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. 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)

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