A number of elected officials as well as local chapters of United Way and the National Alliance on Mental Illness joined Turning Point staff, clients and the general public to discuss current challenges and opportunities facing mental health services at the 10th annual Turning Point Town Hall Meeting at 10 a.m. Friday, February 11, at the Skokie Public Library.

The meeting touched on such crucial topics as the State of Illinois’ current budget difficulties, how social service agencies such as Turning Point are coping with financial constraints during tough economic times, and the importance of better identifying and treating those citizens with mental health needs.

Turning Point Behavioral Health Care Center is a non-profit community mental health center serving individuals and families for more than 40 years. In 2006, Turning Point provided more than 31,000 hours of care for nearly 1,000 residents of the City of Chicago and nearby communities including Skokie, Evanston, Niles, Morton Grove, Lincolnwood and Wilmette. Without many of the services provided by Turning Point, as many as two-thirds of these residents would have no access to mental health care.