Washington Township to Transfer Thriveworks Mental Health Program to Beecher Fire District

Washington Township Board of Trustees Meeting | February 2, 2026

Article Summary: The Washington Township Board is negotiating a handover of its Thriveworks mental health program to the Beecher Fire District to alleviate the program’s growing cost burden on township taxpayers.

Washington Township Mental Health Services Key Points:

• Program costs have risen substantially since the township launched the initiative 18 months ago.

• The Beecher Fire District plans to apply for a Will County Mental Health grant to take full administrative and financial control of the service.

• Washington Township will continue funding the program in the interim to prevent any interruption in care for residents.

• The Township Board may allocate a one-time budget contribution in the 2026-27 cycle to assist the fire district if supplemental funding is needed.

The Washington Township Board of Trustees on Monday, February 2, 2026, discussed an ongoing transition plan that would transfer full control of the Thriveworks mental health program to the Beecher Fire District, a move aimed at preserving the vital service while mitigating rising costs for township taxpayers.

Township Supervisor Mike Stanula and Clerk Joseph Burgess recently met with Beecher Fire District Deputy Chief Tim McGannon and Fire Chief Joe Fallaschetti to outline a long-term strategy for the program. The township initiated the mental health partnership with Thriveworks approximately 18 months ago, but the service’s cost has grown substantially over time.

According to the meeting minutes, the financial burden had reached a point where the township board was actively considering terminating the program entirely unless an outside grant could be secured to offset the expense to taxpayers.

Under the newly proposed arrangement, the Beecher Fire District would act as the primary agency, applying directly for a Will County Mental Health grant. If awarded, the fire district would assume full control of the program, allowing the agency to recover some of the labor and administrative costs associated with running the initiative.

To ensure residents do not experience a gap in mental health services during the transition, Washington Township will maintain its current agreement with Thriveworks and continue to fund the program until the fire district successfully receives its grant funding. Once the county grant is secured, the township will formally cancel its contract with Thriveworks, and the fire district will enter into a new, independent agreement with the mental health provider.

While the financial responsibility will ultimately shift away from the township, officials noted they want to ensure the fire district is fully supported. The board discussed the possibility of adding supplementary funding to the township’s 2026-27 budget to assist the fire district if needed. The board agreed that any future financial assistance provided to the fire district would be structured as a strict one-time payment that would not exceed the budgeted total.