SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (WAND) — Illinois lawmakers want to create a working group to take a closer look at how the 9-8-8 call network is working in the state over its first year in operation.

31% of Illinois adults report experiencing symptoms of anxiety or depression four or more days each week last summer. Suicide is the third leading cause of death in Illinois for young people 15 to 34 years old. It is also the eleventh leading cause of death for all Illinoisans.

The Illinois Department of Human Services recently told WAND News that the 9-8-8 hotline received over 66,000 calls, almost 9,000 texts and more than 14,000 chats in the first six months it operated.

Sen. Laura Fine (D-Glenview) said Wednesday that she hopes the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline Working Group can help Illinois lead the country in connecting people with mental health resources.

"9-8-8 is just at its beginning," Fine said. "And we have the opportunity to build it and watch it grow and really be a benefit for so many people in the state of Illinois."

Lawmakers hope the working group can identify solutions to funding or program gaps that have emerged for the call centers over the first year.

Sponsors and advocates note that the success or failure of the 9-8-8 call center network will disproportionately affect Black, brown and other marginalized people who are most likely to use crisis services to access mental health care.

The working group would be also be responsible for reviewing 9-8-8 models in other states to promote high-quality phone intervention, coordination with other crisis lines, and connection to community-based support services. Members could also discuss changes and new initiatives made by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration and Vibrant Emotional Health since Vibrant transitioned to the 9-8-8 network in July. 

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Sponsors said 988 information should be visible in county shelter care homes, daycares, public libraries, colleges, hospitals, assisted living facilities and nursing homes.

House Bill 1364 suggests that the working group should consider input from call center personnel, providers, and advocates to better understand the strengths, weaknesses, and service gaps. The group would be required to create an action plan with recommendations for a future network of 9-8-8 call centers promoting equity, quality, and connection care as well as metrics Illinois should use to measure the success of the statewide system. 

The Department of Human Services Division of Mental Health would have to submit the working group's report to the General Assembly by December 31. 

This plan passed unanimously out of the Senate Behavioral and Mental Health Committee. It now heads to the Senate floor for further consideration. The House unanimously approved the bill on March 24. House Bill 1364 would head to Gov. JB Pritzker's desk following Senate approval.

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