09.29.23

Durbin, Duckworth Announce $8 Million to Expand Access to Behavioral Health Treatment

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) and U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) today announced $8,000,000 for Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinics (CCBHC) through the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). CCBHCs are required to serve anyone who seeks care for mental health or substance use, regardless of their ability to pay, place of residence, or age—including developmentally appropriate care for children and youth.

“Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinics are a lifeline for countless individuals and families who are grappling with the challenges of mental health conditions or addiction,” said Durbin.“Thanks to this federal investment, these clinics can grow as pillars of hope and healing in our neighborhoods across Illinois, providing mental health services to those in need.”

“Increasing access to trauma-informed, community-based and equity-centered treatment—regardless of neighborhood and income—is a critical piece of creating hope and stability forfamilies across Illinois,” Duckworth said. “I’ll keep working to help ensure mental health services, which are vital to the health of our nation, have the federal resources to continue helping Americans in need.”

The following CCBHCs were awarded funding:

  • Centerstone of Illinois, Inc: $2,000,000
  • Pillars Community Health: $1,000,000
  • North Central Behavioral Health Systems, Inc: $1,000,000
  • Thresholds: $2,000,000
  • Sinnissippi Centers, Inc: $1,000,000
  • The Center for Human Services, Inc: $1,000,000

In June 2022, President Biden signed the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act (BSCA) into law, which Durbin and Duckworth both supported. In addition to gun safety reforms, BSCA provides more than $3 billion for school-based mental health and trauma-informed care, including for the Certified Community Behavioral Health Center program.

-30-