IL RCCA Regional Coalitions Quarterly Update
January 2026
Lisa Cook, Ph.D., Senior Program Manager
Rachel King-Johnson, Staff Consultant
Summary
All seven Illinois Regional Care Coordination Agency coalitions convened in January 2026 for their quarterly meetings. Discussions focused on advancing regional workplan goals—improving access to care, reducing stigma, and strengthening systems of support across the state. Coalition members have shown a strong commitment to collaboration and to development of regional strategies that respond to local needs. Over the past quarter, the coalitions generated ideas and finalized recommendations, several of which were approved by the Office of Opioid Settlement Administration.
Trending Regional Needs
Across all seven regions, several trends have emerged:
- A need for increased collaboration, with coalition members striving to reduce and remove silos
- More individuals without reliable transportation and those who have historically been underserved
- Workforce and capacity challenges, including staffing shortages
Regional Priorities and Building Community Capacity
Each coalition is refining these priorities to align with core abatement strategies. Common themes across the coalitions include the following:
- Expand access to treatment and supportive services, including low-barrier options
- Strengthen coordination between behavioral health, public health, and community-based organizations and work towards behavioral health integration
- Improve communication to better understand local needs and measure impact
- Increase availability of harm reduction resources and education
- Enhance pathways to housing, recognizing that by addressing social determinants of health such as housing, stability can be achieved
Looking Ahead
The coalitions will continue advancing regional solutions informed by their regional workplans and identified community needs. Coalitions will also expand community outreach efforts to ensure that proposed solutions and coalition representation reflect the experiences and priorities of the communities they serve.