There are few people in Kane County who have touched more lives and helped more people in the past three decades than Jim Otepka.

The TriCity Family Services executive director has almost literally done it all during his 28 years as executive director, from fundraising to organization to staff development to emergency visits for people suffering with depression or mental illness.

And that is one of the many reasons Otepka has been selected as the 2017 recipient of the Lyle E. Oncken Community Service Award.

The award comes at the end of Otepka’s 28 years of service as with TCFS, Kane County’s leading provider of counseling and other mental health services to clients of all ages and all income levels since 1967.

Jim Otepka

“Jim Otepka’s leadership and inspiration have changed thousands of individuals’ lives,” said INC Board Executive Director Jerry Murphy after presenting the award to Otepka on April 7. “(His) lifetime of selfless, servant leadership in the mental health sector has truly left an indelible impact.”

The Lyle E. Oncken Community Service Award was created by the INC Board in 1990 in honor of its retired executive director to recognize individuals or organizations of Aurora, Batavia, Big Rock, Blackberry, Kaneville, Sugar Grove or Virgil Townships who have made outstanding contributions in support of services to persons with mental illness, developmental disabilities or substance abuse disorders within our area.

Otepka’s nomination form shows just how hard Otepka worked and how he had a hand in virtually all of TriCity Family Services’ success stories.

“Through all the years, Jim has maintained a hands-on mentality,” the nomination said. “He has always carried a caseload, always performed the manual labor needed for the maintenance of a building and the programs, he has always gone on emergency calls and he has always had an open door to legions of employees and interns over 28 years, providing inimitable mentorship and guidance.”

• FEATURE PHOTO CAPTION: INC Board Executive Director, Jerry Murphy (left), presents retired TriCity Family Services Executive Director, Jim Otepka (right) with the Lyle E. Oncken Community Service Award after Jim’s last day on April 7, 2017.

About the INC Board

INC Board, NFP is a Community Mental Health Funding Alliance, formerly Mental Health and Mental Retardation Services, Inc., but known throughout the community as INC. The INC Board strives to support mental, intellectual and developmental health and well-being for residents of the seven townships in INC’s alliance by responsibly using these local resources to fund, plan, coordinate, monitor, advocate, educate and lead collaborative efforts for a local system of care that provides services to any resident with mental health concerns, developmental/intellectual disabilities and/or substance use disorders.

About TriCity Family Services

TTriCity Family Services has been Kane County’s leading provider of counseling and other mental health services to clients of all ages and all income levels since 1967.

Its experienced team of professional therapists provides the residents of central Kane County and other neighboring Chicago-area communities with counseling, Family-Based Treatment for Eating Disorders, emotional wellness workshops and support groups, and employee assistance programs.

The organization accepts most major insurance plans, offers sliding-scale fee adjustments, and does not deny services based on an inability to pay.

“We are committed to helping our clients strengthen themselves, their families, and their communities,” its website says.

For more information, call 630-232-1070.