FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

91��ɫ’ Statement on U.S. Department of Justice Olmstead Memo

Chicago, IL – For more than 60 years, 91��ɫ has provided community-based behavioral health and supportive housing services across Chicagoland, helping more than 13,000 people with serious mental illnesses each year find home, health, and hope. The heartbeat of our mission is to empower clients to live independently in their communities and avoid unnecessary institutionalization.

This is why we are sounding the alarm about the recent Department of Justice (DOJ) that lays out a deeply troubling and significantly narrower interpretation of existing statute and case law pertaining to disability rights, particularly for those disabled by a behavioral health condition.

While the federal position does not change existing law, it signals a dangerous retreat from decades of progress protecting the right of people with disabilities to live in the least restrictive setting possible. By adopting a significantly narrower interpretation of Olmstead’s community integration mandate, the Administration risks undermining hard-won protections and raises concerns that longstanding protections supporting community-based services may be severely weakened. Along with the , the memo reinforces longstanding misconceptions about people experiencing homelessness and mental health conditions that adversely influence public policy, despite substantial evidence that these individuals are far more likely to be victims of crime than perpetrators.

The Administration’s stance could significantly limit critical federal enforcement if states begin to move away from community reintegration. This could have significant consequences for access to various optional Medicaid services as well as the implementation of the Williams and Colbert consent decrees in Illinois. These consent decrees represent Olmstead-related settlements resulting from years of illegal institutionalization of thousands of Illinoisans with mental health conditions in violation of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and the Rehabilitation Act.

In the years since, 91��ɫ has proudly transitioned 1,784 class members of the out of nursing homes and Specialized Mental Health Rehabilitation Facilities (SMHRFs) back into the community. This powerful work builds on the legacy of the important safeguards established by the Community Mental Health Act, the Americans with Disabilities Act, and the Olmstead decision.

The evidence is clear – pairing affordable housing with supportive services is a powerful combination. It is successful by the outcomes – of the 1,784 individuals 91��ɫ helped move, 1,255 have avoided any return to institutional care. It is successful by the cost – a housing voucher and the highest level of community care 91��ɫ offers is less expensive than nursing home care.

But it is most clear in the stories of those whose lives have been transformed by deinstitutionalization. Laney is a client of 91��ɫ who lived in a nursing home due to her bipolar disorder, her only option besides living on the street. She says it was only a place to survive, not to get better. With the support the consent decrees gave her, she has now been living successfully in her own apartment for three years. She says, “My experiences and expectations are different since living independently. I was in a place where I didn’t feel safe. But when you have a roof over your head, you have the stability to focus on what comes next.”

With our partners in the Healthy Minds Healthy Lives Coalition, 91��ɫ helped this spring to remind legislators of the critical bipartisan work Illinois has done to strengthen our community-based, evidence-backed system of care. We urge reconsideration of the DOJ’s new position and call on Congressional and state leaders to hold the line on what has proven to be effective and cost efficient – community-based treatment and permanent supportive housing.

We cannot return to the dark days of institutionalization. The well-being of our communities and our nation depends on continued investment in care that honors our shared humanity and fulfills the promise of the Community Mental Health Act.

91��ɫ provides services and resources for persons with mental health and substance use conditions in Illinois. We work with many populations, including youth and young adults, veterans, young mothers, deaf, and individuals experiencing homelessness, among others. We believe that everyone deserves the opportunity to live an independent, healthy life.

MEDIA INQUIRIES:

Emily Moen – Chief Communications Officer

The post New Federal Policy Threatens Decades of Disability Rights Progress appeared first on 91��ɫ.

SPRINGFIELD – Illinois stands to lose billions in federal funds for Medicaid, SNAP, and other essential safety-net programs as implementation of HR1, the federal reconciliation package, takes shape. These cuts pose a serious, long-term threat to behavioral health services for both rural and urban communities alike, deepening Illinois’ existing structural deficit. The stakes for families, workers, and providers could not be higher.����

As a community mental health provider, we see every day how critical it is that Illinois continues to invest robustly in the health and human services that keep people safe, stable, and connected. We appreciate the difficult position thrust upon state governments and were encouraged that Governor Pritzker focused on love, courage, and compassion in yesterday’s address. We are grateful for investments in behavioral health that his Administration has continued to prioritize throughout his tenure.��

We��were also��pleased that the Governor prioritized housing. Housing is foundational��to��recovery��and a critical piece of 91��ɫ’��approach.��Sadly, it��remains��out of reach for many, including those struggling with mental illnesses��and substance use��conditions.��Unfortunately, it appears that funding for some supported housing programs would be reduced in the proposed budget. This runs counter to what we know is needed.����

