Illinois Public Radio

Statewide: The unfulfilled promise of mental health courts

NPR Illinois | 91.9 UIS | By Sean Crawford

Published May 28, 2026 at 9:39 AM CDT

The courts are considered a better way to handle such cases, rather than the traditional criminal justice system. Mental health courts have expanded in Illinois. There are 31 of them in 25 counties. But a new report finds about two million Illinoisans are left out.

The Illinois Answers Project and Mindsite News examined data to determine how the different courts operate and how well they are working.

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