Illinois lawmakers discuss state’s behavioral and mental health care shortage

CHICAGO (WGEM) – Illinois has a shortage of behavioral and mental health care workers and state lawmakers are looking for solutions.

Thursday, the state Senate Behavioral and Mental Health Committee and state House Mental Health and Addiction Committee held a joint hearing in Chicago hearing directly from those working in the field about their struggles.

“We really are at an inflection point when it comes to behavioral health access in Illinois,” said state Rep. Lindsey LaPointe, D-Chicago.

Right now, there are more people seeking mental health treatment but those in the industry said there aren’t enough people to treat them.

“The primary impact of the behavioral health workforce shortage is its impact on the well-being of Illinois’ residents at times when they are most vulnerable. Individuals and families too often search for behavioral health care for themselves or a loved one and give up their search due long wait times, high costs and travel distances,” said Dr. Kari Wolf, the chair of the Department of Psychiatry at the Southern Illinois University School of Medicine.

She said for those who don’t give up trying to find help, it can take several months to see a therapist, six months to see a psychiatrist and over a year for neuropsychological testing.

“Could you imagine waiting six months if you had just been diagnosed with cancer and waiting six months to receive care for that,” Wolf said.

She said Illinois simply doesn’t have enough mental health professionals to meet demand.

She did give lawmakers recommendations to help alleviate the crisis:

• Streamlining licensing
• Expanding pathway and mentorship programs
• Creating new clinical training programs and sites
• Provide postgraduate training for nurse practitioners and physician assistants
• Increase Medicaid reimbursement rates
• Improving the state’s mental health insurance coverage parity law

“At the end of the day, if we don’t have humans in positions and paid jobs that pay decent and well, then even with that willing to seek treatment, people all across Illinois won’t be able to access it,” LaPointe said.

Thursday’s hearing is on the start for committee members. They plan to hold another hearing Feb. 23 in Chicago looking for potential solutions to the crisis.

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