In early November, it will be one year since Piatt County established a 708 Mental Health Board with funding to support initiatives across the County.

On the WHOW Morning Show Monday, Piatt County Mental Health Center Executive Director, Tony Kirkman, told the Hart Media Group, a lot has been accomplished in the last year, including starting to sort out where the funding they will receive is going to be directed.

Kirkman admits the first year had a lot of learning to be done for himself and the eight-person board that has been established. However, he anticipates the Board finding a groove going into the second full year and the excitement of helping groups and people in Piatt County through the dollars they will collect.

While Kirkman is the Executive Director of the Piatt County Mental Health Center, he is not employed by the 708 Board and is seeking to only guide the new Board as it navigates through its first year in existence.

It was early November of last year that Piatt County voters passed a referendum that would fund the 708 Mental Health Board - an entity in place in many central Illinois counties. Kirkman has been guiding the establishment of the eight-member board since last November.