As the severity of the child mental health crisis came into full view during the COVID-19 pandemic, Illinois state officials became serious about writing policy that could help transform how families and children find and access treatment in communities across the state. [Crains]

The effort is led by Dana Weiner, who is working for Gov. J.B. Pritzker's office on loan from the Chapin Hall Center for Children at the University of Chicago, where she's long studied behavioral health and well-being in children.  

Now, as Illinois' chief officer for children's behavioral health transformation, Weiner has spearheaded a report that outlines the state's various plans for addressing the child mental health crisis. The report, ambitiously titled "Blueprint for Transformation," calls for state agencies to better collaborate on expanding mental health service capacity, making services easier to find on a comprehensive website and providing intervention earlier, among other things. 

Download Blueprint for Transformation report here> 

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