Federal lawsuit alleging discrimination filed against Winnebago Co. and its mental health board

ROCKFORD, Ill. (WIFR) – A federal lawsuit filed against the Winnebago County Community Mental Health Board, Winnebago County, Region 1 Planning Council and law firm Zukowski, Rogers, Flood & McArdle (ZRFM) claims systemic discrimination regarding the use of public mental health funding.

In a news release from KIKIFER’s Entrepreneur Academy, 103 W. Main St., the private school says its lawsuit alleges that the WCCMHB and other community leaders repeatedly excluded Black-owned organizations from access to funding for mental health initiatives.

“This isn’t just about KIKIFER’S Entrepreneurial Academy (KEA). This is about every Black-Owned Organization that has been shut out of public mental health funding while millions were funneled to White-Owned Organizations,” said Keishonda Williamson, Executive Director of KEA and lead plaintiff in the case. “They thought we wouldn’t notice. They thought we wouldn’t fight back. Now they have to answer in federal court.”

KEA says the following violations are outlined in its lawsuit:

Title VI of the Civil Rights Act – Prohibits racial discrimination in federally funded programs. WCCMHB knowingly excluded Black-Owned Organizations from funding
Fourteenth Amendment Equal Protection Clause – Requires fair and equitable treatment in public funding. WCCMHB and Winnebago County failed to ensure racial equity in allocations
Illinois Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) Violations – WCCMHB, Winnebago County, R1PC, and ZRFM delayed, redacted, and obstructed access to public records exposing their funding decisions
Conflict of Interest & Government Misconduct – County officials and board members failed to disclose financial ties to White-Owned Organizations receiving funding while refusing to engage with Black-Owned Organizations

In January, KEA was preparing to ask the WCCMHB to reconsider its grant applications so it could create a new mental health facility. At the time, KEA said it had been denied money from the board three times since August.

On its website, the WCCHB lists 38 programs receiving funding. The agency reports $60 million will support programs that “provide any combination of mental health treatment, crisis response services, case management, family and community support, client identification and outreach, and housing services.”

KEA says it will hold a news conference March 12 regarding its lawsuit.

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