Mental Health
Expanding Illinois’ Statewide Mental Health Programs & Services Together
Your Voice Shapes Pediatric Mental Health Care in Illinois
In 2023, Illinois pediatric clinicians spoke, and we listened. Your insights drove real change: enhanced training modules, new clinical support materials, expanded promotion of Illinois DocAssist, and stronger statewide advocacy for pediatric mental health.
In 2025/2026, we returned to measure progress. Our follow-up needs assessment confirmed meaningful gains in clinician confidence, clinic infrastructure, and DocAssist utilization, while revealing persistent structural barriers and new areas requiring attention, including post-screening follow-up systems, trauma-informed care, and clinician burnout. This ongoing feedback loop ensures our programs stay responsive to the real needs of clinicians and children in Illinois.
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Join the ICAAP Mental Health Community
Sign Up for Bi-Monthly Newsletters Designed to Build Capacity
As part of our mission to support pediatricians and all clinicians working with children in Illinois, we’ve developed a newsletter that we will send every two months to share key updates directly to your inbox.
Newsletter Archive: June 2026 | April 2026 | February 2026 | December 2025 | October 2025
Get Crucial Updates On:
- CE/CME Opportunities
- Mental Health Resources & Guidance
- Educational Webinars
- Upcoming Events
- Data & Trends in Illinois
- State & Partner Initiatives
What's Happening in Illinois
Efforts to Strengthen Children’s Mental Health Care in Illinois
In November 2022, the Administration of Governor JB Pritzker announced it is launching a state program designed to help pediatricians and other providers meet children’s mental health needs by strengthening mental health services in emergency departments and schools.
IL Blueprint for Transformation - A Vision for Improved Behavioral Healthcare for Illinois Children
The Transformation Initiative to analyzes systemic problems and, in collaboration with the six child-serving State agencies, develops creative, evidence-driven solutions.
Youth Suicide Prevention
The AAP and the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention partner to establish a community of Suicide Prevention Ambassadors across all AAP Chapters. ICAAP’s Ambassador is Nabil Abou Baker, MD, FAAP - University of Chicago. The Chapter also works closely with Phil Martinez, American Foundation for Suicide Prevention IL Chapter.
Visit ICAAP’s Youth Suicide Prevention Page for resources and outreach materials around suicide prevention.
Mental Health Resources for Illinois Clinicians
Connect with a Mental Health Peer Advisor
We have convened a group of clinicians to serve as mental health peer advisors, ready to support your needs and provide guidance. Our mental health peer advisors do not provide case consultation, rather, they are here to provide support to clinicians and practices working to integrate mental health care screening and delivery into the primary care setting.
Clinical Tools and Expert Guidance
ICAAP Medication Quick-Reference Tools
These short, digestible, primary-care-friendly guides outline medications and dosing for ADHD, anxiety, and depression. They include drug names and classes, age-specific dosing, formulation details, and clinical pearls.
ADHD Medication Chart for Preschool Children (Ages 3-5)
Additional Resources: IL DocAssist Dosing for Children Under 6
ADHD Medication Chart for Children Ages 6+
Additional Resources: Vanderbilt Assessment Scales | CHOP Alternative Treatment Algorithm | Northwell Health Dosage Equivalence Guide
AAP Clinical Guidance
Framework for Approaching Healthy Mental and Emotional Development in Pediatrics
New clinical report published in April 2026 offering a framework for addressing mental, emotional, and relational health as part of every visit.
Promoting Optimal Development: Screening for Mental Health, Emotional, and Behavioral Problems
AAP clinical report providing guidance on screening children for mental health concerns beginning in the first year of life.
Health Supervision for Children and Youth With Mental and Behavioral Health Emergencies
AAP policy statement and technical report highlighting strategies to improve emergency care delivery for pediatric mental and behavioral health.
AAP Mental Health Initiatives
Comprehensive collection of practice tools, guidance, and resources for pediatric mental health care.
AAP Children and Youth with Special Health Care Needs (CYSHCN)
Comprehensive collection of resources, tools, and strategies to improve systems and supports for children and youth with special health care needs and their families.
