Waukegan, IL May 15^th, 2020 – Mayor Sam Cunningham and City Clerk Janet Kilkelly joined Lake Behavioral Chief Operating Officer, Cindy Demarco, and IL Group Chief Executive Officer, Anthony DeJoseph, for a tour of the brand new Lake Behavioral Hospital.

The state-of-the-art hospital is the newest of its kind in Illinois and will expand access to mental health and substance use treatment for adolescents, adults, and senior adults.

Lake Behavioral Hospital began operating 46 mental health beds in March of 2018. Based on the immediate need for mental health services in Lake County and surrounding communities, plans were put in motion to construct a brand new hospital. The new facility will more than double the capacity for treatment from 46 beds to 146 beds.

“This expanded space allows us to offer programming that is unique to this community”, says DeMarco. “We will have the flexibility to tailor our treatment based on feedback from partners in the community and working closely with local health officials”.

Mayor Cunningham and Ms. Kilkelly spoke at length of the importance of meeting this need in Waukegan. During the tour, they visited patient intake, the onsite gym and activity room, cafeteria, and one of the patient units. All features of the hospital are designed to provide a therapeutic environment for treatment. The latest safety features, brightly lit hallways, open corridors, and comfortable patient accommodations are all part of the overall design plan.

In addition to inpatient treatment, Lake Behavioral will continue to provide an Intensive Outpatient Program and Adolescent Partial Hospitalization Program.

Pending final inspections, Lake Behavioral will transition to the new building later this month.

As a community service, free mental health screenings are offered 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

For more information, or to schedule a screening, please call 855-990-1900