Hello, friends!
It has been a busy couple of months. I have had the great fortune to connect with many of you in person and continue to be inspired by the incredible work that you do. Though the Federal climate continues to threaten the behavioral health and well-being of the community members that we serve, we must continue to push ahead and not lose hope. The little (and big) things that we do in our homes, neighborhoods, and in our professional roles matter. And while we are taking care of others, let us not forget to take good care of ourselves.
As we approach the holiday season, I wish you all health, peace and prosperity.
Mental Health America: Hope for the Holidays
Hope Starts With Us: You are NOT Alone
NAMI Illinois
Inger Burnett-Zeigler, PhD
Chief Behavioral Health Officer
President Trump's Executive Order: Ending Crime and Disorder on America's Streets
On July 24, 2025, President Trump issued an Executive Order, Ending Crime and Disorder on America's Streets.
The EO speaks to the presumed impact of homelessness on drug use, mental health and overall public safety. The Secretary of Health and Human Services shall take appropriate action to "ensure that discretionary grants issued by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) for substance use disorder prevention, treatment, recovery fund evidence-based programs and do not fund programs that fail to achieve adequate outcomes, including so-called "harm reduction" or "safe consumption" efforts that only facilitate illegal drug use and its attendant harm;". These actions shall include, to the extent permitted by law, ending support for "housing first" policies that deprioritize accountability and fail to promote treatment, recovery, and self-sufficiency.
The Illinois Office to Prevent and End Homelessness (OPEH), led by Chief Homelessness Officer Christine Haley, shared "the federal government's push to criminalize people living outdoors negates years of work dedicated to ending homelessness. This Executive Order takes an alarming step backward, jeopardizing the civil rights of our most vulnerable neighbors. Promoting involuntary institutionalization, such as forced mental health or substance use treatment, does not address the root causes of homelessness and is both unjust and inhumane. The Executive Order uses fear-inducing language that incentivizes states to endorse policies that move away from harm reduction and Housing First models, which save lives and prioritize stable housing as a foundation for improving health. The State of Illinois remains committed to solutions rooted in dignity, housing, and care, not punishment for living outdoors. OPEH is reviewing the potential implications of this Executive Order for Illinois, particularly regarding funding eligibility, service coordination, and compliance with state law. We will continue to monitor federal developments and work with state and local partners to ensure our homelessness response system remains focused on safety, dignity, and long-term solutions."
With respect to recipients of Federal housing and homelessness assistance that operate drug injection sites or "safe consumption sites", knowingly distribute drug paraphernalia, or permit the use or distribution of illicit drugs on property under their control:
- The Secretary of Housing and Urban Development, in coordination with the Attorney General, shall review whether such recipients are in violation of the terms of the programs pursuant to which they receive Federal housing and homelessness assistance and freeze their assistance as appropriate.
SAMHSA published a Dear Colleague (pdf) letter on July 29 providing guidance in response to the EO. Moving forward, SAMHSA funds will no longer be used to support poorly defined so-called "harm reduction" activities.
The Illinois Department of Human Services/Division of Behavioral Health and Recovery (DBHR) shared a provider notice in response to the federal Executive Orders and SAMHSA's directives. DBHR believes the EO will not result in a reduction of available services for consumers, and it will have no impact on most DBHR-funded programs. However, a handful of providers may see minor changes in the language in their grant agreements. It is unlikely that these changes will result in a reduction in funding or modifications to mental health or substance use service delivery.
Domestic Violence Awareness Month
First observed in October 1981 as a national "Day of Unity," Domestic Violence Awareness Month (DVAM) is held each October as a way to unite advocates across the nation in their efforts to end domestic violence.
In the U.S., about 1 in 3 women and 1 in 4 men experience some form of physical violence from an intimate partner in their lifetime, with 10 million people annually experiencing rape, physical violence, or stalking by an intimate partner. Domestic violence is most prevalent among young women aged 18-24. Guns dramatically increase the risk of lethal violence, and approximately half of all domestic violence cases go unreported.
