Since the law was enacted in August 2021, the Division of Mental Health (DMH) and its partners across the State have been working to design and implement the transformation. Pursuant to the requirements of HB1364, which was signed by the Governor on June 27th, 2023, DMH and the Crisis Hub provide a Quarterly Report to the General Assembly. See the Quarterly Reports linked below for an up-to-date understanding of where implementation of CESSA stands.

• CESSA Quarterly Report - January 1, 2024
• CESSA Quarterly Report - October 1, 2023
• CESSA Quarterly Report - July 1, 2023

Landscape Survey Toolkit and Interim Risk Matrix Toolkit

The Behavioral Health Crisis Hub is working closely with the Illinois Department of Human Services Division of Mental Health to implement the Community Emergency Services and Support Act (CESSA) Legislation which was signed into law by the Governor August 25, 2021.

Illinois CESSA legislation requires Regional Advisory Committees (RAC) to develop plans to coordinate emergency responses between 911 Public Safety Answering Points (PSAPs), emergency medical service providers (EMS) dispatched by 911 PSAPs, law enforcement, 988 entities and Division of Mental Health funded Mobile Crisis Response Teams (MCRTs). The intent is to provide options, in addition to law enforcement responses, as appropriate to individuals experiencing mental health or behavioral health crises.

This approach requires that 911 PSAPs and other dispatchers in the crisis system across the state: (1) incorporate and use a standard set of risk factors as a basis for making dispatch decisions for mental health/behavioral health crisis calls and (2) that PSAP 911 telecommunicators are knowledgeable with regard to the range and kind of crisis service alternatives that exist, where within the region they operate, and when they are available.​

The Protocols and Standards committee, which is a Technical Subcommittee created as a part of CESSA legislation developed an interim risk level matrix to address this issue and the guidelines described above. The four-level interim risk matrix which ranges from minimal (Level 1) to emergent risk (Level 4) and which includes recommended response type and time for behaviors within each level, is subject to update as the Illinois crisis system continuum changes over time and becomes more mature. The goal is for the interim risk level matrix descriptors and recommended response types and times to be incorporated into PSAP dispatch protocols statewide and used as a guide for making dispatch decisions for individuals experiencing mental and behavioral health crises.​

If the PSAPs are to use the interim risk level matrix as designed, it is a prerequisite that they are knowledgeable with regard to the range, type and response times of currently available crisis services within their jurisdiction. To date, there is no standard or accessible data about alternative crisis response entities in Illinois. This data needs to be collected and organized so that it is easily accessible to 911 PSAPs and other emergency crisis dispatch entities, so that it can be integrated into dispatch protocols to best meet the needs of individuals experiencing a mental health/behavioral health crisis.

Regional Advisory Committees (RACs), one for each of the eleven Emergency Medical Services (EMS) regions in Illinois, were charged with the task of collecting and aggregating this information.   The UIC Behavioral Health Crisis Hub created two toolkits to provide guidance to the RACs:  a Landscape Survey Toolkit and an Interim Risk Level Matrix Toolkit. Links to the two toolkits are displayed below.​ Once these two tasks are completed the BHCH will aggregate the data at the state level.

• Landscape Analysis Toolkit
• Interim Risk Level Matrix Toolkit
• Illinois Interim Risk Level Matrix (Last Updated: 3/21/2024)

• IDHS: Illinois Department of Human Services (state.il.us)
• Illinois Department of Human Services 988 website
• IDHS: 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline Planning Page
• Illinois Department of Human Services – Division of Mental Health (IDHS-DMH)
• Community Emergency Services and Support Act (CESSA) CESSA website
• Communications from IDHS-DMH regarding 988 and/or (CESSA) – request form

• Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) 
• SAMHSA Store 988 Partner Toolkit | SAMHSA 
• National Guidelines for Behavioral Health Crisis Care – A Best Practice Toolkit
• 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline

Crisis Now

• Crisis Now

National Association of State Mental Health Directors (NASMHPD)

• Crisis Now: Dedicated to Transforming Mental Health Crisis Systems
• Crisis Services: Meeting Needs, Saving Lives

National Association of State Mental Health Directors Research Institute (NRI)

• NRI: No Person’s Life Will be Limited by Mental Illness or Addiction

PsychU

• PsychU: Improving Mental Health Care…Together