SR0284 101ST GENERAL ASSEMBLY

SR0284 LRB101 11849 ALS 58786 r

SENATE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, In the United States, approximately 15 percent of children aged three through 17 have a developmental disability; and

WHEREAS, Community-based services provide people with developmental disabilities the opportunity to live full lives that maximize their independence; and

WHEREAS, Individuals with developmental disabilities deserve the same opportunities, experiences, and freedoms others enjoy; and

WHEREAS, Illinois has a statewide database called the Prioritization for Urgency of Need for Services (PUNS), which records information about individuals with developmental disabilities who are potentially in need of services; and

WHEREAS, As funding becomes available, the State uses the PUNS data to select individuals for services, such as housing, personal support, behavioral services, speech therapy, transportation, and many other necessary services; and

WHEREAS, As of March 3, 2019, there were over 19,000 individuals on the PUNS database actively awaiting services; and

WHEREAS, Section 1115 of the Social Security Act gives the U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services the authority to approve experimental, pilot, or demonstration projects that are found to be likely to assist in the promotion of the objectives of the Medicaid program; and

WHEREAS, The purpose of these demonstrations, which gives states additional flexibility to design and improve their programs, is to demonstrate and evaluate the state-specific policy approaches to better serving Medicaid populations; and

WHEREAS, In October 2016, the State of Illinois applied for an 1115 Demonstration Waiver to build a continuum of services for behavioral health disorders; and

WHEREAS, In May 2018, the federal government approved Illinois's plan to better serve Medicaid beneficiaries with mental health challenges and substance use disorders; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE ONE HUNDRED FIRST GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we urge the Illinois Department of Healthcare and Family Services and the Illinois Department of Human Services to apply for an 1115 Demonstration Waiver to increase the services available for individuals with developmental disabilities and to serve Illinois citizens who are waiting services on the PUNS waitlist at a more appropriate pace; and be it further

RESOLVED, That suitable copies of this resolution be delivered to the Office of the Governor, the Director of the Department of Healthcare and Family Services, and the Secretary of the Department of Human Services.