Sen. Heather A. Steans

Filed: 4/4/2019

 

 


 

 


 
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1
AMENDMENT TO SENATE BILL 1425

2    AMENDMENT NO. ______. Amend Senate Bill 1425, AS AMENDED,
3by replacing everything after the enacting clause with the
4following:
 
5    "Section 5. The Department of Public Health Powers and
6Duties Law of the Civil Administrative Code of Illinois is
7amended by adding Section 2310-455 as follows:
 
8    (20 ILCS 2310/2310-455 new)
9    Sec. 2310-455. Suicide prevention. Subject to
10appropriation, the Department shall implement activities
11associated with the Suicide Prevention, Education, and
12Treatment Act, including, but not limited to, the following:
13        (1) Coordinating suicide prevention, intervention, and
14    postvention programs, services, and efforts statewide.
15        (2) Developing and submitting proposals for funding
16    from federal agencies or other sources of funding to

 

 

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1    promote suicide prevention and coordinate activities.
2        (3) With input from the Illinois Suicide Prevention
3    Alliance, preparing the Illinois Suicide Prevention
4    Strategic Plan required under Section 15 of the Suicide
5    Prevention, Education, and Treatment Act and coordinating
6    the activities necessary to implement the recommendations
7    in that Plan.
8        (4) With input from the Illinois Suicide Prevention
9    Alliance, providing to the Governor and General Assembly
10    the annual report required under Section 13 of the Suicide
11    Prevention, Education, and Treatment Act.
12        (5) Providing technical support for the activities of
13    the Illinois Suicide Prevention Alliance.
 
14    Section 10. The Suicide Prevention, Education, and
15Treatment Act is amended by changing Sections 5, 13, 15, 20,
16and 30 as follows:
 
17    (410 ILCS 53/5)
18    Sec. 5. Legislative findings. The General Assembly makes
19the following findings:
20        (1) 1,474 Illinoisans lost their lives to suicide in
21    2017. During 2016, suicide was the eleventh leading cause
22    of death in Illinois, causing more deaths than homicide,
23    motor vehicle accidents, accidental falls, and numerous
24    prevalent diseases, including liver disease, hypertension,

 

 

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1    influenza/pneumonia, Parkinson's disease, and HIV. Suicide
2    was the third leading cause of death of ages 15 to 34 and
3    the fourth leading cause of death of ages 35 to 54. Those
4    living outside of urban areas are particularly at risk for
5    suicide, with a rate that is 50% higher than those living
6    in urban areas.
7        (2) For every person who dies by suicide, more than 30
8    others attempt suicide.
9        (3) Each suicide attempt and death impacts countless
10    other individuals. Family members, friends, co-workers,
11    and others in the community all suffer the long-lasting
12    consequences of suicidal behaviors.
13        (4) Suicide attempts and deaths by suicide have an
14    economic impact on Illinois. The National Center for Injury
15    Prevention and Control estimates that in 2010 each suicide
16    death in Illinois resulted in $1,181,549 in medical costs
17    and work loss costs. It also estimated that each
18    hospitalization for self-harm resulted in $31,019 in
19    medical costs and work loss costs and each emergency room
20    visit for self-harm resulted in $4,546 in medical costs and
21    work loss costs.
22        (5) In 2004, the Illinois General Assembly passed the
23    Suicide Prevention, Education, and Treatment Act (Public
24    Act 93-907), which required the Illinois Department of
25    Public Health to establish the Illinois Suicide Prevention
26    Strategic Planning Committee to develop the Illinois

 

 

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1    Suicide Prevention Strategic Plan. That law required the
2    use of the 2002 United States Surgeon General's National
3    Suicide Prevention Strategy as a model for the Plan. Public
4    Act 95-109 changed the name of the committee to the
5    Illinois Suicide Prevention Alliance. The Illinois Suicide
6    Prevention Strategic Plan was submitted in 2007 and updated
7    in 2018.
8        (6) In 2004, there were 1,028 suicide deaths in
9    Illinois, which the Centers for Disease Control reports was
10    an age-adjusted rate of 8.11 deaths per 100,000. The
11    Centers for Disease Control reports that the 1,474 suicide
12    deaths in 2017 result in an age-adjusted rate of 11.19
13    deaths per 100,000. Thus, since the enactment of Public Act
14    93-907, the rate of suicides in Illinois has risen by 38%.
15        (7) Since the enactment of Public Act 93-907, there
16    have been numerous developments in suicide prevention,
17    including the issuance of the 2012 National Strategy for
18    Suicide Prevention by the United States Surgeon General and
19    the National Action Alliance for Suicide Prevention
20    containing new strategies and recommended activities for
21    local governmental bodies.
22        (8) Despite the obvious impact of suicide on Illinois
23    citizens, Illinois has devoted minimal resources to its
24    prevention. There is no full-time coordinator or director
25    of suicide prevention activities in the State. Moreover,
26    the Suicide Prevention Strategic Plan is still modeled on

 

 

