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Behavioral Health Workforce

Retention Toolkit

Resources to support your team at every stage so 
they can provide consistent, high-quality care.

Upcoming Events

Join us for our upcoming events focused on behavioral health workforce retention. These events will thoroughly explore the Toolkit, discuss how to leverage the organizational assessment, and spotlight providers already putting these practices into action.

Location: Springfield, IL
Date: April 7, 2026
Time: 10:00 AM – 2:00 PM

Register

Location: Virtual
Date: April 30, 2026
Time: 10:00 AM – 12:00 PM

Register

Effective staff retention is essential for delivering quality care and reducing the challenges of turnover. The need is pressing, yet the time and energy it takes to recruit, train, and support staff can be overwhelming. This toolkit is here to help.

What’s Inside

  • Practical strategies that work across behavioral health settings.  
  • Tools you can adapt to your organization’s needs.  
  • Guidance for leaders, HR teams, and supervisors.
  • Spotlights from Illinois organizations improving retention.  

This Toolkit is for

  • Organizational leaders looking to improve workforce stability
  • HR staff seeking smarter hiring and onboarding approaches
  • Supervisors aiming to support and retain their teams
  • Funders and policymakers focused on workforce investment

Watch the 2025 BHWC Retention Event that prompted the Toolkit!

Watch the Recording

Organization Retention Assessment

The Organization Retention Assessment was developed by the BHWC with support from behavioral health providers currently in the field. It is designed for organizational leaders, HR staff, and supervisors as a tool to identify successes and opportunities for growth within the agency.
Take the Assessment

Stay Connected

The Illinois Behavioral Health Workforce Center (BHWC), established in 2022, is funded by the Division of Behavioral Health & Recovery at the Illinois Department of Human Services and administered by the Illinois Board of Higher Education. The BHWC leads the charge by supporting recruitment, education and retention of the behavioral health workforce.