Mental Health - Leading Change | State of Illinois Office of the Illinois Courts

Leading Change: Improving the Illinois Courts’ Response to Mental Health and Co-Occurring Substance Use Disorders

Overview:

Since its inception in 2019, the Illinois Mental Health Task Force (IMHTF) embraced a comprehensive approach to engagement in various activities; including planning and hosting an Illinois Mental Health Summit, participating in state and local behavioral health and justice initiatives, and facilitating Regional Workshops leading up to the development of an Illinois Action Plan. With the Illinois Supreme Court’s approval of the Action Plan during the November 2022 Term and the State Court Behavioral Health Administrator assisting in effectuating the recommendations, the Task Force determined that the group achieved the goals which it set.

As a result, the Special Supreme Court Advisory Committee for Justice and Mental Health Planning (JMHP) the IMHTF, and the Illinois Supreme Court are excited to announce the evolution of previous efforts into a statewide Leading Change: Improving Illinois Courts’ Response to Mental Illness and Co-Occurring Substance Use Disorders initiative.

The “Leading Change” initiative will continue to build upon achievements of the past by advancing efforts in the present and future through increased engagement from the Bench and a broad network of justice partners.

Action Plan Overview:

Courts are in a unique position to lead change by following the recommendations and using the resources developed by the National Judicial Task Force to Examine State Courts’ Response to Mental Illness and the Illinois Mental Health Task Force Action Plan to bring communities together to communicate, collaborate, and improve public health and safety.

The Action Plan includes recommendations specific to the following activities and Intercepts:

• Courts as Conveners and Leaders
• Training Opportunities Across Intercepts
• Awareness Across Intercepts
• Intercepts Zero and One – Community Services and Law Enforcement
• Intercept Two – Initial Detention and Court Hearings
• Intercept Three – Jails/Courts
• Intercept Four – Reentry
• Intercept Five – Community Corrections

How to Use the Action Plan?

Cross-Sector collaboration is not only encouraged among stakeholders and systems but serves as the foundation of the Action Plan.

Technical Assistance

The Administrative Office of the Illinois Courts, State Court Behavioral Health Administrator provides technical assistance to support emerging or existing behavioral health and justice coordinating councils, task forces, and community coalitions. The State Court Behavioral Health Administrator also facilitates virtual or in-person meetings between judges, mental or behavioral health providers, lawyers, and other stakeholders to identify and share information, resources, and evidence-based/best practices across the Sequential Intercept Model. To request assistance, please email: sblock@illinoiscourts.gov

Leading Change: Illinois Innovations

The Leading Change: Illinois Innovations Series highlights “Illinois-based” approaches and strategies that are aligned with strategic initiatives and recommendations within the Illinois Mental Health Task Force Action Plan.

• These learning events are not approved for continuing education credits.
• Recordings/resources are posted on the Illinois Supreme Court Leading Change webpage.
• All Sessions will begin promptly at 12:15 pm and end prior to 1:00 pm

 Note: These educational events have not been approved for continuing education credits

