The Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation (IDFPR) is making headlines with its recent accolade, the 2025 Regulatory Excellence Award, a distinction granted by the Council on Licensure, Enforcement and Regulation (CLEAR), as reported by the state's news release. Recognized internationally for its innovative approach to professional regulation, the IDFPR's Division of Professional Regulation (DPR) has notably modernized licensing processes and customer service for the state's 1.2 million licensed professionals.
In a statement obtained by the state's news release, IDFPR Secretary Mario Treto, Jr. expressed pride in the achievement, noting that the award not only signals national but also international acknowledgment of Illinois's commitment to reforming regulatory practices and prioritizing the needs of people, the strides in service, policy reform, and stakeholder engagement are far-reaching, with the department issuing 120,933 licenses in 2024 alone, marking a 14% increase from the previous year and service satisfaction scores ranking consistently above the 90th percentile.
Camile Lindsay, Director of Professional Regulation, spearheaded this significant transformation, which was epitomized by the launch of CORE (Comprehensive Online Regulatory Environment) on October 30, 2024, replacing an outdated legacy system with a dynamic, fully online solution for all 120 regulated professions. IDFPR's advancements extended beyond technology with the implementation of customer service enhancements, policy initiatives, and efficiency gains like streamlining the paper application review process, which included a pilot program for select professionals to submit payments online, as detailed in the state's news release.
In the words of Staci Mason, President of CLEAR, "IDFPR’s Division of Professional Regulation stood out because of its ability to pair bold vision with measurable impact," highlighting their creativity and unwavering dedication to public protection while simultaneously leading with innovation. The CLEAR honor places IDFPR amongst an elite group of past recipients, such as the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency and the College of Pharmacists of British Columbia, showcasing their position as a regulatory role model on the world stage.
Those interested in learning more about IDFPR's innovative approaches and customer-centric transformations can find additional details on the department's new Hub webpage, which highlights the tangible successes achieved by the Division of Professional Regulation in enhancing the professional landscape of Illinois.
