May proclaimed Mental Health Awareness Month

Governor JB Pritzker proclaimed May as Mental Health Awareness Month in Illinois. The Illinois Department of Human Services (IDHS), the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH), the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE), and the Illinois Children's Behavioral Health Transformation Initiative (CBHTI) are highlighting the important resources offered to residents and families across the state.

“Mental Health Awareness Month represents a time to reflect on how far we’ve come—and recommit to the work ahead,” said Governor JB Pritzker. “Illinois is leading the way in confronting the mental health crisis head-on: we became the first state in the nation to ban prior authorization for inpatient mental health care, we’ve strengthened 988 call center services, expanded capacity, and launched a centralized care portal to connect people with the help they need. My administration remains fully committed to fighting for critical federal dollars to ensure Illinoisans have access to quality mental health care—because mental health is health.”

In partnership with the National Suicide and Crisis Lifeline, the State has offered vital resources through the expanded 988 Lifeline number since 2022. The State also launched the BEACON Children’s Behavioral Health Care Portal, a one-stop online resource connecting families to publicly funded mental health services, to further increase access to behavioral health care this year.

“Mental health is central to individual and community well-being. We believe everyone in Illinois deserves access to mental health services,” said Dulce M. Quintero, IDHS Secretary. “Our goal is to continue to eliminate the stigma around seeking care. The 988 hotline is an important way for anyone in Illinois to get help.”

When residents call or text 988, they are connected with a real person who is trained to provide compassionate, confidential, one-on-one support. Whether someone is dealing with emotional distress, substance use issues, or even thoughts of suicide, Certified Crisis Workers are ready to guide residents to the resources they need, 24 hours a day, seven days a week.