Pritzker launches children’s behavioral health initiative

CHICAGO, Ill. (WIFR) - Governor Pritzker announced on Friday the Children’s Behavioral Health Transformation Initiative.

The governor tasked the initiative with building a coordinated, inter-agency approach to ensure young people with significant behavioral health needs have access to services they need to thrive while giving parents, guardians, and family members transparency of the process.

The initiative is expected to have a transformation blueprint by the end of 2022.

“I’m launching the Children’s Behavioral Health Transformation Initiative to evaluate and redesign the systems that support our most vulnerable kids and adolescents – so that down the line, Illinois families will be better able to access holistic, wraparound support for children in need,” said Governor JB Pritzker. “Under the leadership of nationally recognized child welfare expert Dana Weiner, PhD, and six state agency heads, this Initiative will deliver a transformative blueprint by the end of the year.”

Pritzker has named Chapin Hall child welfare expert Dana Weiner, PhD, as Director of the Children’s Behavioral Health Transformation Initiative.

“Illinois has a strong foundation on which to build; we need an intentional, coordinated strategy that leverages the strengths of our human service agencies, providers and communities to provide families with consistent, accessible, transparent solutions to the challenges they face,” said Children’s Behavioral Health Transformation Director Dana Weiner. “We can do better for our children and families – we must do better.”

During the pandemic, the need for improvements to the state’s approach on children’s behavioral health became more urgent. This program will evaluate and redesign delivery of behavioral health services for children and adolescents in the state of Illinois.

“Children across Illinois have far too long paid the price for a lack of comprehensive mental and behavioral health care in this state,” said supporter of the initiative, State Senator Karina Villa (D-West Chicago). “I look forward to joining the dedicated team at Chapin Hall in seeking effective solutions for our children and their families.”

The Children’s Behavioral Health Transformation Initiative will examine:

Needs of children requiring behavioral health services
Allocation of resources to meet needs within existing programs
Pathways for accessing needed services
Eligibility requirements for levels of care
Decision-making practices for allocation of resources
Alignment of policies, rules, regulations to support transparent, efficient, and effective service delivery
Barriers to effective interagency coordination
Infrastructure needs to support new pathways and existing programs
Best practices from other comparable child-serving systems across the country

Data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) found that children’s mental health-related emergency department visits increased and remained elevated through October 2020. Compared with 2019, the number of mental health-related visits for children aged 5-11 and 12-17 years increased 24 percent and 31 percent.

Statewide, nearly 17,800 students ages 3-21 are eligible for special education services for emotional disability. 19,000 students with disabilities have a behavior intervention plan included in their individualized education plan.

Currently, more than 100,000 students with disabilities receive social work, psychological, or counseling services in the state of Illinois.

“The Illinois Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics is thrilled about the Governor’s investment in addressing the children’s mental health crisis in Illinois,” said Mary Dobbins, MD, FAAP President, Illinois Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics. “As pediatricians, we see children and families every day who are struggling and needing help to navigate complex systems of care to obtain the services and support they need. We look forward to working closely with Dr. Weiner and the state in tackling this urgent issue.”