Date	Title	Circuit/ County	Presented by	Description
January 10, 2025  Registration	Grant Funding to Support Innovations		Lynn Moore, Grants Manager, Administrative Office of the Illinois Courts Mary Ann Dyar, Program Director, Adult Redeploy Illinois	This presentation will include an overview of available state and federal funding sources, including Adult Redeploy Illinois and the Bureau of Justice Assistance. Presenters will share specific information on how to access grant funds and use them to implement evidence-based practices, fill gaps in services, and spark innovation.
February 7, 2025  Registration	18th Judicial Circuit Screening for Traumatic Brain Injury in the Criminal Justice System	18th Judicial Circuit	Hon. Paul Marchese, 18th Judicial Circuit Court Timothy P McGavin, Deputy Director Department of Probation and Court Services, DuPage County	This presentation will discuss the prevalence of Traumatic Brain Injury within the justice involved population. Presenters will also share how the DuPage County Court’s are working the National Association of State Head Injury Administrators to increase training, screening, and outcomes.
March 7, 2025  Registration	Advance Directives for Mental Health Treatment		Illinois Guardianship and Advocacy Commission – Legal Advocacy Services	This Presentation will describe and compare two types of legal documents which can be completed to direct future mental health treatment and to lessen the chances that a judge will be asked to make treatment decisions. There are two types of Advance Directives in Illinois: (1) a declaration for mental health treatment and (2) a power of attorney for health care.
April 4, 2025  Registration	17th Judicial Circuit Court - Resource Intervention Center	17th Judicial Circuit Court	Jodi Gerue, Deputy Director, Resource Intervention Center (RIC)	This presentation will describe operations of the RIC. Its mission is to enhance community safety by providing evidence-based targeted interventions. Interventions at the RIC target identified areas of criminogenic risk and needs, and are designed to not only change criminal behavior, but to sustain that change.
May 2, 2025  Registration	The Illinois BEACON Portal and SPIDER Collaboration		Dana Weiner, Ph.D., Chief Officer for Children’s Behavioral Health Transformation	BEACON is a centralized resource for Illinois youth and families seeking services for behavioral health needs. BEACON gives families, and the professionals who work with them, information about behavioral health services focused on youth needs and characteristics. BEACON includes information on state-funded programs as well as the Service Provider Identification & Exploration Resource (SPIDER) application which is a comprehensive listing of community-based resources. Learn how these tools can help you locate community-based resources and state-funded programs for Illinois youth.
June 6, 2025  Registration	22nd Judicial Circuit Court: Integrating Employment and Treatment: A Pilot Program	22nd Judicial Circuit Court	22nd Judicial Circuit Staff Employment Specialist and Clinician	Employment is a critical component of substance use disorder and mental health care and recovery. A pilot program using evidence-based practices develops clients’ work readiness. Learn how to incorporate these program strategies and community resources to improve recidivism, recovery, and clients lives through employment.
July/August: No Sessions……………………………………………………………………………….
September 5, 2025  Registration	AOIC/SAMHSA Assisted Outpatient Treatment: A Pathway to Community Care Grant Program		Scott Block, State Court Behavioral Health Administrator, Administrative Office  of the Illinois Courts	At present, the Assisted Outpatient Treatment (AOT) pathway to mental health care in Illinois is widely considered to be severely “underutilized.” The AOIC/SAMHSA Assisted Outpatient Treatment: A Pathway to Community Care Grant Program is working with Cook and McLean County court and justice partners to develop and operationalize a replicable and effective structure to increase the utilization of AOT in Illinois. This program will describe the program model and share operational procedures
October 3, 2025	19th Judicial Circuit: Supervised Treatment Opioid Program (STOP) and Specialized Mental Health Case Load	19th Judicial Circuit	Jeff Ross, Assistant Director, Lake County Adult Probation Services	This presentation will describe the Supervised Treatment Opioid Program (STOP) and the Specialized Mental Health Case Load, both of which were designed to address challenges presented by individuals who do not qualify for Drug Court or Mental Health Court
2024 Past Sessions
January 5, 2024 Resources	Frequent Users Systems Engagement (FUSE) Program	11th Judicial Circuit Court/McLean County	Kevin McCall MPH, MSW, LCSW, CHES, McLean County Director of Behavioral Health Coordination	McLean County has adopted the FUSE model which is a signature initiative of the Corporation for Supportive Housing designed to “help communities break the cycle of homelessness and crisis among individuals with complex medical and behavioral health challenges.”
February 2, 2024 Resources	Misdemeanant Wellness Track	17th Judicial Circuit Court	Hon. John T. Gibbons and Emily Behnke, Deputy Court Administrator	The Wellness Track identifies individuals charged with misdemeanor offenses that have behavioral health needs through reviewing case information and conducting screenings while attending Initial Appearance Court and misdemeanor court hearings. Follow-up case management services are provided.
March 1, 2024 Resources 	Civil Court Pathways to Outpatient Mental Health Care	Cook County Circuit Court	Hon. Maureen Ward Kirby and Michelle Luburic, Assistant State’s Attorney	Involuntary Outpatient Admission and Agreed Care and Custody Orders are two civil court ordered mechanisms that authorize the judicial system to commit eligible individuals with severe psychiatric disorders to mental health intervention in the community. Learn how to incorporate these strategies into your toolbox of interventions.
April 5, 2024 Resources 	Moral Reconation Therapy and the Court	22nd Judicial Circuit Court	22nd Judicial Circuit Staff (Panel)	Moral Reconation Therapy-MRT® is an effective systematic, cognitive-behavioral approach that treats a wide range of issues including substance abuse, domestic violence, trauma, parenting, job skills, and other issues. Hear how the 22nd Judicial Circuit Court has incorporated MRT in probation case planning, problem-solving courts, and sentencing orders.
May 3, 2024 Resources 	Developing and Facilitating a Court-led Justice and Behavioral Health Coordinating Council		Hon. Lindsay Parkhurst (21st Judicial Circuit Court), Hon. Janet Holmgren (17th Circuit)	As leaders of their courts and communities, judges are in a unique position to encourage local practices aimed at improving responses to individuals with mental health and co-occurring substance use disorders. Current leaders will discuss the experience and impact of multidisciplinary convenings.
June/July: SUMMER BREAK……………………………………………………………………………….
August 2, 2024 Resources 	Court Diagnostic Center	16th Judicial Circuit Court (Kane County)	Dr. Alexandra Tsang, Director	The Kane County Diagnostic Center is the Psychology Department for the Sixteenth Judicial Circuit. It provides psychological services to juvenile and adult offenders, which include: diagnostic evaluations, crisis intervention and individual, group and family psychotherapy.
September 6, 2024 Resources 	How Being Trauma-Informed Improves Criminal Justice System Responses Overview	All (AOIC Presentation)	Becky Self, Program Manager, AOIC Probation Services Division	This session will overview the SAMHSA GAINS Center “How Being Trauma-Informed Improves Criminal Justice System Responses” training curriculum and discuss how the AOIC Probation Services Division is providing training throughout the state.