Mental health is in crisis in Illinois. A joint committee of state lawmakers Thursday heard about the problems.
“Sixteen percent of young adults aged 18-25 in Illinois report a substance use disorder,” said Sonya Leathers, a professor at University of Illinois Chicago’s Jane Addams College of Social Work. “High quality, accessible behavioral health services are critically needed to meet these needs.
“Unfortunately, too many people never receive services.”
Providers are in short supply in Illinois, said Dr. Kari Wolf, chair of the psychiatry department at Southern Illinois University School of Medicine.
“Could you imagine waiting six months if you had just been diagnosed with cancer to receive care? There are not enough providers to meet the volume of individuals who need mental health care in this state.”
Suggestions: streamline the licensing process; and find a way to fund psychiatric internship programs.