SPRINGFIELD (WIFR) – Illinois leaders and mental health advocates will hold a roundtable to discuss future improvements to mental health services.
On Wednesday, the Child Behavioral Health Transformation Initiative welcomed state leaders to the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library. The conference, held during Mental Health Awareness Month, reviewed the state’s efforts to support mental health services and celebrated graduates of the Certified Recovery Support Specialist program.
In 2022, Governor JB Pritzker launched a transformative initiative to increase access to mental health services for Illinois youth. During the meeting, the transformation team highlighted its work with the BEACON portal, a one-stop online resource that connects families to publicly funded mental health services. The BEACON initiative is scheduled to launch this summer.
Leaders also discussed the Mental Health Bill of Rights, a set of goals to ensure all Illinoisans have access to trauma-informed, evidence-based care when needed.
As part of Mental Health Awareness Month, the Transformation Initiative collaborated on a Spotify playlist of songs from mental health advocacy organizations in Illinois. Listeners who are learning how to manage stress are encouraged to tune in and remember to be awesome.
• aNote: listen to your breathing
• WC: Be aware of your thoughts.
• EHug: Stay in the moment
• Sense: savor the sights, sounds, and tastes
• ○CAUTION: Be aware of your surroundings
• Move: stretch or exercise one’s body
• EExperience: Get outside in nature
Interested listeners can watch here.
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