A Piatt County agency is hoping to rebound in 2022 and get valuable information from the bi-annual Illinois Youth Survey.

Tony Kirkman is the Executive Director of the Piatt County Mental Health Center and on the WHOW Morning Show Tuesday told Regional Radio News the survey is voluntary and anonymous polling of Illinois youth through the University of Illinois School of Social Work on the challenges kids face.

The Piatt County Mental Health Center surveys Piatt and DeWitt County youth with a target response of 70-percent. Kirman explains there is almost a four-year gap in data in DeWitt County because the 2020 assessment was not able to take place as schools shut down just a few weeks ahead of the survey getting in front of students. 

Kirkman believes the 2022 survey is going to give those in the social work space - and specifically the mental and emotional wellness sector - a very good outlook as to just how COVID has impacted our youth.

According to Kirkman, they will be looking to get a head start on the survey right away come the first of the year, and then by this time next year, County data will be available and administrators like Kirkman will be able to break it all down and start presenting the information to the community and schools.