Illinois legislators passed a bill on Thursday that would help expand the pool of eligible peer support workers in the state.
Senate Bill 3661, sponsored by Sen. Laura Murphy (D-Des Plaines), would add comprehensive community mental health centers (CMHCs) to the list of facilities defined as “healthcare employers” in Illinois. That would allow CMHCs to file a waiver with the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) to allow for potential employees to work at a CMHC, even if a disqualifying event is revealed during their background check.
“CMHCs are not currently considered as a healthcare employer and therefore are unable to report or add individuals to the healthcare worker registry if a background check reveals a disqualifying event,” said bill cosponsor Rep. Michelle Mussman (D-Schaumburg). “They are also unable to assist potential employees with lived experiences in pursuing a waiver.”
Behavioral healthcare employees with lived experiences are often called peer support workers. They have recovered from a behavioral health issue—which could include a mental health condition, a substance use disorder, or both—and now provide support and mentorship to others in recovery for similar issues.
Peer support workers are non-clinical workers. They support the behavioral healthcare system by breaking stigmas and providing a perspective that traditional providers may not have.
“Evidence demonstrates that those with lived experience who are able to use that experience to assist others who are struggling aids in their own recovery, and can make them effective peer advocates and mentors for others,” Mussman said.
Allowing the “healthcare employer” designation to CHMCs aligns the clinics with an existing administrative rule requiring compliance with the Healthcare Worker Background Check Act, Mussman said.
Mussman addressed concerns about allowing people who would not pass a traditional background check to care for others. Under SB 3661, IDPH would still be able to deny peer support workers from employment at a CMHC, but they still have the opportunity to review the details of each individual case, and decide whether or not it would be appropriate to approve the waiver.
These waivers are already used in other health-related programs and facilities in the state, Mussman said.
“Just because you have something in your background, it may have happened 20 [or] 30 years ago, and you have lived an otherwise-upstanding life since, and it may not necessarily be a reflection of your character today … We find that people who have that lived experience are better peer counselors. It does help with their own recovery. It can be a win-win. You are not necessarily defined by one bad thing that happened in your past.”
— Mussman
Rep. Lindsey LaPointe (D-Chicago), chair of the House Mental Health and Addiction Committee, said peer support workers are a vital aspect of the behavioral healthcare system.
“Those peer support workers with lived expertise are so important,” LaPointe said. “Illinois has made a big investment in growing peer support, and this bill will really open up doors so our peer support workers can work in CMHCs. Our CMHCs are where so much work related to behavioral health [happens], where our folks on Medicaid all across Illinois get support.”
SB 3663 awaits Gov. Mike Dunleavy’s signature for implementation.
Readers can learn more about behavioral healthcare during the “Efforts to Improve Behavioral Health Access” panel at the 2024 Illinois State of Reform Health Policy Conference, which will be held on May 29 at the Fairmont Chicago Millennium Park. LaPointe will speak on the “Legislators Discuss Health Policy” panel. Those interested can register here.