State Representative Lindsey LaPointe, Chair of the IL House Mental Health and Addiction Committee, hosted two joint committee hearings on January 25 and February 23 with the Senate Behavioral Health Committee to discuss the current behavioral health workforce shortage and efforts to address the shortage in the future.
Testimony was provided by the BHWC, local behavioral health providers, state agency leaders, and state associations working to improve the behavioral health workforce. Please click the link to review written testimony provided at both hearings.
View the data and references from the Legislative Testimony.
This is the first report to the Illinois General Assembly to summarize the activities of the Center by December 1 of every odd numbered year.
Cook County – like the State of Illinois and the US overall – is experiencing a behavioral health (BH) workforce crisis. That is, there are not enough providers available to prevent, diagnose, and treat mental health and substance use disorders, as well as life stressors and crises, to meet the population’s need for these services.
This report addresses the BH workforce shortage in Cook County. It provides a needs assessment and framework for action to attract and retain essential behavioral health professionals.
View the dashboard to see data gathered showing the current availability of behavioral healthcare providers of different types in different regions across the state.
The task force report was sent to the Illinois General Assembly regarding the Illinois behavioral health workforce crisis and recommended solutions to grow, recruit and retain a qualified, modern, diverse, and evolving behavioral health workforce: Response to House Bill 5111 (PA 100-0767)
Initiated in 2022 by the Illinois Department of Human Services (IDHS), the Certified Recovery Support Specialist (CRSS) Success Program provides comprehensive support and training to prepare CRSS behavioral health professionals to enter the workforce. This evaluation assessed CRSS Success Program students’ readiness for practice through surveys completed by internship supervisors.
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