HR0296 102ND GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HR0296 LRB102 18456 MST 26543 r

HOUSE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, There is a documented national opioid crisis in America that has claimed more than half a million lives over the past 20 years; and

WHEREAS, The opioid crisis has touched all age, gender, race, and economic groups across the country and here in Illinois; and

WHEREAS, Every year, 30,000 Illinoisans use heroin, 74,000 have an opioid use disorder, and nearly 400,000 misuse prescription opioids; and

WHEREAS, Illinois saw 2,151 opioid related deaths in the first three quarters of 2020, a 36 percent increase from 2019; and

WHEREAS, The COVID-19 pandemic has generated a surge in heroin and other opioid-related emergency department visits, with overdose numbers above the average monthly rate for six consecutive months in 2020, increasing the urgency and need for immediate access to care as the opioid crisis has evolved and continues to takes its toll; and

WHEREAS, The use of synthetic opioids and fentanyl, along with poly-substance use, continues to rise and exacerbate the already deadly opioid crisis, raising the attention and concern of the CDC; and

WHEREAS, The total economic and social costs of opioid use disorder to the State of Illinois exceed $41 billion annually, equating to nearly $600,000 for every Illinoisan with an opioid use disorder; and

WHEREAS, Substance use treatment providers provide life-saving health care services every day across all of Illinois; and

WHEREAS, Substance use disorders and co-occurring mental health disorders need to be treated as the chronic health conditions that they are; and

WHEREAS, Thousands of lawsuits against manufacturers, distributors, and retailers of prescription opioids are ongoing nationwide with settlements likely to be in the billions of dollars; and

WHEREAS, The majority of states across the country have passed or introduced legislation and are actively planning for appropriate resource investment of opioid settlement dollars in the abatement and remediation of the impacts of the opioid crisis; and

WHEREAS, There is a desire to avoid the outcomes of previous settlements, such as the tobacco settlement from 1998, where less than three percent of annual settlement sums are used for abatement and remediation of the impacts of tobacco use; and

WHEREAS, Illinois has had other revenue generating legislation, such as an alcohol tax, where no revenue was invested as intended for treatment and recovery supports for alcohol use disorder; and

WHEREAS, The impending opioid settlements provide an opportunity to invest in and transform the opioid use disorder treatment system in Illinois, driving equity in treatment access and availability for communities across the State; and

WHEREAS, Defining and designating safety net substance use treatment providers is the first step toward an equitable health care system for Illinois residents who have been impacted by the opioid crisis; and

WHEREAS, Illinois can take action and join other states in appropriately investing much needed resources in areas with the greatest level of impact for those affected by the opioid crisis in Illinois; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE ONE HUNDRED SECOND GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we urge the Illinois General Assembly to create the Opioid Settlement Fund, created as a special fund in the State Treasury to receive opioid-related settlement funds to which the State of Illinois may be entitled under any opioid-related settlement; and be it further

RESOLVED, That all funds received by the State from an opioid-related settlement should be deposited into the Opioid Settlement Fund to be used for purposes related to alleviating the opioid crisis; and be it further

RESOLVED, That of the moneys allocated to the Fund, a portion should be dedicated as follows: (1) to provide greater access to and availability of quality and effective opioid use disorder treatment, (2) to provide funding to safety net substance use treatment providers, including the allocation of capital funding resources to such providers to expand access to and availability of quality and effective opioid use disorder treatment, and (3) to maximize the opportunity to draw federal matching funds for purposes related to alleviation of the opioid crisis; and be it further

RESOLVED, That in addition to the moneys allocated, subject to appropriation, at least $100,000 should, on an annual basis, be granted to the Illinois Alcohol and Other Drug Abuse Professional Certification Association to cover the fees associated with the application and testing of human services professionals in the State of Illinois who provide substance use disorder services and mental health services; and be it further

RESOLVED, That "opioid-related settlement" means any and all current or future settlements reached by the State of Illinois, independently or as part of a global or multi-state settlement, with opioid manufacturers, distributors, retailers, and any associated business entities; and be it further

RESOLVED, That "safety net substance use treatment providers" means licensed and nationally accredited substance use treatment providers that are open 24 hours per day, are required to admit patients 24 hours per day, are providing medication-assisted treatment to individuals with opioid use disorder, and are serving a higher proportion of Medicaid beneficiaries and individuals who are uninsured; and be it further

RESOLVED, That suitable copies of this resolution be delivered to the Governor, all Legislative Leaders, the Attorney General, the Illinois Department of Human Services-Department of Substance Use, Prevention and Recovery (SUPR), and the Illinois Department of Healthcare and Family Services (HFS).