Title
PROPOSED SUBSTITUTE TO FILE #25-4222
RESOLUTION TO ASSESS NEEDS AND IMPROVE THE QUALITY AND EFFECTIVENESS OF BEHAVIORAL HEALTH CARE PROVIDED BY COOK COUNTY GOVERNMENT
(Health and Hospitals Committee 11/18/2025) - Issued on: 11/14/2025
WHEREAS, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) defines behavioral health as the promotion of mental health, emotional, psychological, and social well-being and resilience; the treatment of mental and substance use disorders; and the support of those who experience and/or are in recovery from these conditions, along with their families and communities; and
WHEREAS, the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) Illinois released a 2021 fact sheet indicating that 38.5% of adults in Illinois reported symptoms of anxiety or depression; and
WHEREAS, that same fact sheet reported that 1 in 4 people with a serious mental illness has been arrested by the police at some point in their lifetime; and
WHEREAS, according to a 2016 survey of behavioral health facilities conducted by the Chicago Department of Public Health 79% of publicly available behavioral health agencies reported unmet mental health needs and 61% reported unmet substance-use-related needs; and
WHEREAS, a 2019 report from the Alliance for Health Equity identified “quality” as the greatest overarching need for behavioral health services in Cook County; and
WHEREAS, in the middle of the COVID-19 pandemic 31.3% of adults in Illinois reported symptoms of anxiety and/or depressive disorder, compared to 31.6% of adults in the U.S;and;
WHEREAS, according to Children's Hospital of Chicago, 44% of Chicago children experienced an increase in at least one mental or behavioral health system during the pandemic compared with before the pandemic; and
WHEREAS, lack of mental health and behavioral services along with other community support are a major concern for recidivism in people either released from the County Jail or on electronic monitoring; and
WHEREAS, Cook County Government has typically allocated funding for behavioral health services, and funding is allocated for these programs; and
WHEREAS, access to mental health service and equity is highly disparate in underserved communities; and
WHEREAS, on February 09, 2023, the Cook County Board of Commissioners approved item #23-0523, a resolution to assess needs and improve the quality and effectiveness of behavioral health care provided by Cook County; and
WHEREAS, Cook County agencies that conduct behavioral health services submit two (2) reports yearly to the Health and Hospitals Committee of the Cook County Board; and
WHEREAS, these reports of the behavioral health work conducted by Cook County has helped Cook County Government identify best practices, needs, and priority areas to grow behavioral health care; and
WHEREAS, the Cook County Board of Commissioners now seeks to update resolution #23-0523 by updating reporting requirements.
NOW, THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that Cook County entities, departments, agencies or offices that conduct behavioral health services shall submit one (1) report yearly to the Health and Hospitals Committee of the Cook County Board with details of their services during a public hearing of the Committee. Those entities, departments, agencies, or offices should include but not be limited to:
a) The Cook County Health and Hospitals System, which will include one consolidated report from the Cook County Health and Hospital System that includes correctional health services provided by CCH at the Cook County Jail and the Cook County Juvenile Temporary Detention Center (JTDC), and the Cook County Department of Public Health (CCDPH);
b) The Cook County Sheriff;
c) The Cook County State’s Attorney;
d) The Cook County Public Defender; and
e) The Office of the Chief Judge of Cook County.
FURTHER BE IT RESOLVED, that the reports shall include the following information, as applicable to each entity, on behavioral health initiatives, programs, and activities:
a) Data on the yearly population served, including a breakdown of where patients of the program reside in Cook County and the total year-to-date number of patients served;
b) Overall goals of the behavioral health program(s) and information on the best practices in this type of programming;
c) Information on the providers, managers, operators, and/or contractual personnel of the behavioral health care program, activity, or service, and any information on external partners working with your agency on this program;
d) Key performance indicators that are used to measure the results of the program;
e) Information on how the care provided in this program serves the best interests of the patient/recipient of care;
f) Information on the Continuum of Care strategy including follow-up care and medication adherence;
g) An evaluation of the impact of the program and an overview of its effectiveness, particularly as it pertains to vulnerable populations, racial and ethnic minorities; and populations facing disparities in behavioral health outcomes, behavioral health care, and behavioral healthcare access;
h) Information with the costs associated with the program(s) and funding source(s);
i) Any additional information which may facilitate the Committee’s understanding of the program, initiative, or activity; and
j) Any additional information which may foster a more accurate assessment of behavioral health care needs and opportunities for collaboration or growth within the Cook County Government’s efforts around behavioral health care programs.
FURTHER BE IT RESOLVED, each agency will present a short presentation before the Health & Hospitals Committee summarizing the following information from their reports:
a) Name and general description of each behavioral health program(s);
b) The cost associated with the program(s) and funding source(s) for each program;
c) A short description of the impact of the program, particularly as it pertains to
vulnerable populations;
d) A short description of how your program intersects with the broader behavioral
health landscape of Cook County.
Effective Date: This resolution shall take effect immediately upon adoption. The reporting schedule shall be as follows: The yearly reports from the Cook County Health and Hospital System (CCH), the Cook County Sheriff, the Cook County State’s Attorney, the Cook County Public Defender, and the Office of the Chief Judge of Cook County, shall be submitted to the Cook County Board by the May Board Meeting Agenda deadline and shall be heard before the Health & Hospitals Committee in June of each year.
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