Illinois. Dept. of Mental Health.

The General Assembly created the Department of Mental Health to assume all responsibilities formerly vested in the Department of Public Welfare (1961), including care and treatment of all persons (e.g., mentally ill; retarded) admitted to state institutions under the department's control. Until the creation of the Department of Children and Family Services (1963), the Department of Mental Health also operated state institutions and social programs for children and their families. The Department of Mental Health was responsible for the establishment of alcohol and drug abuse programs; and community services coordination for the emotionally ill and developmentally disabled. A separate division was established (1973) within the Department to provide programs for the developmentally disabled, with a name change to the Department of Mental Health and Developmental Disabilities to reflect this additional responsibility.