This school year, the headlines are full of AI innovation—automated tutoring, lesson planning, and even virtual therapy bots. But in Illinois, lawmakers just drew a powerful line in the sand: some things should only be done by a human.

Enter Illinois House Bill 1806, now signed into law.

HB1806 is simple but significant: it ensures that therapeutic mental health services for students must be provided by real people—licensed mental health professionals, not artificial intelligence.

Why does this matter?

Because at iCARE, we know that healing doesn’t come from an app. It comes from attunement. Presence. Someone who can recognize a child’s pain behind the outburst. Someone who listens not just to the words—but to what’s not being said.

Adopted, foster, and kinship children often carry complex histories. Their healing requires more than a digital intervention. They need connection. And this bill affirms something we’ve believed all along: no algorithm can replace the power of human relationship in a child’s life.

HB1806 is a step forward in protecting that truth in our schools.

We’re grateful to the legislators who championed this effort—and we’re hopeful it marks a broader shift in how we talk about school mental health. Technology has its place. But connection is the foundation.

As schools navigate new tools and innovations, let’s make sure we’re also investing in people—the ones who build trust, show up consistently, and hold space for healing.

Because healing is human work. And our children deserve nothing less.