Care Reimagined: Illinois Launches NEW Unified Substance Use & Behavioral Health Division

jameliahand
Jul 1
3 min read

By Jamelia Hand MHS CADC CODP I

This week, Illinois steps forward by elevating Mental Health and Substance Use Services together. As advocates and consultants who serve providers, we’re not just witnessing the shift, we’re helping shape it and we couldn’t be more thrilled!

We serve on several community and statewide advisory committees made up of diverse stakeholders including but not limited to state leaders, providers, people with lived experience, researchers, and community advocates. At one recent meeting, we weren’t just reacting to the merger of Illinois’ Divisions of Mental Health (DMH) and Substance Use Prevention and Recovery (SUPR), we were proactively considering what this historic moment could mean for care delivery.

There were hard questions and heartfelt stories. One stakeholder with lived experiences shared how fractured her experience had been trying to access mental health support in one system and substance use treatment in another. Her words centered us. The merger isn’t just administrative, it’s personal.

It reminded us all: we’re not just watching a new division form, we’re building the future of behavioral health in Illinois together. Exciting times!

A Cultural Shift in Real Time

Illinois has officially launched the Division of Behavioral Health and Recovery which is a consolidation of the former Divisions of Mental Health (DMH) and Substance Use Prevention and Recovery (SUPR).

While this change holds promise for providers and clients alike, it also calls for patience. Merging two distinct departments, each with its own policies, systems, regulatory oversight, and cultures, is no small task. Providers must understand that the entire culture is shifting in real time, both inside the new division and throughout the provider community.

This is the moment to move from parallel systems to coordinated care.

Integration Reflects the Reality of Our Clients

• Nearly 9.2 million adults in the U.S. experience co-occurring mental illness and substance use disorders each year.

• Integrated treatment is now the national standard for quality care, and Illinois is aligning accordingly.

• Many states already operate under joint behavioral health structures. Illinois’ move brings us in step with national best practices.

As providers, this is not just a shift in structure, it’s a shift in how we serve.

Leadership That Listens

This transition is being led by thoughtful, experienced professionals who understand the needs of our field. Director Dr. David Albert and Assistant Director Dr. Rafael Rivera (leaders from both DMH and SUPR) bring deep commitment to equitable access, quality care, and transparency.

These aren’t just bureaucratic changes. Our CEO has worked closely with both leaders and these are people who care deeply about providers, clinicians, and the individuals we serve.

What Providers Can Do Now

Here are a few focus areas followed by action steps:

Training

Cross-train staff on co-occurring disorders and integrated care practices.

Billing

Begin reviewing documentation to ensure billing practices align across MH/SUD.

Compliance

Prepare for audits that look at continuity of care.

Culture

Facilitate internal discussions on values, collaboration, and person-centered care.

Advocacy

Participate in advisory groups, town halls, and comment periods.

Be Patient and Stay Engaged

Major systems changes take time. There will be uncertainty, revisions, and a few growing pains. But Illinois has made it clear: the aim is efficiency, alignment, and equity not erasure of the important distinctions within mental health and SUD treatment.