Chicago, Ill. — On July 1, Governor JB Pritzker announced a newly integrated division of the Illinois Department of Health and Safety (IDHS). The Division of Behavioral Health and Recovery (DBHR) began operations yesterday.
The DBHR integrates the former IDHS Division of Substance Use Prevention and Recovery with the Division of Mental Health.
“The new Division of Behavioral Health and Recovery will promote a stronger, more unified approach to serving people in Illinois seeking treatment for substance use disorders and mental illnesses,” Pritzker said in a press release. “This move will allow providers to focus on the important work of administering care. Integrating these divisions will unite the expertise of staff and move us forward in providing access to high-quality treatment for those who need it.”
Pritzker signed an executive order in February 2025 to begin the implementation of this new division. The decision was made to improve the outcomes and access of behavioral health care. The change will also help streamline the administrative process and remove unnecessary burdens for providers. The executive action became law after it went through the legislative process.
The new division is specifically meant to help those with complex or co-occurring needs. The federal Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration noted that one in four people with severe mental illness and 32% of those receiving inpatient psychiatric care also have a substance use disorder. Alternatively, half of those receiving treatment for substance abuse also have a mental disorder.
The new director for the Division of Behavioral Health and Recovery will be Dr. David Albert, who previously served as interim director of the Division of Substance Use Prevention and Recovery. All previous employees from that former division and the Division of Mental Health now work in the DBHR.
