State of Illinois recognizes May as Mental Health Awareness Month
[May 02, 2025]
CHICAGO—Today, 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.
“Mental health is public health, and we cannot have a truly healthy
state without access to mental health services,” said IDPH Director Dr.
Sameer Vohra. “We are proud to partner with our colleagues across state
agencies and with Illinois communities to raise awareness of existing
mental health resources during this important month, and to work to
ensure that everyone in Illinois can find the help they need to live
full, happy, and healthy lives.”
"Mental health is health — and it’s just as important as academics when
it comes to helping students thrive,” said State Superintendent of
Education Dr. Tony Sanders. “Mental Health Awareness Month is a powerful
reminder of our responsibility to support the well-being of every
student in Illinois. We are proud to partner on vital resources like the
988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline and the BEACON portal, which connect
families directly to mental health services and community-based
resources. Every student deserves to feel safe, supported, and ready to
succeed. By investing in mental health, we are investing in safer
schools, stronger communities, and brighter futures for all Illinois
students.”
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BEACON is a centralized resource for Illinois youth and families
seeking services for behavioral health needs. It’s common for young
people to struggle with behavioral and mental health challenges. The
portal allows a parent or guardian to obtain information about a
range of services, from a simple listing of available programs to
community-based services in their area, to the assistance of a
Resource Coordinator who can help identify additional resources for
children in need. The portal also provides access to Parent
Navigators who can give further assistance, particularly in
connecting families to school-based services.
“In Illinois we are making great progress improving our ability to
respond to youth who are struggling with mental health challenges
and to support their families with tools and resources, so that
everyone who needs it can receive timely assistance,” said Dr. Dana
Weiner, Director of the Children's Behavioral Health Transformation
Initiative. “We know that in the past, children and families have
struggled to find appropriate and timely services for behavioral
health needs; we are working hard to improve our ability to support
families with new tools and services so that more youth can receive
the care they need.”
BEACON also provides Illinois families with information about
available behavioral health services for children and adolescents,
centralizing resources from the following agencies:
• Illinois Department of Human Services (IDHS)
• Illinois Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS)
• Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE)
• Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH)
• Illinois Department of Healthcare and Family Services (HFS)
• Illinois Department of Juvenile Justice (IDJJ)
IDHS encourages individuals and organizations to share these
important mental health resources that are available.

About the 988 Lifeline
If you or someone you know is feeling overwhelmed, experiencing a
mental health or substance use crisis, or having thoughts of
suicide, call or text 988. For additional information and the 988
partner toolkit,
click
here.
About the BEACON Children’s Behavioral Health Care Portal
For additional information about the centralized resource for
connecting Illinois families with local providers and state-funded
programs, visit
beacon.illinois.gov.
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