Lawmakers propose legislation over social worker shortage affecting mental health services

SPRINGFIELD, ILL (WICS/WRSP) — Mental health advocates said the shortage of social workers in the state is still ongoing and is affecting access to services. This comes as lawmakers are trying to pass three bills aimed to help recruit and maintain social workers.

The National Association of Social Workers said the shortage of licensed professionals has been going on for years. They're hoping that new legislation going through the General Assembly could help recruit and retain social workers across the state.

Advocates said it's difficult to retain and recruit social workers because of debt from education and low pay.

Kyle Hillman with the National Association of Social Workers said social workers make up one of the largest professions of mental health providers in the state with over 25,000 licensed professionals.

"That sounds like a lot, except when you start looking at the actual statistics. We have massive shortages of mental health professionals in the state, long wait times, over 5 million people in Illinois, actually live in an area that doesn't have access to to close mental health care," he said.

SB3779 would allow a licensed clinical social worker or licensed social worker to have and administer opioid antagonists. SB2222 could award grants to school districts to provide stipends to social work interns. The third bill, SB3714, would create a program to provide loan repayment assistances to eligible professionals practicing in a hospice program.

The National Association of Social Workers thinks these three pieces of legislation could significantly impact the number of social workers who stay in the field since the demand continues to grow.