Mental Health Services in Illinois IEPs
What mental health services are available through an IEP in Illinois?
Illinois IEPs may include mental health-related related services — including counseling services, school psychological services, and school social work services — when the IEP team determines they are required for the student to benefit from special education (23 IAC §226.310; 34 CFR 300.34). These services are provided by ISBE-licensed personnel: school psychologists hold an Illinois Professional Educator License (PEL) with school psychologist endorsement; school social workers hold a PEL with school social worker endorsement; school counselors hold a PEL with school counselor endorsement (23 IAC §226.800). Illinois requires school districts to develop and implement a School Mental Health Plan aligned with the Illinois School Mental Health Strategy under 23 IAC §226.900, supporting a tiered continuum of services consistent with the Illinois Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MTSS) framework — Tier 1 universal supports, Tier 2 targeted group interventions, and Tier 3 intensive individualized services. The Children's Mental Health Act (20 ILCS 1705/73.1) requires every school district to adopt a policy for incorporating social-emotional learning into educational plans and for identifying and referring students whose mental health needs may affect learning. Illinois also mandates coordination with the Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS) when a student receiving special education is also involved with the child welfare system, ensuring integrated service planning. Illinois operates a robust school-based Medicaid program under which local education agencies may bill Medicaid for IEP-mandated mental health services — including psychological services, social work therapy, counseling, and crisis intervention — provided to Medicaid-eligible students (Illinois HFS Handbook for LEAs). Illinois is also the first state to mandate universal mental health screenings for students in grades 3–12, phasing in beginning with the 2027–28 school year under Public Act 104-0032 (SB 1560, signed July 31, 2025), with the IEP team determining how screening results inform service needs.
What Illinois Requires
School psychological services, school social work services, and counseling services are listed related services that IEP teams may include when needed for FAPE (23 IAC §226.310; 34 CFR 300.34)
Related service logs for school social work, counseling, and psychological services must be made available to parents on request; parents must be notified of this right within 20 school days of IEP establishment or the start of the school year (23 IAC §226.310)
Mental health related service providers must hold an Illinois PEL with appropriate endorsement: school psychologist, school social worker, or school counselor (23 IAC §226.800)
Districts must develop a School Mental Health Plan aligned with the Illinois School Mental Health Strategy (23 IAC §226.900), supporting a Tier 1/2/3 MTSS continuum of mental health supports for all students including those with IEPs
The Children's Mental Health Act (20 ILCS 1705/73.1) requires every school district to adopt a policy incorporating social-emotional learning and identifying/referring students whose mental health needs affect learning
When a student with an IEP is also involved with DCFS, districts must coordinate with DCFS to ensure integrated and non-duplicative mental health service planning
LEAs may bill Medicaid for IEP-documented mental health services provided to eligible students under the Illinois School-Based Health Services program (Illinois HFS Handbook for LEAs)
Illinois mandates universal annual mental health screenings for grades 3–12 beginning 2027–28 school year; parents may opt out; IEP teams must consider screening results in service planning (Public Act 104-0032)
Key Timelines
Within 20 school days of IEP establishment or start of school year: district must inform parents of right to request related service logs (23 IAC §226.310)
Beginning 2027–28 school year: universal annual mental health screenings required for grades 3–12 (Public Act 104-0032)