The reality is��that��the cost of delivering high‑quality mental health and substance use treatment rises each year—driven by workforce shortages, increasing health insurance costs, and inflation—yet reimbursement rates under Medicaid and state grants have not kept pace.��The gap between what it costs to provide��quality��care and what providers are reimbursed��continues to widen, undermining the sustainability of the very services our communities depend on.��

We urge the General Assembly to��allocate��$10 million for Housing Is Recovery to not only sustain shelter for those currently housed through the program, but to grow capacity to better meet the��needs��across the state.��We look forward to continuing to partner with the Administration and the General Assembly to make this possible.����

91��ɫ championed��the passage of��Public Act 102-0066��in 2021,��creating the Housing Is Recovery��program.��Under the leadership of the Division of Behavioral Health and Recovery,��it��has since��enabled��162 Illinoisans to gain housing stability.��By reducing hospitalization, institutionalization, and incarceration, initiatives like Housing Is Recovery��and other supportive housing programs��generate a significant return on investment for taxpayers while improving the quality of life for program participants.��Illinois cannot navigate the challenges ahead by cuts alone.����

Instead,��Governor Pritzker and members of the Illinois General Assembly��must work to��adopt meaningful, progressive revenue solutions that allow our state to stabilize its budget and invest in essential services—including mental health��care, substance use��treatment, and supportive housing. With the right approach, Illinois can ensure that community-based providers are equipped to meet rising demand, build a strong behavioral health workforce, and deliver care that keeps individuals and families healthy and housed.��

A budget is a statement of values. During this period of fiscal uncertainty, we��call on��state leaders to��continue to��choose investments that protect��our most��vulnerable��neighbors��and strengthen the foundation of our communities. Our state’s health and future depend on it.��

For media inquiries, contact Chief of Communications, Emily Moen

The post 91��ɫ Calls for Sustainable Investment in Behavioral Health and Housing Following Governor Pritzker’s Budget Address appeared first on 91��ɫ.

On October 15, immigration agents detained Omar Huerta Cisneros, a permanent U.S. resident living with schizophrenia, near his home in Chicago. His family had no information about his whereabouts for nearly two weeks, and reports indicate he was released far from home without support.��

This case is an especially troubling example of the kind of trauma we have seen communities experience from federal enforcement activity. Omar’s extreme vulnerability due to his serious mental illness meant that being detained without communication put him at significant risk and caused profound distress to his family. This situation demonstrates the failure to protect one of our most vulnerable community members and highlights the urgent need for systems that prioritize care and compassion.

At 91��ɫ, we remain committed to protecting individuals living with serious mental illness and ensuring they are treated with dignity, safety, and respect. We will continue fighting for a community where no one is ever left at risk or alone, and we will work to make sure incidents like this never happen again.

– Mark Ishaug, 91��ɫ President and CEO

The post ‘We Remain Committed:’ A Statement from 91��ɫ President and CEO Mark Ishaug appeared first on 91��ɫ.

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – Last night, in the final hours of the fall veto session, the Illinois General Assembly approved HB1085, landmark legislation spearheaded by 91��ɫ to strengthen mental health parity and improve access to care for people with private insurance coverage. The bill, which passed with strong bipartisan support, marks a historic sea change by addressing a root cause of providers leaving insurance networks — insufficient reimbursement rates. Sponsored by Representative Lindsey LaPointe and Senators Don Harmon and Karina Villa, the bill passed with strong bipartisan support in both chambers.

“Far too many Illinoisans cannot find a therapist or mental health provider covered by their insurance as a result of chronically low reimbursement rates and frustrating red tape that drives behavioral health professionals out-of-network,” said bill sponsor Representative LaPointe. “So many need mental health support across our life span — youth, first responders, and parents just to name a few. It is unacceptable that so many of us cannot use our insurance for both regular and specialty mental health care. HB1085 finally addresses this, getting us closer to treating mental health care on par with physical healthcare.”

By requiring that insurance companies mirror their processes for determining reimbursement rates for medical services when developing behavioral health reimbursement rates, the legislation doubles down on parity and lays the groundwork for improving access to care. The bill will ensure that providers are compensated more fairly and equitably, incentivizing them to come in-network. As a result, individuals with state-regulated health plans will no longer be forced to choose between paying high out-of-pocket costs for vital services or foregoing care.

“91��ɫ is deeply committed to dismantling barriers to behavioral health care access. We are proud to have led the charge on this critical legislation in partnership with a broad coalition of providers and advocates to ensure that Illinoisans can get the care they need,” said Mark Ishaug, 91��ɫ President and CEO.

If signed by the Governor, requirements outlined in the bill will apply to plans beginning January 1, 2027.

