405 ILCS 20/3e

(405 ILCS 20/3e) (from Ch. 91 1/2, par. 303e)

Sec. 3e. Board's powers and duties.

(1) Every community mental health board shall, within 30 days after members are first appointed and within 30 days after members are appointed or reappointed upon the expiration of a member's term, meet and organize, by the election of one of its number as president and one as secretary and such other officers as it may deem necessary. It shall make rules and regulations concerning the rendition or operation of services and facilities which it directs, supervises or funds, not inconsistent with the provisions of this Act. It shall:

(a) Hold a meeting prior to July 1 of each year at which officers shall be elected for the ensuing year beginning July 1. If the community mental health board has already held or scheduled an election to take place prior to July 1, an additional election is not required on the basis of the appointment or reappointment of a member to the community mental health board;

(b) Hold meetings at least quarterly;

(c) Hold special meetings upon a written request signed by at least 2 members and filed with the secretary;

(d) Review and evaluate community mental health services and facilities, including services and facilities for the treatment of alcoholism, drug addiction, developmental disabilities, and intellectual disabilities;

(e) Authorize the disbursement of money from the community mental health fund for payment for the ordinary and contingent expenses of the board;

(f) Submit to the appointing officer and the members of the governing body a written plan for a program of community mental health services and facilities for persons with a mental illness, a developmental disability, or a substance use disorder. Such plan shall be for the ensuing 12 month period. In addition, a plan shall be developed for the ensuing 3 year period and such plan shall be reviewed at the end of every 12 month period and shall be modified as deemed advisable;

(g) Within amounts appropriated therefor, execute such programs and maintain such services and facilities as may be authorized under such appropriations, including amounts appropriated under bond issues, if any;

(h) Publish the annual budget and report within 180 days after the end of the fiscal year in a newspaper distributed within the jurisdiction of the board, or, if no newspaper is published within the jurisdiction of the board, then one published in the county, or, if no newspaper is published in the county, then in a newspaper having general circulation within the jurisdiction of the board. The report shall show the condition of its trust of that year, the sums of money received from all sources, giving the name of any donor, how all monies have been expended and for what purpose, and such other statistics and program information in regard to the work of the board as it may deem of general interest. A copy of the budget and the annual report shall be made available to the Department of Human Services and to members of the General Assembly whose districts include any part of the jurisdiction of such board. The names of all employees, consultants, and other personnel shall be set forth along with the amounts of money received;

(i) Consult with other appropriate private and public agencies in the development of local plans for the most efficient delivery of mental health, developmental disabilities, and substance use disorder services. The Board is authorized to join and to participate in the activities of associations organized for the purpose of promoting more efficient and effective services and programs;

(j) Have the authority to review and comment on all applications for grants by any person, corporation, or governmental unit providing services within the geographical area of the board which provides mental health facilities and services, including services for the person with a mental illness, a developmental disability, or a substance use disorder. The board may require funding applicants to send a copy of their funding application to the board at the time such application is submitted to the Department of Human Services or to any other local, State or federal funding source or governmental agency. Within 60 days of the receipt of any application, the board shall submit its review and comments to the Department of Human Services or to any other appropriate local, State or federal funding source or governmental agency. A copy of the review and comments shall be submitted to the funding applicant. Within 60 days thereafter, the Department of Human Services or any other appropriate local or State governmental agency shall issue a written response to the board and the funding applicant. The Department of Human Services or any other appropriate local or State governmental agency shall supply any community mental health board such information about purchase-of-care funds, State facility utilization, and costs in its geographical area as the board may request provided that the information requested is for the purpose of the Community Mental Health Board complying with the requirements of Section 3f, subsection (f) of this Act;

(k) Perform such other acts as may be necessary or proper to carry out the purposes of this Act.

(2) The community mental health board has the following powers:

(a) The board may enter into multiple-year contracts for rendition or operation of services, facilities and educational programs.

(b) The board may arrange through intergovernmental agreements or intragovernmental agreements or both for the rendition of services and operation of facilities by other agencies or departments of the governmental unit or county in which the governmental unit is located with the approval of the governing body.

(c) To employ, establish compensation for, and set policies for its personnel, including legal counsel, as may be necessary to carry out the purposes of this Act and prescribe the duties thereof. The board may enter into multiple-year employment contracts as may be necessary for the recruitment and retention of personnel and the proper functioning of the board.

(d) The board may enter into multiple-year joint agreements, which shall be written, with other mental health boards and boards of health to provide jointly agreed upon community mental health facilities and services and to pool such funds as may be deemed necessary and available for this purpose.

(e) The board may organize a not-for-profit corporation for the purpose of providing direct recipient services. Such corporations shall have, in addition to all other lawful powers, the power to contract with persons to furnish services for recipients of the corporation's facilities, including psychiatrists and other physicians licensed in this State to practice medicine in all of its branches. Such physicians shall be considered independent contractors, and liability for any malpractice shall not extend to such corporation, nor to the community mental health board, except for gross negligence in entering into such a contract.

(f) The board shall not operate any direct recipient services for more than a 2-year period when such services are being provided in the governmental unit, but shall encourage, by financial support, the development of private agencies to deliver such needed services, pursuant to regulations of the board.

(g) Where there are multiple boards within the same planning area, as established by the Department of Human Services, services may be purchased through a single delivery system. In such areas, a coordinating body with representation from each board shall be established to carry out the service functions of this Act. In the event any such coordinating body purchases or improves real property, such body shall first obtain the approval of the governing bodies of the governmental units in which the coordinating body is located.

(h) The board may enter into multiple-year joint agreements with other governmental units located within the geographical area of the board. Such agreements shall be written and shall provide for the rendition of services by the board to the residents of such governmental units.

(i) The board may enter into multiple-year joint agreements with federal, State, and local governments, including the Department of Human Services or any other appropriate local or State governmental agency, whereby the board will provide certain services. All such joint agreements must provide for the exchange of relevant data. However, nothing in this Act shall be construed to permit the abridgement of the confidentiality of patient records.

(j) The board may receive gifts from private sources for purposes not inconsistent with the provisions of this Act.

(k) The board may receive federal, State, and local funds for purposes not inconsistent with the provisions of this Act.

(l) The board may establish scholarship programs. Such programs shall require equivalent service or reimbursement pursuant to regulations of the board.

(m) The board may sell, rent, or lease real property for purposes consistent with this Act.

(n) The board may: (i) own real property, lease real property as lessee, or acquire real property by purchase, construction, lease-purchase agreement, or otherwise; (ii) take title to the property in the board's name; (iii) borrow money and issue debt instruments, mortgages, purchase-money mortgages, and other security instruments with respect to the property; and (iv) maintain, repair, remodel, or improve the property. All of these activities must be for purposes consistent with this Act as may be reasonably necessary for the housing and proper functioning of the board. The board may use moneys in the Community Mental Health Fund for these purposes.

(o) The board may organize a not-for-profit corporation (i) for the purpose of raising money to be distributed by the board for providing community mental health services and facilities for the treatment of alcoholism, drug addiction, developmental disabilities, and intellectual disabilities or (ii) for other purposes not inconsistent with this Act.

(p) The board may fix a fiscal year for the board.

(q) The board has the responsibility to set, maintain, and implement the budget.

(r) The board may establish professional incentive programs for the purposes of workforce development and retention that may include education assistance, student loan repayment, professional certification and licensure assistance, and internship stipends.

Every board shall be subject to the requirements under the Freedom of Information Act and the Open Meetings Act.

(Source: P.A. 103-274, eff. 1-1-24; 103-592, eff. 6-7-24; 103-605, eff. 7-1-24.)