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1    the now obsolete 2002 National Suicide Prevention
2    Strategy.
3        (9) It is necessary to revise the Suicide Prevention
4    Strategic Plan to reflect the most current National Suicide
5    Prevention Strategy as well as current research and
6    experience into the prevention of suicide.
7        (10) One of the goals adopted in the 2012 National
8    Strategy for Suicide Prevention is to promote suicide
9    prevention as a core component of health care services so
10    there is an active engagement of health and social
11    services, as well as the coordination of care across
12    multiple settings, thereby ensuring continuity of care and
13    promoting patient safety.
14        (11) Integrating suicide prevention into behavioral
15    and physical health care services can save lives. National
16    data indicate that: over 30% of individuals are receiving
17    mental health care at the time of their deaths by suicide;
18    45% have seen their primary care physicians within one
19    month of their deaths; and 25% of those who die of suicide
20    visited an emergency department in the year prior to their
21    deaths.
22        (12) The Zero Suicide model is a part of the National
23    Strategy for Suicide Prevention, a priority of the National
24    Action Alliance for Suicide Prevention, and a project of
25    the Suicide Prevention Resource Center that implements the
26    goal of making suicide prevention a core component of

 

 

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1    health care services.
2        (13) The Zero Suicide model is built on the
3    foundational belief and aspirational goal that suicide
4    deaths of individuals who are under the care of our health
5    care systems are preventable with the adoption of
6    comprehensive training, patient engagement, transition,
7    and quality improvement.
8        (14) Health care systems, including mental and
9    behavioral health systems and hospitals, that have
10    implemented the Zero Suicide model have noted significant
11    reductions in suicide deaths for patients within their
12    care.
13        (15) The Suicide Prevention Resource Center
14    facilitates adoption of the Zero Suicide model by providing
15    comprehensive information, resources, and tools for its
16    implementation.
17        (1) The Surgeon General of the United States has
18    described suicide prevention as a serious public health
19    priority and has called upon each state to develop a
20    statewide comprehensive suicide prevention strategy using
21    a public health approach. Suicide now ranks 10th among
22    causes of death, nationally.
23        (2) In 1998, 1,064 Illinoisans lost their lives to
24    suicide, an average of 3 Illinois residents per day. It is
25    estimated that there are between 21,000 and 35,000 suicide
26    attempts in Illinois every year. Three and one-half percent

 

 

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1    of all suicides in the nation take place in Illinois.
2        (3) Among older adults, suicide rates are increasing,
3    making suicide the leading fatal injury among the elderly
4    population in Illinois. As the proportion of Illinois'
5    population age 75 and older increases, the number of
6    suicides among persons in this age group will also
7    increase, unless an effective suicide prevention strategy
8    is implemented.
9        (4) Adolescents are far more likely to attempt suicide
10    than other age groups in Illinois. The data indicates that
11    there are 100 attempts for every adolescent suicide
12    completed. In 1998, 156 Illinois youths died by suicide,
13    between the ages of 15 through 24. Using this estimate,
14    there were likely more than 15,500 suicide attempts made by
15    Illinois adolescents or approximately 50% of all estimated
16    suicide attempts that occurred in Illinois were made by
17    adolescents.
18        (5) Homicide and suicide rank as the second and third
19    leading causes of death in Illinois for youth,
20    respectively. Both are preventable. While the death rates
21    for unintentional injuries decreased by more than 35%
22    between 1979 and 1996, the death rates for homicide and
23    suicide increased for youth. Evidence is growing in terms
24    of the links between suicide and other forms of violence.
25    This provides compelling reasons for broadening the
26    State's scope in identifying risk factors for self-harmful

 

 

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1    behavior. The number of estimated youth suicide attempts
2    and the growing concerns of youth violence can best be
3    addressed through the implementation of successful
4    gatekeeper-training programs to identify and refer youth
5    at risk for self-harmful behavior.
6        (6) The American Association of Suicidology
7    conservatively estimates that the lives of at least 6
8    persons related to or connected to individuals who attempt
9    or complete suicide are impacted. Using these estimates, in
10    1998, more than 6,000 Illinoisans struggled to cope with
11    the impact of suicide.
12        (7) Decreases in alcohol and other drug abuse, as well
13    as decreases in access to lethal means, significantly
14    reduce the number of suicides.
15        (8) Suicide attempts are expected to be higher than
16    reported because attempts not requiring medical attention
17    are not required to be reported. The underreporting of
18    suicide completion is also likely because suicide
19    classification involves conclusions regarding the intent
20    of the deceased. The stigma associated with suicide is also
21    likely to contribute to underreporting. Without
22    interagency collaboration and support for proven,
23    community-based, culturally-competent suicide prevention
24    and intervention programs, suicides are likely to rise.
25        (9) Emerging data on rates of suicide based on gender,
26    ethnicity, age, and geographic areas demand a new strategy

 

 

