A BEACON for families
I have devoted my entire career to advocating for children and vulnerable people, first as an attorney and court-appointed guardian ad litem, and now as your State Representative.
Again and again, I have seen firsthand the impacts of childhood trauma – not only on children, but on adults who are still dealing with untreated trauma. It’s heartbreaking, and it really underscores the importance of making sure children in crisis get the right help, as early as possible.
This week, I joined Governor Pritzker, Lt. Governor Stratton, state agency leaders and some of my fellow legislators at an event to launch the new BEACON portal. BEACON, which stands for Behavioral Health Care and Ongoing Navigation, offers a centralized resource for Illinois families who need mental health services for children.
I think this will be an incredibly helpful tool for families in crisis. Until now, when I got a call for help from a friend, a client, or a constituent, the best I could do was hand them a list of nearby providers. But I know that, when you’re trying to deal with the worst crisis in your child’s life and your own life, the last thing you want to do is sit down and try to make an excel sheet of local resources. With BEACON, a parent can go online, to beacon.illinois.gov, and find the support services that best fit their needs.
Now we all have a responsibility to make sure that everyone knows about this new portal and the help that it can offer. To learn more, you can click here. If you need help, or if you know a family or child who is in need of services, please visit beacon.illinois.gov.