Title
Resolution approving 2017 Video Gaming revenue grant funding recommendations in the amount of $545,150.50.
Staff Summary
• On August 13, 2013, the Lake County Board adopted the Lake County Video Gaming Ordinance, thereby permitting lawful video gaming within unincorporated areas of Lake County.
• In September 2016, Lake County Board approved the Video Gaming Revenue policy that outlined procedures for: (1) Capturing video gaming administrative, legal, and enforcement costs; and (2) Evaluating and possibly funding social programs, projects (excluding capital improvements), and/or services that benefit Lake County residents.
• Under this policy, Community Development administers and manages the awarded monies from the Video Gaming Management Center consistent with the already-established process used for Community Development Block Grants and Emergency Solutions Grants. Based on Lake County Board Policy, application scoring includes up to 60 points distributed based on the following priorities: 1. Assessment, education and outreach for gambling addiction (60 pts.); 2. Clinical gambling addiction services (45 pts.); 3. Non-clinical gambling addiction services (30 pts.); and 4. Other behavioral health services (15 pts.).
• In September 2016, Community Development received letters of intent for Video Gaming funds totaling $2,100,000 for $545,000 in available funds. Given this level of competition, staff clarified with potential applicants that for agencies not directly serving people suffering from gambling addiction, an increase in behavioral health service capacity was preferred. As a result, twelve programs requested a total of $1,200,000 in funding.
• On February 15, 2017, the Housing and Community Development Commission (HCDC) voted unanimously to recommend approval of 11 of the 12 applicants. Six of the 11 recommended grant recipients were approved for 100 percent of their grant request.
o $150,000 to Nicasa [$75,000 for gambling education and outreach; $75,000 for clinical therapeutic services for gambling addicts];
o $47,697.50 to Catholic Charities to provide counseling for gambling addicts; and
o Several grants to increase capacity of Behavioral Health Services: Lake County Health Department [$120,000]; Erie Family Health Center Tele-Psychiatry [$30,000]; One Hope United [$89,953]; A Safe Place [$35,000]; Community Youth Network [$35,000]; Family Service [$25,000]; YouthBuild [$7,500]; and UCAN [$5,000].
Body
RESOLUTION
WHEREAS, the Illinois Video Gaming Act (230 ILCS 40) establishes a 30-percent tax on gross terminal revenue, of which one-sixth is distributed to the governing body where the revenue was generated; and
WHEREAS, on August 13, 2013, the Lake County Board adopted the Lake County Video Gaming Ordinance, thereby permitting lawful video gaming within unincorporated areas of Lake County; and
WHEREAS, on September 13, 2016, the Lake County Board adopted the Video Gaming Revenue Policy to standardize the reinvestment of video gaming revenue in services to help residents who suffer from gambling addiction and other forms of substance abuse which is a prevalent behavioral health issue.
WHEREAS, on February 15, 2017, the Lake County Housing and Community Development Commission (HCDC) reviewed recommendations by its Public Services Advisory and Recommendation Committee (ARC) and recommended reinvestment of $545,150.50 in Video Gaming Revenue into gambling addiction and capacity-building grants to behavioral health service agencies.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, by this County Board of Lake County, Illinois, that the Video Gaming revenue grants recommended for 2017 be approved.
DATED at Waukegan, Illinois, on this 14th day of March, 2017.