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1
HOUSE RESOLUTION

 
2    WHEREAS, In Illinois, there are 683,000 people who need
3treatment for a mental illness disorder and only 42.6% received
4care; in Illinois within the last year, approximately 267,000
5individuals aged 12 or older are dependent on or abused drugs,
6including prescription opioids, heroin, fentanyl, and other
7synthetic opioids, and only 11.7% received drug treatment; and
 
8    WHEREAS, Illinois ranks 41st in the nation for mental
9health service coverage provided to children, with only 45% of
10children receiving necessary care; according to Southern
11Illinois Healthcare, there is an average of only one
12psychiatrist available to serve 1.5 million patients; wait
13times to see a psychiatrist in the Illinois community mental
14health system can range from four to six months; and
 
15    WHEREAS, The Illinois Sheriff Association reports that the
16county jails are overflowing due to not having any where to
17send people with mental illness and nonviolent drug offenses;
18on any given day, Cook County Jail is home to 2,500 to 2,800
19mentally ill inmates, making it the largest mental health
20institution in the country; and
 
21    WHEREAS, According to the Illinois Department of
22Healthcare and Family Services, the lack of an adequate

 

 

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1behavioral health workforce attributes to "insufficient
2community behavioral health services capacity"; and
 
3    WHEREAS, According to the federal Health Resources and
4Services Administration (HRSA), Illinois has the 6th largest
5number of mental health professional shortage areas among
6states with 85 of 102 counties in Illinois having areas
7designated as Health Professional Shortage Areas for Mental
8Health Services; Illinois ranks 30th in mental health workforce
9availability with 844 people per mental health worker compared
10to the national median of 752; the average length of time to
11fill an open behavioral health position in many rural counties
12can be as long as 18 months; and
 
13    WHEREAS, In 2011, more than 50 counties that had hospitals
14did not have inpatient psychiatric care and 24 counties did not
15have hospitals; in Illinois, there is a staggering and shameful
16lack of access to behavioral health care represented by a
17shortage of specialists, such as child and adolescent
18psychiatrists, advanced practice nurses, physician assistants,
19and other behavioral health care workers; and
 
20    WHEREAS, The administrative staff cost of providing
21community behavioral health services by community agencies has
22increased dramatically, by as much as two to five times, since
23the advent of Medicaid Managed Care; and
 

 

 

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1    WHEREAS, Individuals, including mothers and children,
2suffering from mental illness or substance use disorders or
3both rely on care and treatment provided by a stable,
4well-trained direct support workforce; and
 
5    WHEREAS, Behavioral healthcare has moved to a new chronic
6care, public health model that recognizes the importance of
7prevention and the primacy of long-term recovery, which
8requires a diverse, skilled, and trained workforce that employs
9a range of workers, including recovery specialists, case
10workers, and highly trained caregivers; therefore, be it
 
11    RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE ONE
12HUNDREDTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we
13declare a Mental Healthcare Emergency in Illinois; and be it
14further
 
15    RESOLVED, That we urge the consideration of a comprehensive
16legislative package to address the community mental health and
17substance disorder workforce and behavioral healthcare access
18crisis in Illinois by the end of the 100th General Assembly;
19and be it further
 
20    RESOLVED, That suitable copies of this resolution be
21presented to Governor Bruce Rauner, Secretary of Human Services

 

 

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1James Dimas, Director of Healthcare and Family Services Felicia
2Norwood, House Speaker Michael Madigan, Senate President John
3Cullerton, House Minority Leader Jim Durkin, and Senate
4Minority Leader Bill Brady.