SPRINGFIELD – With an underrepresentation of BIPOC mental health providers in Illinois, State Senator Javier Cervantes led legislation through committee to encourage students of color to enter this important field by establishing a scholarship program.

“If you do not feel comfortable to open up and be vulnerable in therapy, you will not be able to make much progress—and many people do not feel comfortable explaining their struggles to someone outside of their racial or cultural background,” said Cervantes (D-Chicago). “This bill is all about reducing the barriers for people of color to access and benefit from mental health care.”

According to surveys conducted by the Behavioral Health Workforce Center, there is a drastic underrepresentation of people of color in Illinois' mental health workforce. Additionally, nearly 75% of providers offered services exclusively in English. This negatively affects mental health outcomes of people of color by deterring them from seeking service out of fear or previous experiences with a provider not being able to offer the most helpful coping strategies, as they do not fully understand their lived experiences and root causes of trauma. Barriers in understanding due to language or cultural background can also cause issues in effectiveness of treatment.

SPRINGFIELD – Immigrant workers may soon be entitled to more protections from wrongful workplace retaliation due to issues with their paperwork, thanks to a new initiative led by State Senator Javier Loera Cervantes.

“For many immigrant workers, the E-Verify system can be confusing and complicated,” said Cervantes (D-Chicago). “This initiative will give people the option to utilize legal support in communications with their employer so they are not taken advantage of, and establish the rights they are entitled to as legal, hardworking employees.”

Federal immigration law requires employers to verify the legal work status of their employees through the E-Verify system, which compares information from an employee’s I-9 Form to records available to the Department of Homeland Security and the Social Security Administration to confirm eligibility. If discrepancies are found, immigrant workers have the possibility of receiving a “no match” letter for a variety of reasons, including instances where the individual changed their name due to marriage. Many employers terminate employees upon receiving this notice, even though they could be legally working in the United States.

SPRINGFIELD – After Governor JB Pritzker’s budget address Wednesday afternoon, State Senator Javier Cervantes (D-Chicago) released the following statement:

“It is promising that the governor’s budget proposal included funding to address environmental issues that impact Illinoisans, including investments in clean water infrastructure. While this is a good start, it does not fully address the needs of people living in my community and many throughout the state, who are being exposed to harmful chemicals and pollutants that jeopardize their well-being. I plan to advocate for more funds toward addressing environmental justice in the final Fiscal Year 2026 budget.

"Additionally, ensuring access to quality health care in historically underserved communities—like those in the 1st Senate District—is one of my top priorities. Far too many families struggle to access the medical care they need, and it is critical that our state invests in bridging these gaps. I am hopeful that the proposed budget allocates funds to address this issue, including a large investment in Medicaid and Medicare, and hope that it is implemented in the final budget.

SPRINGFIELD – State Senator Javier Cervantes’ new initiative could help get lower income Chicago residents back on their feet in a small way—by creating a permanent program to waive the fines or fees from traffic violations they may have.

“People already struggling to make ends meet may be one small setback from losing everything,” said Cervantes (D-Chicago). “This initiative will extend grace to Chicagoans with lower incomes, and ensure that one small mistake does not irrevocably change their livelihood.”

The Cook County traffic fee waiver program was established in 2021 and made fees, fines and costs due to traffic violations eligible for a waiver in Cook County for people suffering financially. Thanks to this program, judges in Cook County have evaluated applications to grant fee waivers under the program over the last three years. However, the program had a sunset date for 2024, which was recently extended until 2025, but as it is currently written, would need to be renewed annually to still be operational.