Supporting Children Affected by Bullying
Bullying can have lasting effects on a child’s emotional, social, and physical well-being. Whether it happens at school, online, or within the community, its impact often extends beyond the situation itself and can increase the risk of anxiety, depression, poor academic performance, and other long-term consequences.
Resources on What Pediatricians Can Do About Bullying
- Parents and Providers: Partnering with Healthcare Providers to Respond to Bullying – handout from StopBullying.gov
- Bullying and Pediatric Mental Health: What Primary Care Clinicians Should Know – the Reach Institute
- Violence Prevention Tools - CHOP
- Bullying and Trauma
- Bullying as an ACE
Resources to Share with Families
Outreach Materials for Your Patients and Their Families
Support your patients beyond the exam room with these resources. Whether you're helping families manage anxiety, understand behavioral strategies, or connect with community services, these materials are designed to extend your clinical guidance into the home.
ICAAP Anxiety Management Tools
ICAAP and subject matter experts developed a list of resources on cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and other tools clinicians can share with patients who have anxiety.
CBT and Relaxation Techniques
Help families understand CBT skills including deep breathing, progressive muscle relaxation, guided imagery, and mindfulness.
Apps for Kids and Teens
Recommend digital tools for mindfulness, emotional regulation, CBT strategies, and mood tracking, organized by age group. Apps are shared for informational purposes only and do not imply endorsement.
Download in English | Download in Spanish
Books and Workbooks List
Provide families with curated titles for children, teens, and parents that reinforce CBT strategies and offer interactive approaches to managing worry, anger, and stress.
Anti-Bullying Resources for Parents and Guardians
- Signs of Bullying: Important Questions for Parents to Ask
- Why Bullying Hurts All Children—and What Parents Can Do About It
- Cyberbullying: How to Help Prevent It
- HealthyChildren.org Podcast Episode 79 – Navigating Bullying: The Emotional Toll and How to Help
- What Adults Can Do
- How to Talk About Bullying
- Cyberbullying Unplugged - Tip Sheet from National Center for Missing and Exploited Children
- What is Sextortion? - Fact Sheet from FBI
- Gaming Safely - Tip Sheet from National Center for Missing and Exploited Children
- How to Prevent Cyberbullying – Guide for Parents, Caregivers and Youth from stopbullying.gov
Grief Resources
Two flyers that provide step-by-step information on how clinicians can confidently help patients and their families, encouraging healthy healing after the loss of a child or sibling.
BEACON: Connect Families to Behavioral Health Services
When families need additional support beyond your practice, direct them to BEACON—Illinois' comprehensive resource for behavioral health services. BEACON helps families find services focused on their child's specific needs, discover community-based resources, and explore state-funded programs.
New Resources for Illinois Parents & Caregivers
Help families stay informed between appointments with these two free guides, developed by Illinois pediatricians and available in English and Spanish. Each delivers short daily emails with practical guidance and resources for deeper learning directly to a parent's inbox with easy-to-understand language designed to engage.
Parent Guide to Pre-Teen & Teen Mental Health:
A 6-day series helping parents understand their teen's brain development, navigate social media and screen time, recognize warning signs, and build lasting resilience. Sign up at IllinoisAAP.org/teen-mental-health
Parent Guide to Autism Spectrum Disorder:
A free week-long series walking parents through early signs, the diagnosis process, therapy access, school rights, and Illinois-specific resources. Sign up at Illinoisaap.org/autism-guide
Clinicians can enroll parents/caregivers or families can self-enroll.
ICAAP's Partnership with Illinois DocAssist
ICAAP collaborates closely with IDA to expand access to pediatric mental health services across Illinois.
IDA is a free service available to all Illinois health care and school-based clinicians. Our psychiatric consultants can quickly assist you with addressing the mental health and substance use problems of children, adolescents (through age 21), and perinatal women. The program offers the following services:
The program offers the follow services
- Same Day Psychiatric Teleconsultation
- Treatment Referral Assistance
- Provider Resources