Illinois Behavioral Health Workforce Center (BHWC)
Established by the 2021 Health Care and Human Services Reform Act, the Illinois Behavioral Health Workforce Center strengthens Illinois’s behavioral health system through a hub-and-spoke model led by SIU Medicine and UIC’s Addams College of Social Work.
Publications
The Illinois Behavioral Health Workforce Center (BHWC) Biennial Legislative Report highlights statewide progress from FY23–FY25 to strengthen Illinois’s behavioral health workforce through data-driven planning, strategic partnerships, and targeted investments in recruitment, education, retention, quality of care, and policy engagement.
The report documents significant workforce shortages—particularly in Central and Southern Illinois—along with persistent challenges related to access to supervision, workforce preparedness, burnout, and retention.
It details BHWC’s efforts to expand workforce data infrastructure, grow career pathways, enhance training and supervision, support evidence-based practices, and inform legislative and regulatory solutions.
The Illinois Behavioral Health Workforce Center (BHWC) Strategic Plan, FY26–FY28, presents a statewide roadmap to expand, diversify, and strengthen Illinois’ behavioral health workforce amid growing demand for mental health and substance use services.
Grounded in extensive stakeholder engagement and data analysis, the plan outlines six strategic goals focused on workforce education and training, career pathways, policy development, pre-career awareness, financial accessibility, and provider retention.
Led by Southern Illinois University School of Medicine and the University of Illinois Chicago, BHWC serves as a convener, data resource, and capacity builder, working with state agencies, educators, providers, and communities to ensure that all Illinois residents have access to a skilled, equitable, and sustainable behavioral health workforce.