Lawmakers, organizations express frustration over continued licensing delays in Illinois

A state agency overseeing licensing for health care and occupational professionals is under scrutiny from lawmakers after missing a deadline in its quest to cutdown on delays and modernize services.

Under legislation signed into by Gov. JB Pritzker in December, the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation had 90 days, or until March 7 to enter into contract with a technology vendor to build a new computer software system.

Now two months after the deadline, lawmakers pressed IDPFR officials during a subject matter hearing in Springfield on Wednesday.

"I mean, the reality is, Mr. Secretary (Mario Treto Jr.), this is a self-imposed deadline," state Rep. Bill Hauter, R-Morton, said during the House Health Care Licenses Committee hearing. "And you told us 90 days and then you said another 90 days, it would be implemented... it is very disappointing that this didn't happen."

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Treto shared Hauter's frustrations, but due to the state's procurement process, declined to share specifics as to why a vendor had yet to be selected. He previously disclosed during a September hearing the agency had walked away from those talks once IDFPR leaders realized the vendor wouldn’t have been able to meet the agency’s specific needs.

Treto was joined by the department's acting director Camile Lindsay during the committee, now serving six months in the role. Lindsay detailed several measures taken up under her leadership, namely sending emails to those with deficient applications and creating the deputy director of licensing and testing position.

Data provided by the agency suggests some improvement since the changes went into effect. As of May 1, Lindsay said IDPFR has processed 1.7 million licenses — a 6% increase compared to January 2023 — carried primarily by increased licensure of dentists, athletic trainers and registered nurses.

"The list goes on and on and the numbers are clear," Lindsay said, her appointment still needing confirmation by the state Senate. "More people want to work in Illinois and IDFPR is committed to answering the call."

Lawmakers welcomed the progress, but still see major room for improvement. Delays in receiving licenses, sometimes weeks or months after applying, has hindered industries statewide. The acting director owes much of the delays to a considerable backlog built up in recent years.

For Holly Woodruff with the Illinois Nurses Association, the delays have long-term effects on an already stretched thin medical industry that struggles to hire and retain health care professionals.

"It's hard to keep the good people that we are educating here in the state of Illinois in the state," she said. "If they can get a license and Missouri within hours, or days, and they're waiting months and months and months here."

The discussion comes as lawmakers are beginning to craft the state budget for the upcoming fiscal year. Pritzker is requesting the General Assembly to cede $205.7 million for the agency, up more than 20% from FY23, including $16.25 million to form the new online licensing system.

Hannah Meisel of Capitol News Illinois contributed to this report.

Contact Patrick M. Keck: 312-549-9340, pkeck@gannett.com, twitter.com/@pkeckreporter.

This article originally appeared on State Journal-Register: Licensing delays continue in Illinois as agency misses deadline