State Senator Sara Feigenholtz joined Governor JB Pritzker and members of the Illinois Children’s Behavioral Health Transformation Initiative (CBHTI) on Wednesday to launch the new BEACON care portal, a centralized resource for Illinois youth and families seeking mental health services and care. The launch marks a key milestone in Feigenholtz’s efforts to remove barriers for children with behavioral and mental health challenges.
Feigenholtz has worked alongside Dr. Dana Weiner, the Illinois Children’s Behavioral Health Officer, since 2022. Feigenholtz sponsored and passed the Interagency Children’s Behavioral Health Services Act in 2023, paving the way for creating the CBHTI and the new BEACON portal. The initiative aims to transform statewide care systems to provide clear, consistent, and comprehensive guidance to families seeking behavioral health services for children and adolescents.
“The youth mental health crisis is growing; children and families need access to services, and they need them now,” said Feigenholtz (D-Chicago). “BEACON, the new youth mental health resource online portal, is a critical roadmap component that will get young people the care they need.”
Within the portal, parents and caregivers can learn which community-based resources are available nearby and which state-funded programs youth may be eligible for. These programs might include outpatient counseling, school-based services, wraparound services to help support families caring for youth with complex needs, or residential treatment services. BEACON also provides help with organizing information about a child’s care and connecting families with services, including communication with state agency representatives.
“The creation of the BEACON portal is a historic accomplishment that required the efficient collaboration of multiple state agencies, organizations and families,” said Feigenholtz. “We need to do our due diligence to spread the word about BEACON so it can reach its full potential of helping more Illinois families get the care they need.”
The BEACON portal can be accessed at beacon.illinois.gov.