Gov. Pritzker Announces Launch of BEACON Children’s Behavioral Health Portal

Gov. Pritzker Announces Launch of BEACON Children’s Behavioral Health Portal

Transformative initiative increases access to behavioral health care for Illinois families

CHICAGO -- Governor JB Pritzker and the Illinois Children’s Behavioral Health Transformation Initiative (CBHTI) announced the public launch of the BEACON (Behavioral Health Care and Ongoing Navigation) care portal, a centralized resource for Illinois youth and families seeking youth mental health services and care, including state agency support and community-based programs. BEACON is now live for use by Illinois residents and can be accessed at beacon.illinois.gov.

“The BEACON Care Portal is central to transforming children’s behavioral healthcare in Illinois,” said Dr. Dana Weiner, Chief Officer for Children's Behavioral Health Transformation Initiative. “By giving parents and caregivers a single place to access information and assistance for youth mental and behavioral health problems, we are empowering families to meet their own needs in their own communities. We are grateful to Governor Pritzker for prioritizing children’s mental health and for inspiring us to develop innovative solutions to complex challenges.”

In 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 assistance in organizing information about a child’s care and connecting families with the services, including communication with state agency representatives.

BEACON provides Illinois families with information about available behavioral health services for children and adolescents, centralizing resources from the following agencies:

Illinois Department of Human Services (DHS)

Illinois Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS)

Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE)

Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH)

Illinois Department of Healthcare and Family Services (HFS)

Illinois Department of Juvenile Justice (IDJJ)

BEACON is a direct result of Governor Pritzker’s establishment of the CBHTI and the portal was designed through a partnership with Google Public Sector. The platform had a soft launch in the fall of 2024 and has been utilized by state agency representatives, physicians, mental health practitioners, and school personnel, who have offered real-time input to shape, refine, and improve the service.

The BEACON portal allows a parent or guardian to obtain information about a range of services, from a simple listing of available programs offered by the state, to community-based services in their area, to the assistance of a Resource Coordinator who can help identify additional resources for children in need. The portal also provides access to Parent Navigators who can provide further assistance, particularly in connecting families to school-based services.

In complex cases that may require the involvement or services of more than one state agency, a Resource Coordinator may refer the case to a Clinical Specialist who will coordinate those services and facilitate communication with the child’s caregivers.

Parents and caregivers have the option of sharing information about their child’s situation and needs if they wish; the more information provided, the more BEACON can offer resources and guidance about specific services for that child’s needs. All information is strictly confidential in accordance with privacy and data security rules and regulations. Information is stored on a secure, encrypted platform that is not accessible to Google or anyone that has not been given explicit consent by each individual caregiver.

Cases that are open in BEACON will remain open until a child has been connected to an appropriate resource. The parent or caregiver will remain informed at each step along the way.

“Behavioral health is public health,” said IDPH Director Dr. Sameer Vohra. “As a pediatrician, I have witnessed the challenges that children and their families face when they do not receive access to timely behavioral health services. Under Governor JB Pritzker’s leadership, Illinois continues to innovate in finding new and modern ways to improve the mental health of our children. The launch of the BEACON portal is another exciting step in that path, allowing our Illinois families access to, and information about, the services they need when they need them.”

For more information about the BEACON portal or to view an instructional video about how to utilize the service, go to beacon.illinois.gov.


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