While domestic violence has a prevalence across all genders, races and experiences, there are increased risks for certain populations. According to the Institute of Women's Policy Research, more than 40% of Black women will experience domestic violence in their lifetime, compared to 31.5% of all women. Pregnant women are also at an increased risk for domestic violence; affecting approximately 325,000 pregnant women each year. Domestic Violence is more common among pregnant woman than preeclampsia and gestational diabetes, with abuse during pregnancy causing as much as 10% of pregnant hospital admissions. In 2023, Illinois experienced a 110% increase in deaths caused by domestic violence (pdf); 120 deaths that impacted families, communities and the state as a whole.
Communities and advocacy organizations across the country must continue to connect with the public to raise awareness about the signs of abuse, ensuring access to services and uplifting survivor stories.
For DV awareness materials and tipsheets, please visit Download and Request Materials - The Hotline. If you or someone you know is experiencing domestic violence, please call 1-800-799-SAFE (7233) or text "START" to 88788.
Illinois Launches CCBHC Resource and Capacity Award
On Friday, September 26, 2025, Chief Burnett-Zeigler hosted a kickoff meeting to announce an exciting opportunity to strengthen Illinois' Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinic (CCBHCs). The National Council for Wellbeing has partnered with the National Association of State Mental Health Program Directors and the Ballmer Group, a philanthropic organization dedicated to improving economic mobility for children and families across the U.S., to invest in three state's CCBHC programs. Illinois, Kentucky and Michigan were selected
Over the next three years, Illinois will receive comprehensive technical assistance and support with the following goals:
- Realize the vision for CCBHCs
- Improve behavioral health access through innovative service delivery
- Expand the behavioral health workforce
- Leverage CCBHC financing to expand access to care
- Accelerate and sustain high-quality, high-impact CCBHC models
The program will be tailored to meet the unique needs of Illinois CCBHC, including direct in-kind support for both states and clinics. The Chief Behavioral Health Officer will lead this effort in partnership with The Department of Healthcare and Family Services and The Illinois Department of Human Services. The roll out will be guided by Illinois CCBHCs and the State's behavioral health stakeholders.
To stay up to date on the work, please sign up at CCBHC Demonstration.
Transformational Collaborative Outcomes Management (TCOM) 2025 Conference
In October, Dr. Burnett-Zeigler was able to participate as a keynote speaker at the 2025 TCOM Conference, On the Shoulders of Those Before.
Dr. Burnett-Zeigler spoke about transforming the behavioral health service system to meet the needs of the most vulnerable. Structural and social determinants of health are associated with the likelihood of developing a mental health condition and engagement with treatment. Individuals who live at or below the Federal poverty line, have Medicaid or are uninsured, and are of racial/ethnic minority experience more stress and trauma exposure and are more likely to have a behavioral health condition. These same individuals are also more likely to have contact with the criminal justice system and less likely to receive behavioral health care. Her presentation discussed system wide initiatives in the State of Illinois to improve access to behavioral health care.
New Statewide Chiefs
In June 2025, Michelle Hoersch joined the Illinois Department on Aging (IDoA) as the Chief Planning Officer, leading the development and implementation of the multi-year Multi-Sector Plan for Aging (MPA). Chief Hoersch joined IDoA with over three decades of experience in public health and social justice advocacy. Previously, she served as a public health advisor and led the Region 5 Office on Women's Health within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, working to improve the health and well-being of women across the lifespan. Trauma-informed and gender-responsive principles guided her work at the intersection of physical and behavioral health, including attention to the impact of climate change on health.
The Chief Planning Officer position was created by Executive Order 2024-02, which also established two working groups and set a timeline to develop a state-led MPA. The MPA will outline comprehensive, long-term strategies to reshape infrastructure, services, and public policy for a growing number of older Illinoisans.
