Illinois state officials have launched the Behavioral Health Workforce Education Center located at Southern Illinois University's School of Medicine in Springfield.
The facility was created in partnership with the University of Illinois Chicago's Jane Addams College of Social Work, the Illinois Board of Higher Education and the Illinois Department of Human Services, according to a March 8 news release from the state.
"From care portals and universal screenings to improved coordination of service delivery and increased statewide capacity, we are laying out a plan to build the best behavioral health system in the nation," Gov. J.B. Pritzker said in the release. "We're launching the Behavioral Health Workforce Education Center … It will begin with a $5 million annual investment from the Department of Human Services to help both rural and urban areas of our state address the behavioral healthcare crisis to increase access to effective services for all Illinoisans."
The center was designed to help with Illinois' shortage of behavioral health professionals. Currently, the state has a fraction of workers compared to the population's needs.
Southern Illinois University will be the primary administrative body, and University of Illinois Chicago will serve as the secondary hub, supporting specific data collection and training initiatives. Public and independent universities as well as community colleges in 10 regions will be invited to work with the center.