Illinois Department of Human Services receives $7.6M 988 and Behavioral Health Crisis Services Programs from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration

Illinois 988 capacity building project - the Illinois Department Of Human Services/division of behavioral health and recovery (dbhr) will utilize the Illinois 988 capacity building grant to continue the expansion of capacity of Illinois lifeline contact centers (lccs) to respond to calls, texts and chats from illinoisans to the 988 suicide and crisis lifeline, as well as engage in additional activities to improve the 988 system in Illinois. This includes an investment in a comprehensive 988 communication strategy, enhancing data collection across all lccs, further coordinating the 988 infrastructure with the larger behavioral health crisis continuum of care, and enhancing capacity for post-988 contact follow-up to illinoisans. Through inter-agency and partner engagement and planning, dbhr will ensure that the 988 system is fully prepared to assist individuals with substance use needs and will develop plans for quality assurance and measures of effectiveness and return on investment analysis. Illinois is a large state geographically with a total of 102 counties across 57,915 square miles and a population estimated at 12.8 million people. With the assistance of the current SAMHSA funded Illinois 988 capacity grant, dbhr has successfully established statewide coverage of contact centers, and has seen a rise from an 18% answer rate in june 2022 to 89% in may 2026, a success which is expected to continue as dbhr partners with lccs currently doing this work in Illinois. With the award of this grant, dbhr is confident we can provide all illinoisans experiencing a behavioral health crisis with the immediate and effective responses needed from contact takers who are familiar with the state's unique culture. Based on data provided by vibrant on contacts from illinoisans, it is estimated that a total of 174,153 illinoisans will benefit from this program on an annual basis.