Community Behavioral Healthcare Association

03/06/2026

“We do not have nearly enough crisis stabilization units or ‘living rooms,’ which are the places to go that are not jail and not a hospital,” LaPointe told a gathering of mental health advocates last month.

CBHA remains committed to strengthening Illinois’ Behavioral Health Crisis Continuum and are proud to work alongside Rep. Lindsey LaPointe, Inseparable, NAMI Illinois, and other partners to pass HB4893.

This legislation would require commercial insurance companies to pay into the state’s 988 Trust Fund to support behavioral healtth mobile crisis response teams and stabilization units for Illinoisans.

Currently, these critical services are largely funded through state grants and Medicaid. HB4893 would help create a more sustainable, shared funding model so that the crisis care system can continue to respond quickly and effectively when people need help most.

@ Rep Lindsey LaPointe
NAMI Illinois

The Bridges of Colorado program aims to aid defendants in lower-level criminal cases, to prevent unprovoked attacks like those spotlighted in a Sun-Times Watchdogs investigation last year — with the goal of saving lives while also saving money.

03/06/2026

"Many parents have heard about fentanyl. But fewer know that new synthetic opioids are already taking its place in the illegal drug supply. One fast-growing group is called orphine analogues, or simply “orphines.”

These drugs are extremely strong, hard to detect, and linked to a rising number of fatal overdoses across the United States and Canada."

Orphines are new synthetic opioids showing up in pills and other drugs—some stronger than fentanyl. Learn signs of overdose, naloxone tips, and how to talk with your child.

03/05/2026

"The Winnebago County Community Mental Health Board has awarded $1.6 million in funding to nine community-based organizations that work to connect mental health services to underserved people in Winnebago County."

By Kevin Haas Rock River Current Get our mobile app ROCKFORD — The Winnebago County Community Mental Health Board has awarded $1.6 million in funding to nine community-based organizations that work to connect mental health services to underserved people in Winnebago County. The funding comes from ...

02/20/2026

"The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development on Thursday proposed a rule that would limit public housing mostly to citizens, which advocates fear could lead to tens of thousands of people being evicted."

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development on Thursday proposed a rule that would limit public housing mostly to citizens, which advocates fear could lead to tens of thousands of people b…

02/20/2026

Congratulations, Theresa, on your 40th anniversary as Chief Operating Officer at Metropolitan Family Services! Your compassionate leadership and unwavering commitment have made a profound difference in so many lives.

02/19/2026

Our CBHA team was proud to join colleagues from the Health and Human Services Coalition for a budget address watch party.

We are grateful that Governor Pritzker has recognized that behavioral health care is not a discretionary expense—it is a lifeline.

His commitment to maintaining this funding amid significant budget pressures safeguards access to critical mental health and substance use disorder services for tens of thousands of Illinoisans who rely on them every day.

Nevertheless, while progress has been made in recent years, Illinois is still working to recover from years of chronic disinvestment. The state must commit to a sustained, long-term funding strategy to fully strengthen and stabilize its behavioral health system.

02/13/2026

02/13/2026

"Heritage Behavioral Health Center is launching a new crisis line.

When people call 217-217-HBHC (4242) it will immediately go to the 24/7 Crisis Call Center connecting directly to crisis staff."

Heritage Behavioral Health Center is launching a new crisis line.

02/11/2026

CBHA was proud to attend today’s Behavioral Health Workforce Center event, Staff Retention in Action: A Toolkit for Behavioral Health Workforce Success.

We loved hearing from our members about how they’re creating and implementing systems that support staff and strengthen positive workplace culture.

Shoutout to Jeff Lata (DuPage County Health Department) for sharing insights on investing in key roles, and Maria Kooistra and Lyzbeth Surber (Adapt of Illinois) for highlighting strategies to build, support, and sustain the behavioral health workforce.