HB1085 received overwhelming approval in the Illinois Senate on October 30, passing by a 48-10 margin, and earlier in the House with a vote of 86-19—showing even broader bipartisan support than anticipated. This landmark legislation, driven by bill sponsors Representative LaPointe, Senator Villa, and Senate President Harmon with support from the Governor’s Office and the Illinois Department of Insurance, marks the largest investment in behavioral health services through private insurance since the adoption of federal and state parity laws in the early 2000s.
The bill is set to channel hundreds of millions of dollars into mental health and substance use disorder services for all state-regulated insurance plans. It also takes meaningful steps to reduce barriers to care and strengthen the behavioral health workforce throughout Illinois.
An estimated 2.5 million Illinois residents are expected to benefit, with access to care becoming significantly easier for those in need of mental health or substance use services.