Dan Fulwiler recently joined the team at IDPH where he will be serving in the newly created position of Hospital Strategy Lead. This position was created in response to the significant financial stress that many of Illinois' safety net hospitals have faced in recent years. Dan's job will be to leverage the assets and leadership of IDPH and other relevant state agencies to develop policy, practice, and process recommendations to strengthen Illinois' hospital system and health care safety net, with special focus on communities that include disproportionately higher percentages of Medicaid and uninsured patients. Dan has dedicated his career of over 35 years to improving health care for the underserved.
Dan is passionate about public health and community health and has worked hard to make sure that health care systems are deeply involved in the communities they serve. After working for decades on the provider side of the safety net, Dan is excited to be using his skills and experience in state government.
Ameri Klafeta recently joined HFS as Reproductive Health Chief. As Reproductive Health Chief, Ameri will lead the state's comprehensive efforts to ensure Illinoisans have access to the wide spectrum of critical reproductive health services, while working to strengthen the state's reproductive healthcare system with a focus on better and more equitable health outcomes.
While housed at HFS, Ameri will work closely with and ensure continued collaboration among the many agencies that contribute to the state's reproductive healthcare system. She will lead this interagency work through the lens of supporting historically underserved communities and focusing on populations where economic and racial disparities have often led to poor health outcomes. Most recently, Ameri served as the Director of the Women's and Reproductive Rights Project at the ACLU of Illinois for six years. Prior to that, she practiced law at firms in Chicago and San Francisco.
Listening Sessions with the Chief Behavioral Health Office
Over the last few months, Dr. Burnett-Zeigler has hosted listening sessions with providers throughout the State. In these sessions, Dr. Burnett-Zeigler was able to gain a deeper understanding of the behavioral health priorities of providers across the State. These experiences will inform her forthcoming strategic report.
Trinity Services: The Living Room Site Visit
In August, Dr. Burnett-Zeigler had the pleasure of visiting the Living Room at Trinity Services Orland Park site with other state leaders. Trinity Services is a mental health and developmental disability services organization. The Living Room in Orland Park, an alternative to the Emergency Room, provides people in crisis a safe environment to de-escalate.
The Congressional Roundtable
In August, Dr. Burnett-Zeigler was delighted to attend a Congressional Roundtable on Emerging Challenges of Behavioral Healthcare Delivery, hosted by the Citizens Action Alliance for Behavioral Health (CAABH). A panel of Behavioral Health Providers gave a current update to those in attendance, including multiple elected officials.
Suicide Prevention Summit
In September, Dr. Burnett-Zeigler participated in a Suicide Prevention Summit, hosted by Riveredge Hospital and other community partners.
The focus of the event was Suicide Prevention with the mission of bringing together diverse voices and communities in a shared space of learning, healing, and action to advance suicide prevention efforts through education, collaboration, and empowerment.
Behavioral Health Reception
In September, Dr. Burnett-Zeigler attended a reception hosted by Blue Venture Fund and spoke about the Chief Behavioral Health Office priorities to founding members of Invest for Progress, government officials, policy makers and stakeholders interested in mental health and addiction policies and innovation both nationally and in Chicagoland.
2025 Illinois State of Reform Health Policy Conference
In September, Dr. Burnett-Zeigler was able to participate in the 2025 Illinois State of Reform | Health Policy Conference. The panel she participated in provided an overview of the several initiatives Illinois has started to enhance behavioral health services, including the continued expansion of Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinics (CCBHCs), investments into crisis system response through 988, mobile crisis response grants and crisis center. The panel also highlighted what is to come for these initiatives in the future while also highlighting the efforts of organizations doing the work, lessons learned and opportunities for replication and expansion.
JACSW Training Institute for School Social Work Professionals
In October, the Jane Addams College of Social Work (JACSW) hosted an institute for School Social Work Professionals, "Navigating Trauma in Schools: Supporting Students, Families, and Teachers." The institute centered on a crucial shift in perspective- recognizing that behaviors often labeled as problematic may reflect students' adaptive responses to trauma and will explore trauma-informed approaches that prioritize safety, trust, collaboration, and resilience. Dr. Burnett-Zeigler focused on the impact of trauma on youth's emotional and academic development.
