IL SJR0051

Illinois General Assembly reaffirms commitment to person-centered, community-based mental health and substance use treatment that respects individual dignity, autonomy, and the right to care in the least restrictive environment.

Resolution responds to a July 24, 2025 federal Executive Order calling for involuntary commitment of people experiencing homelessness, serious mental illness, or substance use disorder into "long-term institutional settings."

Cites mental health statistics: more than 1 in 5 U.S. adults experience mental illness annually, 1 in 20 experience serious mental illness, and nearly 17% of those over age 12 had a substance use disorder in the preceding year (2024 SAMHSA data).

Supports evidence-based approaches including Housing First, Harm Reduction, and Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinics (CCBHCs), while opposing federal policies inconsistent with these practices.

References Illinois's existing framework including the Williams and Colbert consent decrees, the Housing Is Recovery Act (2021), and the Community Emergency Services and Supports Act (CESSA, 2021) requiring mental health professionals rather than police respond to behavioral health crises.