Statistics

Illinois-Specific Data

1. Workforce and Leadership Representation (Illinois)

• Behavioral health workforce diversity gaps
• In Illinois, the behavioral health workforce remains disproportionately White, while the populations most impacted by substance use and health inequities are more diverse.
• Shortages of culturally responsive providers are especially acute in rural and underserved areas.
• Source: Illinois Department of Human Services; Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration workforce reports
• State demographics vs. leadership mismatch
• Illinois population is approximately:
• ~58% White (non-Hispanic)
• ~14% Black
• ~18% Latino/a/e
• Leadership roles across sectors do not proportionally reflect this diversity.
• Source: U.S. Census Bureau

2. Training and Technical Assistance Participants

• Access disparities across Illinois regions
• Rural Illinois communities face limited access to workforce development and training opportunities, including behavioral health and opioid response training.
• Broadband access and transportation barriers contribute to lower participation.
• Source: Illinois Department of Public Health; Health Resources and Services Administration
• Workforce shortages impact training reach
• Illinois has designated many counties as Health Professional Shortage Areas (HPSAs), especially for mental health providers.
• Source: HRSA

3. Partner and Community-Based Organizations Engaged

• Funding inequities in Illinois
• Community-based organizations serving Black and Latino communities in Illinois, particularly in Chicago and southern Illinois, often operate with less funding and infrastructure capacity than larger institutions.
• Grassroots organizations report challenges sustaining staffing and program delivery.
• Source: Illinois Criminal Justice Information Authority; Urban Institute
• Geographic inequities
• Resources and funding are often concentrated in the Chicago region, while downstate and rural communities have fewer service providers and partners.
• Source: ICJIA

4. Communities Served (Underserved & Rural Illinois)

• Urban–rural divide
• Illinois has a strong regional divide: highly resourced urban areas (e.g., Chicago) vs. rural southern and western counties with limited healthcare infrastructure.
• Source: Illinois Department of Public Health
• Rural population & access
• Rural residents in Illinois experience:
• Higher poverty rates
• Fewer behavioral health providers
• Greater transportation barriers
• Source: National Rural Health Association; IDPH

5. Disproportionate Impact & Equity Gaps (Illinois Focus)

• Overdose disparities in Illinois
• Black residents in Illinois have experienced significantly higher increases in opioid overdose death rates compared to White residents in recent years.
• In some years, overdose death rates among Black Illinoisans have surpassed those of White residents.
• Source: Illinois Department of Public Health; Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
• Chicago-specific inequities
• In Chicago, overdose deaths among Black residents have been reported at 2–3 times higher rates than among White residents in certain periods.
• Source: Chicago Department of Public Health
• Treatment access disparities
• Black and Latino individuals in Illinois are:
• Less likely to receive medication-assisted treatment (MAT)
• More likely to experience barriers to care (insurance, stigma, provider access)
• Source: SAMHSA; IDHS