa Haley, president of the Springfield NAACPchapter, lost her father to COVID-19. He diedof complications from the disease in December.“I was only able to see him a few times before hedied and we could not touch him,” Haley toldIllinois Times.The nursing home Haley’s father was living inshut its doors to visitors due to COVID-19. Shesaid her father died before his nursing home hadaccess to vaccines. “It’s terrible,” she said of theinability to comfort her father with an embraceor simple touch of his hand. Haley said havingone-on-one conversations to educate and encourage folks to get the vaccine makes a differencein people’s attitudes about taking the shots. “Ifyou tell people that you’ve gotten the shot, thenyou are living proof” of the vaccine’s safety andefficacy, Haley said.Health providers and community partnershope an upcoming vaccine outreach campaigntied to incentives will improve rates for the lowestvaccinated neighborhoods in the city.Haley said NAACP, a member of the state’sPandemic Health Navigator program, has hostedeight vaccination clinics thus far in Springfield,one per month, and looks forward to this upcoming vaccine outreach effort.Springfield Memorial Hospital, HSHS St.John’s Hospital, SIU School of Medicine and theIllinois Department of Public Health (IDPH),in partnership with the state’s Pandemic HealthNavigators, are planning vaccine sites and outreach with a launch date of Oct. 9. That’s according to Angie Muhs, communications manager forSpringfield Memorial Hospital.Muhs also said that participants will receive a 50 gift card for their choice of either a grocerystore or for City Water, Light and Power afterreceiving each shot. Those who choose the onedose Johnson and Johnson vaccine will receivea 100 gift card. The incentives are funded by agrant from Molina Healthcare, a health insurance company. Proposed sites for the upcomingwalk-in vaccination clinics include the SpringfieldNAACP office, Union Baptist Church and One ina Million Inc.The Springfield ZIP codes with the lowest rateof fully vaccinated population are 62703 at 40%,and 62702 at 48%, according to recent IDPHdata. The percentage of the population fully vaccinated in Sangamon County is 56%, comparedto 65% for the total state population and 56% forthe U.S. population.A billboard near the corner of Laurel and 11th streets features Rev. T. Ray McJunkins of Union Baptist Church and urges thecommunity to get vaccinated. PHOTO BY MARIA GARDNEROutreach efforts will involve community organizations, religious leaders and elected officials,including Ward 2 Ald. Shawn Gregory, Ward 3Ald. Roy Williams, Jr. and Ward 5 Ald. LakeishaPurchase, said Lingling Liu, equity, diversity andinclusion program coordinator for SpringfieldMemorial Hospital. The door-to-door canvassingand social media campaign will focus on majorityBlack communities residing in the targeted areas,Liu said.The Black and Latino community has diedof COVID-19 at higher rates compared to othergroups, according to the U.S. Centers for DiseaseControl and Prevention (CDC). Several factorscontribute to the higher death rates, accordingto Johns Hopkins Medicine, such as living incrowded spaces, having jobs considered essential, alack of access to health care, ongoing health conditions and stress.“Income inequality, discrimination, violenceand institutional racism contribute to chronicstress in people of color that can wear downimmunity, making them more vulnerable toinfectious disease,” according to Johns HopkinsMedicine. Addressing residential segregation, thelack of affordable housing and access to health carecan greatly improve health outcomes in the Blackcommunity, according to the school.Regarding barriers to receiving the vaccine, Liuwrote in an email that “transportation to and fromvaccination sites and access to devices and the internet to schedule vaccine appointments” are some ofthe obstacles. Liu stated this outreach effort aims totackle the transportation issues by hosting sites inthe community where outreach is conducted.Community leaders know they’ll confront fearand misinformation about taking the vaccine withsome hesitancy tied to mistrust of the government,said Michael Williams, president of One in a Million, Inc. – a community resource center.When it comes to distrust in the Black community, examples of medical racism, such as theTuskegee syphilis experiment, come to mind. Fromthe 1930s to the 1970s, the U.S. governmentconducted a study in which about 400 Black men,without their consent, were intentionally untreatedfor syphilis, although there was a readily availablecure, according to the CDC.Williams said he points out to those who arehesitant about getting the vaccine that the shot issimilar to other immunizations taken for community safety. For instance, children get vaccines againstdiseases such as measles and polio “and if they don’thave them, they can’t attend school.”Maria Gardner is a graduate student with the PublicAffairs Reporting program based at University ofIllinois Springfield.

