The Illinois Behavioral Health Workforce Center (BHWC) released its FY26–28 Strategic Plan, a comprehensive roadmap to strengthen and sustain the state’s behavioral health workforce. The plan outlines targeted investments and coordinated initiatives to address workforce shortages, diversify care and expand access to high-quality behavioral health services across Illinois. Key strategies include strengthening entry pathways, enhancing training and education systems and supporting the retention of current professionals.
Through these efforts, the BHWC aims to meet the growing demand for services while improving outcomes for individuals and families statewide.
“As we look ahead, this plan helps align our teams and partners around a shared vision. It ensures we are not only responding to current needs but anticipating future ones.” said Chief Executive Officer Dr. Kari Wolf.
The FY26–28 Strategic Plan is grounded in a clear vision and mission:
Vision
Illinois’s behavioral health workforce will have the capacity and skills to meet the needs of all state residents.
Mission
The BHWC will increase access to effective behavioral health services through coordinated initiatives that recruit, educate and retain behavioral health professionals.
Illinois continues to face significant workforce challenges, including shortages across multiple professions and regions of the state. Nearly 9.8 million Illinoisans (78%) live in areas with a shortage of mental health providers, and the current workforce is sufficient to meet only 24% of the need.
Together, these gaps highlight both the scale and urgency of the challenge.
“We don’t have enough people entering the workforce, we don’t have enough people staying in the workforce and we don’t have enough people staying in Illinois,” Wolf said.
Access challenges are especially acute in rural and underserved communities, where provider shortages can be extreme.
“In some regions of Illinois, there may be only one psychiatrist serving an entire area—these gaps are real, and they directly impact access to care,” said Executive Director Dr. Cynthia Baker.
The BHWC plays a central role in aligning health care providers, educational institutions and community partners to address these challenges and build a more sustainable workforce.
At the center of the BHWC’s strategy are six priorities that will guide investments and action through FY28:
To implement these priorities, the BHWC will focus on key initiatives designed to strengthen the workforce across the continuum:
Workforce pipeline development
Expanding pathways into behavioral health careers by engaging students and early-career professionals and increasing awareness of career opportunities.
“We want it to be easy for someone to say, ‘I want a career in behavioral health,’ and actually be able to follow that path all the way to practice.” – Dr. Kari Wolf
Workforce training and education
Enhancing professional training opportunities and supporting skill development to ensure a highly qualified and adaptable workforce.
“Some people come out of school and they haven’t learned what they really feel like they need to know to be successful. We’re looking at what those curricular gaps are and how we help schools fill those in.” – Dr. Kari Wolf
Workforce data and research
Expanding workforce data dashboards and publishing statewide reports to inform policy, planning and investment decisions.
“Right now, we’re often reacting to workforce shortages. We want to be able to project and plan for what the workforce will look like five or ten years from now.” – Dr. Kari Wolf
Community partnerships
Strengthening collaboration with health care providers, academic institutions and workforce development programs to align efforts and maximize impact.
“We have to build the workforce from both the top down and the bottom up by creating pathways while also strengthening advanced training.” – Dr. Cynthia Baker
In addition to expanding the pipeline, the strategic plan emphasizes the importance of retaining existing professionals and improving working conditions across the field. When experienced professionals leave the field, it disrupts care continuity and places additional strain on those who remain.
“People go into this profession to help others, not to navigate administrative burdens. That mismatch is driving burnout,” Wolf said.
Addressing retention challenges is essential to long-term workforce sustainability.
“If we don’t address burnout and retention, it’s like trying to fill a bucket with a hole in it. You have to keep adding people just to stay where you are,” Baker said.
The BHWC’s FY26–28 Strategic Plan represents a significant step forward in addressing workforce challenges and expanding access to behavioral health services. By fostering collaboration and investing in long-term workforce development, the center is committed to strengthening the system and supporting healthier communities across Illinois.
This work is about building a sustainable system that continues to grow, support its workforce and meet the needs of Illinois communities for years to come. With a clear strategy in place, the BHWC is positioned to drive meaningful, lasting change across the state’s behavioral health landscape.