Contact:

Emily Moen, Chief Communications Officer

emily.moen@thresholds.org

The post 91��ɫ Celebrates Passage of Historic Legislation Improving Mental Health Parity and Access appeared first on 91��ɫ.

For the 11^th��year in a row,��91��ɫ has been named a��. The list is based solely on employee feedback gathered through an anonymous third-party survey. Tying our highest ranking ever, 91��ɫ is #6 among 26 large company winners, and the only nonprofit in that category.

“Being on this list speaks to the compassionate, caring culture that our staff create here at 91��ɫ, said 91��ɫ President and CEO Mark Ishaug. “And it is a testament to the commitment to our clients and our mission.”

91��ɫ employs more than 1,300 staff in Chicago and the surrounding counties in a diverse set of roles ranging from finance and administration to front line clinical social workers who provide case management and other services for people living with serious mental illnesses and substance use conditions.

“Earning a Top Workplaces award is a badge of honor for companies, especially because it comes authentically from their employees,” said Eric Rubino, CEO. “That’s something to be proud of. In today’s market, leaders must ensure they’re allowing employees to have a voice and be heard. That’s paramount. Top Workplaces do this, and it pays dividends.”

The post 91��ɫ Named a Chicago Tribune Top Workplace 2024 appeared first on 91��ɫ.

October 2024 is now Recovery Support Celebration Month in Illinois.

Officially proclaimed by Governor JB Pritzker, Recovery Support Celebration Month honors the unique contributions individuals with lived experience bring to the mental health field by empowering others on their journey to recovery and wellness.����

His proclamation recognizes the “unparalleled positive impact made by Recovery Support Specialists,” and further notes:��

• • • • • • • • • • Recovery support has profound benefits for individuals who have experienced trauma��

• • • • • • • • • • The unprecedented expansion of the recovery support field positively contributes not only to the individual health outcomes, but also to overall community wellness��

• • • • • • • • • • Peers share their recovery experience to provide hope, encouragement, and resources, and to advocate for health and wellness.��

“91��ɫ proudly employs 35 staff who are either Certified Recovery Support Specialists (CRSS) or are in the process of obtaining certification,” says Chief Clinical Officer, Debbie Pavick. “We are equally proud of all our staff in recovery across our organization, who bring valuable lived experience to their work with our clients. These dedicated individuals serve in a variety of roles, including our Peer Success Centers, Homeless Outreach Program, Crisis Response teams, Research and Evaluation department, and more. They are truly everywhere, and we are better because of them.”��

The post Illinois Declares October 2024 Recovery Support Celebration Month appeared first on 91��ɫ.

We write you today with deep sorrow, anger, and heartbreak over the tragic death of Sonya Massey. Sonya was a Black woman in clear mental health distress who called law enforcement for help, only to be fatally shot by one of the officers��entrusted to assist her. Our hearts break for Ms. Massey, her family, and for every person experiencing the entrenched scourge of racial discrimination in our society.�� Our hearts break for those experiencing mental health crises who fear how they will be treated in times of need.����

It is an undeniable injustice that Black people in crisis are killed by police at a disproportionate rate when they call 911, compared to their white counterparts. We cannot allow this to continue.��

As an organization that understands clinical intervention, we know what investments are needed because we advocate for it every day: Preventive care; equity between mental health care and other healthcare; street outreach to those experiencing homelessness or substance use conditions to enable a pathway into supportive services; safe, affordable housing; harm reduction services; integrated behavioral health and medical care; readily available crisis care by mental health professionals; and a strong 988 mental health crisis response system for people calling for help, like Sonya Massey.������

Our determination, hope, and fierce commitment are the driving force in our life-long fight for racial equity, and for building the right societal investments to support the mental health needs of everyone in crisis and long before a crisis happens, particularly in Black communities where divestment has been the norm for generations.����

We also know that effective crisis response requires collaboration. Our Crisis Intervention Team training prepares law enforcement officers to de-escalate situations and connect individuals in crisis with the support they need. Law enforcement plays a crucial role to aid our members and 91��ɫ is a proud partner with that agency. However, we must – we absolutely must – continue to address the deep, corrosive discrimination within a small fraction of the law enforcement personnel that are harmful to our communities.��

We will not rest, and we will not stop fighting for what is right, fair, and humane.�� Together, we can make a difference.����

��

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The post Sonya Massey: Say Her Name appeared first on 91��ɫ.