Pope Francis has criticized the Latin Mass and restricted its use, but Springfield Bishop Thomas Paprocki is a leading advocate. Sacred Heart Church on Springfield’s east side has become adestination for families throughout central Illinois who want to worship in the traditional way. PHOTO BY SCOTT REEDERroe v wade poem #2during the great depression my auntcooked for the road crew her husbandworked on: pittance pay for boththey had a toddler couldn’t affordanother child so when my aunt gotpregnant she aborted herself –probably with the time-honoredcoat hanger – got septicemia nearlydied – two weeks in the hospital couldnever have another child never toldour family – how do I know all this? herbest friend confided in me late in herlife and I have told no one till now2021 Jacqueline JacksonLETTERSaltar servers. They wonderwhy church attendance hasdropped? The old ways arenot the best ways.Melinda Franke OrumVia Facebook.com/illinoistimesMASS FOR MENBy definition, the Latin Massis a rejection of Vatican II(“Mass disagreement,” Sept.30). The men of the churchwho reject Vatican II want areturn to the way of life thatrepresses women and peopleof color. They want to returnus to a time when white menwere in control of all things,including the definition ofpublic morality. They seethat the men-only club mayactually come to an end inthe church, and they aredesperate to stop it.Jen D. RockVia Facebook.com/illinoistimesFOID IS INCONSISTENTMy son and I had expiredFOID cards and my coworker had never had one(“Finding fault with FOID,”Sept. 30). We all went onlineusing the same computeron the same day on April 8of this year and applied fora card. My son received hiswithin a month and my coworker received his withinthree months. I have stillnot received mine; when Icheck online it says it’s underreview. I have emailed andhave received no response.Why is mine taking so long?My son and I even live at thesame address. Is it because Iam female? Just thinking itis odd.Leslie CutrightVia illinoistimes.comWe welcome letters. Please includeyour full name, address and telephonenumber. We edit all letters. Send themto editor@illinoistimes.com.NOT THE BEST WAYI was born and raisedCatholic and attendedLittle Flower Grade Schooland Ursuline Academy. Iwas taught by the churchthat only those who werebaptized Catholic couldbe saved. Pope Francis haswelcomed all people to theCatholic Church and BishopThomas Paprocki has not. It’sespecially interesting that theLatin Mass at Sacred Heartdoesn’t even allow females asBIGGER PROBLEMSFOID is the least of Illinois’worries. A national registryof gun serial numbers tied tonames and addresses woulddo much to aid investigatorsof violent crimes. It wouldeventually weed out thecriminals and leave usrespectable owners intact.It’s absurd to me that I canlegally carry a concealedfirearm that can kill 14people, but I can’t legallycarry a concealed knife,baton or throwing star.Scot StahVia illinoistimes.comSLOW PROCESSThe house that WICSChannel 20 filmed for itsreport on blighted propertiesis one block from my house(“Destined for demolition,”Sept. 30). I’ve lived herefor 14 years and it’s beenboarded up since then. It’spitiful the length of time ittakes for the city to take careof the problem.Bryan AymerVia Facebook.com/illinoistimesGREAT PAPERThis past Sunday, my wifeand I drove to Springfieldfrom downtown Chicago tovisit family. They took us tolunch at Casa Real. As wewere leaving, I noticed a fewIllinois Times by the frontdoor. We took several with usto read later. While we weredriving home, my wife couldnot get over what a greatpaper it is. When we gothome, I had a chance to lookit over and agreed with her.Keep up the good work.Tom and Maria GeldmyerChicagoOctober 7-13, 2021 Illinois Times 7

OPINIONCan Don Harmon and JB Pritzker get along?POLITICS Rich MillerAt the end of August, after the Illinois Senatehad been unable to find a consensus on themassive climate/energy bill and punted the issueto the House, I asked Senate President DonHarmon during a press conference why he hadn’taddressed Gov. JB Pritzker’s list of problems, legaland otherwise, with the Senate’s proposal.“I don’t know if the governor’s team understoodhow fundamental some of t

Center. She requested help paying tuition for a college correspondence course. Th e woman, Paula Aiardo, was convicted of fi rst-degree murder in DuPage County and began serving a 35-year sentence in 1999. A disabled woman she was caring for was robbed and killed by her boyfriend, Davis said. Aiardo was convicted as an accessory.