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Public Information

Freedom of Information Act (FOIA)

 

The Macon County Mental Health Board (the Board) is a public governmental body and required by law to provide public records to persons requesting public records unless those records are exempt from public disclosure by the State of Illinois Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) or any other relevant statute. The Board believes in open government and supports public access to its records. The Board shall comply with all State and Federal laws, rules/regulations and HIPAA requirements to safeguard confidential client information.

Board FOIA Coordinator

The Board’s Executive Director shall be the Board’s designated FOIA coordinator.

Timothy F. Macken

Executive Director

141 S. Main St. Ste 601

Decatur, IL  62523

217.423.6199

tmacken@mcmhb.com

Submitting a FOIA Request

FOIA Request Form

FOIA requests may be submitted in person during regular business hours (excluding holidays) or via mail, facsimile machine or electronic mail. Any request for a document shall be considered a FOIA request, regardless of whether the FOIA is mentioned. The requestor may complete a standardized request form or may submit their own written request for records. Applicants choosing not to use the provided form must provide their full name, currents address, phone number, a detailed account of the documents they are requesting, and whether or not they are requesting the documents for commercial use. Staff shall forward the request to the Board’s FOIA coordinator.​

Response Time for FOIA Requests

When a FOIA request is received, the form shall be immediately forwarded to the FOIA Coordinator. The FOIA Coordinator shall respond within five business days of the receipt of the request.

Should circumstances make it necessary to extend the processing period beyond the initial five business days, the statute allows for an additional 5 business days to complete the request. The Board represented by its designated FOIA coordinator shall notify by letter within the initial five business day period the person making the request of the reasons for the delay and the date by which the records shall be made available or denial shall be forthcoming. Specific allowable circumstances are outlined in Section 3(d)(i-vii) of the Illinois statute. Such circumstances include:

  • The requested records are stored in whole or in part at other locations than the office having charge of the requested records;

  • The request required the collection of a substantial number of specified records;

  • The request is couched in categorical terms and requires extensive search for the records responsive to it;

  • The requested records have not been located in the course of routine search and additional efforts are being made to locate them;

  • The requested records require examination and evaluation by personnel having the necessary competence and discretion to determine if they are exempt from disclosure under Section 7 of this Act or should be revealed only with appropriate deletions.

  • The request for records cannot be complied with by the public body within the time limits prescribed by subsection 3(c) without unduly burdening or interfering with the operations of the body; or

  • There is a need for consultation, which shall be conducted with all practicable speed, with another public body or among two or more components of a public body or among two or more components of a public body having a substantial interest in the determination or in the subject matter of the request.

Preparation and Delivery of Requested Items

 

Requested information shall be provided as hard copies or electronic files, if requested. The Board provides duplicate copies at no cost for the first fifty pages, in black and white letter or legal size, and additional pages for $0.15 per page. For color and/or abnormally sized copies, MCMHB charges the requestor the actual cost for making the copies. If the duplication costs will exceed $5.00, staff will inform the requester of the cost. 

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