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1
SENATE JOINT RESOLUTION

 
2    WHEREAS, The Children's Mental Health Act initiated the
3development of the Screening, Assessment and Support Services
4(SASS) program for children and adolescents experiencing a
5mental health crisis; and
 
6    WHEREAS, One in six children and adolescents have mental
7health conditions, but only half of those receive mental
8health services; and
 
9    WHEREAS, Undiagnosed, untreated, or inadequately treated
10mental illness can significantly interfere with a child's
11ability to learn and develop; and
 
12    WHEREAS, These delays in treatment also lead to worsened
13conditions that are harder and costlier to treat; and
 
14    WHEREAS, Delays in treatment further result in higher
15rates of school dropout, unemployment, substance use, arrest,
16incarceration, and early death; and
 
17    WHEREAS, The number of children and adolescents
18experiencing a mental health crisis continues to increase,
19taxing school and community mental health services; therefore,
20be it
 

 

 

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1    RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE ONE HUNDRED THIRD GENERAL
2ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, THE HOUSE OF
3REPRESENTATIVES CONCURRING HEREIN, that there is created the
4SASS Program Task Force; and be it further
 
5    RESOLVED, That the Task Force shall be charged with the
6following duties:
7        (1) Evaluate the SASS program by county, including but
8    not limited to Crisis and Referral Entry Services (CARES)
9    hotline volume, hotline staffing, local agency staffing,
10    local agency staff turnover, local agency staff response
11    time, local agency staff training, number of referrals for
12    inpatient and outpatient services, and availability of
13    inpatient and outpatient services; and
14        (2) Analyze whether the current funding is sufficient
15    to meet the needs of the program; and be it further
 
16    RESOLVED, That the Task Force shall consist of the
17following members:
18        (1) One legislative member appointed by the President
19    of the Senate, who shall serve as co-chair;
20        (2) One legislative member appointed by the Speaker of
21    the House, who shall serve as co-chair;
22        (3) One legislative member appointed by the Senate
23    Minority Leader;

 

 

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1        (4) One legislative member appointed by the House
2    Minority Leader;
3        (5) The Director of the Department of Children and
4    Family Services or his or her designee;
5        (6) The Director of the Department of Healthcare and
6    Family Services or his or her designee;
7        (7) The Secretary of the Department of Human Services
8    or his or her designee;
9        (8) One member representing a statewide professional
10    school social worker association, appointed by the
11    President of the Senate;
12        (9) One member representing a statewide professional
13    school psychologist association, appointed by the Speaker
14    of the House;
15        (10) One school social worker or school psychologist
16    representing a statewide professional teacher
17    organization, appointed by the Senate Minority Leader;
18        (11) One school social worker or school psychologist
19    representing a different statewide professional teacher
20    organization, appointed by the House Minority Leader;
21        (12) One school social worker or school psychologist
22    representing a professional teachers' organization in a
23    city having a population exceeding 500,000, appointed by
24    the President of the Senate;
25        (13) One school district administrator representing a
26    statewide professional school administrator organization,

 

 

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1    appointed by the Speaker of the House;
2        (14) One school principal representing a statewide
3    professional school principal organization, appointed by
4    the Senate Minority Leader; and
5        (15) One school board member representing a statewide
6    professional school board organization, appointed by the
7    House Minority Leader; and be it further
 
8    RESOLVED, That members of the Task Force shall serve
9without compensation; and be it further
 
10    RESOLVED, That the Department of Children and Family
11services, the Department of Healthcare and Family Services,
12and the Department of Human Services shall provide
13administrative support; and be it further
 
14    RESOLVED, That the Task Force shall use the collected
15information to write a report, including the findings of the
16evaluation and policy recommendations that would address
17identified program and financial challenges, and deliver this
18report to the Governor and the General Assembly on or before
19June 30, 2024, and, upon the filing of its report, the Task
20Force shall be dissolved; and be it further
 
21    RESOLVED, That suitable copies of this resolution be
22delivered to the President of the Senate, the Speaker of the

 

 

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1House, the Minority Leader of the Senate, the Minority Leader
2of the House, the Director of the Department of Children and
3Family Services, the Director of the Department of Healthcare
4and Family Services, and the Secretary of the Department of
5Human Services.