A House committee approved a plan last week intended to help behavioral health providers better recruit and maintain staff. 

The legislation from Rep. Lindsey LaPointe, D-Chicago, would create a support grant program to cover providers' expenses related to recruiting, retaining and compensating licensed mental health and substance use disorder professionals. [Health News Illinois]

Another provision would reimburse costs associated with American Sign Language and foreign language interpretive services at mental health treatment and substance use disorder treatment programs

LaPointe told members of the House’s Mental Health & Addiction Committee that providers, specifically those serving Medicaid patients, need support.

“This bill is one tool in the toolbox to attempt to remedy that by creating a grant program for our providers to better recruit and retain the staff that we need to actually provide the support to people all around the state,” she said. 

The bill currently states recipients could receive up to $200,000 in grant funding for each mental health or substance use disorder professional employed, engaged or contracted.

Illinois Association for Behavioral Health CEO Jud DeLoss told committee members they are working on an amendment with clarifying language regarding the grant amount. 

That includes the dollar amount per position, what type of facilities are eligible, a cap on the number of grants an agency could receive and setting a retention period so an agency could not receive funds if an employee only briefly works there.

Additionally, DeLoss said they recently learned that funding for ALS and foreign language services may be eligible for Medicaid reimbursement, and they intend to transition the bill's language to that instead of state funding.

There is an incredible need for the legislation, DeLoss said. Along with the opioid and mental health crises that are driving up demand for services, providers simply have a hard time recruiting and maintaining staff.

“This would give them the option to use those funds in a very flexible manner to meet the needs of their communities and their patients,” he said.

The committee signed off on the plan along party lines. Rep. Jackie Haas, R-Kankakee, wanted to hear more from the Department of Human Services, which is tasked with overseeing the grant program.

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