This is why 91��ɫ and the Healthy Minds, Healthy Lives Coalition successfully led in 2020 establishing the Housing is Recovery Pilot Program and secured $10 million in state funding to support it.��The legislation passed with the full approval of the Pritzker Administration and the General Assembly. ��

The program provides a permanent rental subsidy and supportive services to people who are unhoused and at risk of unnecessary psychiatric institutionalization, overdose death, or re-incarceration due to a serious mental health condition or severe substance use disorder.��This provides a new, and much-need pathway into safe, affordable housing and wrap around services to meet the person where they are in their recovery, while also taking a harm reduction approach by not requiring treatment or abstinence to be eligible for the rental subsidy.��

91��ɫ is honored to be awarded a $1 million grant from the Illinois Department of Human Services for this work. 91��ɫ’ Housing is Recovery (HIR) pilot program will serve 30 individuals at considerable risk of unnecessary institutionalization and overdose who reside in Cook County, Illinois. Over the 12-month grant period, 91��ɫ will use multiple outreach and referral sources to identify people who qualify for this��program. These include internal programs and external partnerships. 91��ɫ’ internal programs, which have specialized expertise reaching this population, include the Homeless Outreach Program (HOP), the Living Room crisis center, the Substance Use Treatment Program, the Mobile Crisis Response Team, and the psychiatric crisis response teams embedded at Stroger ED (Emergency Department) and, via telehealth, at Provident Hospital ED. 91��ɫ’ Access and Intake department, which evaluates community referrals for 91��ɫ’ clinical services, will also be trained on the program eligibility criteria and add it to their screening process.��

, an affiliated primary health clinic in the Austin, Chicago neighborhood, will also be trained on program eligibility and encouraged to make referrals.��

We could not be prouder to take a public policy solution from concept, to legislation, to implementation, alongside our advocacy and provider partners. We also want to thank the Governor and the General Assembly for their commitment to addressing the unhoused population living with a serious mental health or substance use condition.��

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Media Contact: Emily Moen, 773-572-5172

The post New State��Housing is Recovery Pilot Program to Provide Housing to People Experiencing Homelessness and Serious Mental Illnesses or Substance Use Conditions�� appeared first on 91��ɫ.

This Act puts mental health on par with other medical conditions by allowing insurance coverage of prevention visits. “It can take 10 years on average for someone with a serious mental health need to find the right treatment. The Mental Health and Wellness Act will enable earlier identification and treatment for a mental health issue rather than waiting for debilitating symptoms to occur before therapy or other treatment is covered,” says Heather O’Donnell, Senior Vice President of Public Policy & Advocacy at 91��ɫ.����

Illinois is one of a handful of states that have passed similar laws. 91��ɫ applauds the General Assembly and the Governor for advancing this important legislation to improve mental health parity and access to prompt treatment. We are proud to be a part of a vocal, passionate community of advocates pressing for improvements to mental health and substance use treatments throughout state.��

Media Contact: Emily Moen, VP of PR & Marketing, 773-572-5172

The post Governor Pritzker Signs Legislation Requiring Insurance Coverage of Mental Health Prevention Visits�� appeared first on 91��ɫ.

Federal grant awarded to 91��ɫ will enable them to adopt the innovative Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinic (CCBHC) model

Media Contact: Emily Moen, 773-572-5172

CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, September 23rd, 2022—The federal (SAMHSA) awarded two grants to 91��ɫ this week totaling $2 million per year for up to 4 years, allowing 91��ɫ to implement the Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinic (CCBHC) model for care delivery on Chicago’s North Side and in McHenry County.

With this new funding, 91��ɫ is among the first CCBHCs in Chicago. It now has the opportunity to expand services to serve as a “one-stop shop” for mental health, substance use treatment and other health care services in their communities. The CCBHC model ensures access to 24/7/365 crisis care, care coordination with hospitals, law enforcement and schools and access to high-quality services, including medication-assisted treatment (MAT) to help stop the overdose crisis, among other capabilities.

“91��ɫ is thrilled to launch two CCBHCs in Illinois to provide a wide range of mental health and substance use treatment services to even more people that otherwise would not be able to access them. We consistently see that the need for high-quality, wide-ranging mental health services outstrips our capacity,” says Mark Ishaug, 91��ɫ CEO. “We applaud all the lawmakers that have supported expanding services through the CCBHC model.”

“We know that mental health and substance use treatment encompass far more than psychiatry or therapy, and the increased care coordination in the CCBHC model will further strengthen Illinois’ network of services,” says Debbie Pavick, 91��ɫ Chief Clinical Officer. “CCBHCs are another step towards strengthening our state’s mental health safety net.”

91��ɫ will also partner with and in McHenry County and in Chicago to provide primary care and substance use treatment to youth and adults through the CCBHC model.

The post 91��ɫ Receives $2 Million to Support Expanded Mental Health and Substance Use Treatment Services appeared first on 91��ɫ.