Editorial: Make bills that address shortage of mental health workers a priority

Study after study done here and abroad since the emergence of the COVID-19 pandemic have concluded that people who already were suffering from mental illness are worse off now.

Notably, children and adolescents have suffered increased levels of social isolation, depression and anxiety. Those on the autism spectrum have suffered from changes to routine.

Other studies point to a rise in drug abuse, suicidal thoughts and suicide as a byproduct of the isolation of COVID-19.

None of this should come as a surprise. Many of us can point to anecdotal evidence in our social spheres, in our families, in ourselves.

It's been a primary argument in the case against ending mask mandates, especially in schools.

Add to the problem a shortage of people to provide mental health treatment and you have never-ending caseloads with too few people to give people the attention they need.

The state of affairs for mental health treatment options wasn't rosy before the pandemic.

Just after Thanksgiving last year, Illinois House Majority Leader Greg Harris, a Chicago Democrat, introduced legislation seeking to provide greater access to mental health treatment by better funding the industry.

It drew immediate support from Republican leadership in the House and to date has more than 70 co-sponsors, including many from the suburbs, and many Republicans.

A companion bill filed in the Senate in January drew similar vigorous bipartisan support.

The mission of the "Rebuild Illinois Mental Health Workforce Act" is to expand access to Medicare mental health care treatment by providing additional state funding for community mental health care providers who offer a variety of therapeutic services.

The plan is to funnel $180 million to the providers to build their staffs so they can handle more cases.

A federal Medicaid match would make the state a partner, not the sole funder.

These two bills already are part of Gov. J.B. Pritzker's budget plan.

With this much bipartisan support, the approach should be a shoo-in.

But budget negotiations tend to make for short memories and adjusted priorities.

We urge the General Assembly to remember their early support for these bills and not lose their heads during budget talks.

Let this effort not fall through the cracks as so many people suffering from mental illness do.

The stakes are too high.