A consolidated division of the Department of Human Services of the Illinois that supervises psychological well being and the abuse of drugs will likely be guided by a licensed psychologist who now manages one of many items, a spokesperson for the division has confirmed on Thursday.
David Albert, head of the DHS psychological well being division, will information the brand new behavioral and restoration well being division. Rafael Rivera, interim chief of the division of prevention and restoration of the usage of substances, will likely be assistant to the director of the Combined Department, mentioned the IDHS spokesperson.
The governor JB Pritzker final week introduced that he has deliberate to consolidate the 2 divisions with the goal of facilitating administrative expenses and bettering accessibility to providers for individuals who want assist in each areas. According to the chief order of Pitzker, the consolidation will come into drive in July except state legislators voted in opposition to it.
Albert has been director of the psychological well being division since 2020 and can be secretary of the Board of Directors of the National Association of Mental Health Program Directors, in line with DHS.
Rivera is a psychologist of the group in formation and has labored within the discipline of drugs use since 1996. He labored within the division of the usage of Idhs substances since 2017, mentioned the division.
All DMH workers and Supr will likely be a part of the brand new division, in line with Idhs.
The state cited the excessive proportion of people who need assistance each with the usage of psychological well being and substance as a key purpose to consolidate divisions. Almost a 3rd of the individuals who obtain hospital psychiatric care even have a substance use dysfunction, mentioned Idhs based mostly on the info of the administration of drugs and psychological well being abuse.
“This integration will enhance the outcomes for the residents of the Illinois, specifically these with advanced wants,” mentioned the secretary of Idhs Dulce Quintero in a be aware. “It will enhance entry to remedy and supply higher high quality of care.”
The govt order of final week was additionally welcomed with optimism by some supporters.
Jud Deloss, CEO of the Illinois Association for Behavoral Health, on the time he had mentioned that beforehand he had expressed some issues to the state that the abuse of drugs abuse might not get “a a lot focus” is actually distinctive. “
But the state has maintained a “good dialogue” on the matter and was firmly satisfied that the transfer isn’t a measure of discount in prices, he mentioned.
