Public invited as Cook County advisory councils weigh merger

For several years, Cook County has had two advisory councils: the Cook County Local Mental Health Advisory Council and the Public Health and Human Services Advisory Council. In June, the councils will again consider merging.

The two councils will meet on June 9 at 1 p.m. to discuss their future as separate entities and how to best engage the community.

“The thought process around considering whether to merge them again is really trying to clarify our mission, our vision, how it is that we, these councils, do the work of supporting our department and understanding and advising our department,” Public Health and Human Services Director Grace Grinager told WTIP.

Both councils have routinely called for more public participation, which Grinager said has declined over time. The meeting presents an opportunity for the councils to consider ways to increase participation throughout the county.

Grinager said the June 9 meeting is also a good opportunity for the public to learn what the advisory councils do and the services they provide to the community.

Grinager referenced the transition to First Call for Help providing mobile crisis response services in the county as an example of a situation in which the councils were able to provide input and feedback on a public health decision.

“We do have some decisions, some things where just we have to do them the way that the state sets out the rules for us, ” Grinager said, “but in other areas where we do have a choice, it’s helpful to engage people in the community to help us make those choices.”

The chairs of Cook County’s advisory councils also sit on the Public Health and Human Services Board alongside county commissioners.

The Public Health and Human Services Advisory Council is also losing a longtime member, Jerry Lilja.

“We want to really thank him for his many, many years of service on our advisory boards,” Gringaer told WTP. “We’re really grateful for all the years that he’s served on our advisory councils, and wishing him all the best.”

WTIP spoke with Grinager about her updates from the latest Public Health and Human Services Board meeting.  You can find the audio of that conversation below.

Josh Hinke June 3, 2026