FY26 was a year of growth for the Illinois Behavioral Health Workforce Center, as BHWC expanded its reach across Illinois, strengthened partnerships and invested in the education, training and support of the behavioral health workforce.
Most importantly, this progress has created a strong foundation for the BHWC FY26–FY28 Strategic Plan and our next phase of statewide impact.
During FY26, BHWC initiatives engaged more than 3,800 behavioral health professionals, supported 81 trainings and events, and generated more than 1,400 enrollments in asynchronous learning opportunities, with nearly 1,000 course completions. Together, these opportunities bolstered knowledge, skills and connections among behavioral health professionals throughout Illinois.
We also broadened our commitment to supporting the workforce across the career continuum — from introducing young people to behavioral health careers to reinforcing the skills and retention of experienced professionals.
Our career awareness pilot reached 390 students and 14 educators across 13 schools, helping students learn about behavioral health professions and the many pathways in the field. At the same time, BHWC continued developing resources and partnerships to make those pathways more visible, accessible and understandable.
For those already in the field, we expanded professional development, supervision and retention initiatives. Our Clinical Supervision Pilot supported 29 behavioral health professionals, addressing an important barrier on the path toward independent licensure. BHWC also continued investing in innovative approaches to clinical training through ECHO programs, learning collaboratives, simulation-based training and evidence-based practice initiatives.
Another major milestone was the completion of the 2025 Illinois Behavioral Health Workforce Report, providing an important statewide picture of workforce supply, needs and opportunities. Work also advanced on the BHWC Unified Reporting Platform and statewide workforce data collection. Together, these efforts are building the infrastructure needed to inform education, training, policy, investment and workforce development decisions.
Our reach also grew through the BHWC website, job board, financial resources, communications and employer engagement efforts — connecting behavioral health professionals, students, educators and organizations with practical workforce resources.
None of these accomplishments happens in isolation. Collaboration remains central to the BHWC mission. Throughout the year, we worked alongside state agencies, educational institutions, behavioral health providers, professional organizations, community partners, advisory groups and national workforce leaders. These partnerships amplify our collective ability to identify challenges and develop solutions responsive to the needs of Illinois communities.
As we move forward, the BHWC FY26–FY28 Strategic Plan provides a clear roadmap for the next phase of our work. Our six strategic goals focus on:
Together, these priorities reflect a comprehensive approach to workforce development that fortifies the pipeline while supporting the professionals already serving Illinois communities.
This year reinforced for us that strengthening Illinois’ behavioral health workforce requires investment at every stage — from helping students see themselves in behavioral health careers to supporting the professionals already providing care. Our accomplishments demonstrate what is possible when workforce development is approached as a coordinated effort. They also remind us that meaningful change requires sustained collaboration.
We enter this next chapter with robust partnerships, better data, expanded programs, greater visibility and a strategic framework connecting our work around a shared vision: an Illinois behavioral health workforce with the capacity and skills to meet the needs of all state residents.
Thank you to the behavioral health professionals, educators, students, employers, state leaders, community organizations and partners who contributed to this work. Your expertise, participation and commitment continue to shape the direction of the BHWC.
Together, we are not simply responding to today’s behavioral health workforce challenges. We are building the workforce Illinois will need for the future.
Written by Cynthia Baker, EdD, LCSW
Executive Director, Illinois Behavioral Health Workforce Center
Dr. Cynthia Baker leads statewide initiatives to strengthen and expand Illinois’ behavioral health workforce, bringing more than two decades of experience in executive leadership, clinical services, higher education and policy alignment. Her work focuses on workforce development, strategic partnerships and cross-sector collaboration to build sustainable behavioral health systems across Illinois.
