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Illinois Department of Human Services: Transforming behavioral healthcare in Illinois with Google Public Sector

Google Cloud Results

BEACON unified services from six different agencies into one system
Launched statewide in just seven months
Handled over 400 families' cases in the first quarter of implementation
Successfully cleared 70% of family cases in the first quarter
Demonstrates unprecedented collaboration between multiple state agencies

The State of Illinois partnered with Google Cloud to create BEACON, a unified intake portal that simplifies access to behavioral healthcare services for children and families. This initiative achieved significant improvements in care coordination and access, demonstrating a model for other states.

Addressing the fragmented behavioral health system

This kind of speed and success doesn't happen without unprecedented collaboration. The Children's Behavioral Health Transformation Initiative brought together six child-serving State agencies — a partnership I've never seen on this scale during my time in public service. This extraordinary partnership will serve for years to come as an example of what can be achieved when you dare to think big in state government.

Dr. David Albert

IDHS Division of Mental Health

For years, families seeking behavioral health services for their children have faced a fragmented and confusing system. Families had to navigate multiple state agencies, each with their own intake processes and eligibility requirements. This meant delays in treatment, increased frustration for families, and ultimately, suboptimal outcomes for vulnerable youth. The State of Illinois recognized the urgent need for a unified, streamlined approach to make it easier for children and families to find services once they've made the courageous decision to seek help.

The State of Illinois partnered with Google Public Sector to develop and launch BEACON (Behavioral Health Care and Ongoing Navigation), a revolutionary care coordination and unified intake portal. Built on Google Cloud's secure and scalable infrastructure, BEACON provides a single point of entry for families seeking behavioral health services for their children. BEACON helps families to navigate complex programs across six different state agencies, ensuring every Illinoisan has access to the behavioral health services that they need. BEACON demonstrates the significant impact that bold ideas and collaboration can have on the lives of children and families.

In just seven months, the State of Illinois and Google Public Sector went from a bold idea to a real system, ready to support Illinois families.

Illinois Department of Human Services banner

BEACON: A unified solution for behavioral healthcare

The challenges Illinois faced in delivering behavioral health services to children are not unique. States across the nation grapple with data silos and inefficiencies that make it difficult for people to access appropriate care. BEACON offers a proven model for transforming behavioral health systems, demonstrating how technology can be leveraged to improve the lives of vulnerable children and families, and illustrating the power of partnership and innovation when forward-thinking state agencies come together with innovation partners like Google. Google Public Sector built BEACON in just seven months and launched it statewide in August 2024. We helped unify services from six different state agencies into a functioning system handling real cases helping Illinois families. In the first quarter of implementation, BEACON handled over 400 families' cases, and cleared 70% of them successfully.

This historic partnership with Google has already begun to offer creative and sensitive insights for developing more efficient and productive solutions for families. I appreciate all of the support and progress that has contributed to our incredible progress over the last year toward transforming the children's behavioral health service system in Illinois.

Dr. Dana Weiner

Chief Officer for Children's Behavioral Health Transformation

The Illinois Department of Human Services is the department of the Illinois state government responsible for providing streamlined access to a wide variety of integrated services to Illinois residents, especially those striving for economic independence or face challenges to self-sufficiency.