SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (WAND) — Illinois has a significant shortage of providers for mental healthcare and substance use treatment. State lawmakers hope to create a grant program to help recruit and retain these critical workers.
Medicaid reimbursement rates in Illinois only cover roughly 50% of the costs of behavioral healthcare. Rep. Lindsey LaPointe (D-Chicago) told the House Mental Health & Addiction Committee Friday that the cost of hiring and retaining these providers has risen dramatically in recent years due to the short supply of qualified people, the COVID-19 pandemic and increased need for treatment.
The cost of hiring and retaining these providers has risen dramatically in recent years due to the short supply of qualified people, the COVID-19 pandemic and increased need for treatment.
"Then you later add Medicaid managed care on top of that so the providers we’re talking about like Centerstone, who are trying to employ psychiatrists, and LCSWs and certified alcohol and drug counselors, are really constrained with the amount of dollars they are able to pay their staff," LaPointe said.
House Bill 4665 could provide up to $200,000 of grant funding to community behavioral healthcare clinics to support their providers. Advocates said the legislation could also help reimburse costs associated with American Sign Language and foreign language interpreting services at mental health and substance use treatment programs across the state.
"This could be a Medicaid match. We wouldn’t see the American Sign Language foreign interpretation services as a grant-funded opportunity," said Jud DeLoss, CEO of the Illinois Association for Behavioral Health. "If it is Medicaid match, we very much believe that the state should receive the benefit of the federal match."
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The Illinois Department of Human Services would be responsible for administering the grant program despite concerns from some House Republican leaders.
"That puts a lot of administrative burden on already burdened agencies," said Rep. Jackie Haas (R-Bourbonnais). "So, I do have a little bit of concern about putting additional burdens on agencies by going through that process, particularly the small organizations."
This proposal passed out of the House Mental Health & Addiction Committee on a partisan 14-5 vote. Although, LaPointe said she plans to file an amendment to specifically detail how much money each type of provider could receive through the grants.
"Positions that are in most need that are most competitive, and frankly cost the most in terms of payment for employment or contractor status, would receive the upper limit of that $200,000," DeLoss explained. "Those positions that are not would receive less than $200,000."
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