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1    that responds to the needs of a diverse population.
2        (10) According to Children's Safety Network Economics
3    Insurance, the cost of youth suicide acts by persons in
4    Illinois who are under 21 years of age totals $539,000,000,
5    including medical costs, future earnings lost, and a
6    measure of quality of life.
7        (11) Suicide is the second leading cause of death in
8    Illinois for persons between the ages of 15 and 24.
9        (12) In 1998, there were 1,116 homicides in Illinois,
10    which outnumbered suicides by only 52. Yet, so far, only
11    homicide has received funding, programs, and media
12    attention.
13        (13) According to the 1999 national report on
14    statistics for suicide of the American Association of
15    Suicidology, categories of unintentional injury, motor
16    vehicle deaths, and all other deaths include many reported
17    and unsubstantiated suicides that are not identified
18    correctly because of poor investigatory techniques,
19    unsophisticated inquest jurors, and stigmas that cause
20    families to cover up evidence.
21        (14) Programs for HIV infectious diseases are very well
22    funded even though, in Illinois, HIV deaths number 30% less
23    than suicide deaths.
24(Source: P.A. 93-907, eff. 8-11-04.)
 
25    (410 ILCS 53/13)

 

 

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1    Sec. 13. Duration; report. The Department, in consultation
2with All projects set forth in this Act must be at least 3
3years in duration, and the Department and related contracts as
4well as the Illinois Suicide Prevention Alliance, must submit
5an annual report annually to the Governor and General Assembly
6on the effectiveness of the these activities and programs
7undertaken under the Plan that includes any recommendations for
8modification to Illinois law to enhance the effectiveness of
9the Plan.
10(Source: P.A. 95-109, eff. 1-1-08.)
 
11    (410 ILCS 53/15)
12    Sec. 15. Suicide Prevention Alliance.
13    (a) The Alliance is created as the official grassroots
14creator, planner, monitor, and advocate for the Illinois
15Suicide Prevention Strategic Plan. No later than one year after
16the effective date of this amendatory Act of the 101st General
17Assembly Act, the Alliance shall review, finalize, and submit
18to the Governor and the General Assembly the 2020 Illinois
19Suicide Prevention Strategic Plan and appropriate processes
20and outcome objectives for 10 overriding recommendations and a
21timeline for reaching these objectives.
22    (b) The Plan shall include: The Alliance shall use the
23United States Surgeon General's National Suicide Prevention
24Strategy as a model for the Plan.
25        (1) recommendations from the most current National

 

 

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1    Suicide Prevention Strategy;
2        (2) current research and experience into the
3    prevention of suicide;
4        (3) measures to encourage and assist health care
5    systems and primary care providers to include suicide
6    prevention as a core component of their services,
7    including, but not limited to, implementing the Zero
8    Suicide model; and
9        (4) additional elements as determined appropriate by
10    the Alliance.
11    The Alliance shall review the statutorily prescribed
12missions of major State mental health, health, aging, and
13school mental health programs and recommend, as necessary and
14appropriate, statutory changes to include suicide prevention
15in the missions and procedures of those programs. The Alliance
16shall prepare a report of that review, including its
17recommendations, and shall submit the report to the Department
18for inclusion in its annual report to the Governor and the
19General Assembly by December 31, 2004.
20    (c) The Director of Public Health shall appoint the members
21of the Alliance. The membership of the Alliance shall include,
22without limitation, representatives of statewide organizations
23and other agencies that focus on the prevention of suicide and
24the improvement of mental health treatment or that provide
25suicide prevention or survivor support services. Other
26disciplines that shall be considered for membership on the

 

 

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1Alliance include law enforcement, first responders,
2faith-based community leaders, universities, and survivors of
3suicide (families and friends who have lost persons to suicide)
4as well as consumers of services of these agencies and
5organizations.
6    (d) The Alliance shall meet at least 4 times a year, and
7more as deemed necessary, in various sites statewide in order
8to foster as much participation as possible. The Alliance, a
9steering committee, and core members of the full committee
10shall monitor and guide the definition and direction of the
11goals of the full Alliance, shall review and approve
12productions of the plan, and shall meet before the full
13Alliance meetings.
14(Source: P.A. 95-109, eff. 1-1-08.)
 
15    (410 ILCS 53/20)
16    Sec. 20. General awareness and screening program.
17    (a) The Department shall provide technical assistance for
18the work of the Alliance and the production of the Plan and
19shall distribute general information and screening tools for
20suicide prevention to the general public through local public
21health departments throughout the State. These materials shall
22be distributed to agencies, schools, hospitals, churches,
23places of employment, and all related professional caregivers
24to educate all citizens about warning signs and interventions
25that all persons can do to stop the suicidal cycle.

 

 

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1    (b) This program shall include, without limitation, all of
2the following:
3        (1) Educational programs about warning signs and how to
4    help suicidal individuals.
5        (2) Educational presentations about suicide risk and
6    how to help at-risk people in special populations and with
7    bilingual support to special cultures.
8        (3) The designation of an annual suicide awareness week
9    or month to include a public awareness campaign on suicide.
10        (4) An annual A statewide suicide prevention
11    conference before November of 2004.
12        (5) An Illinois Suicide Prevention Speaker's Bureau.
13        (6) A program to educate the media regarding the
14    guidelines developed by the American Association for
15    Suicidology for coverage of suicides and to encourage media
16    cooperation in adopting these guidelines in reporting
17    suicides.
18        (7) Increased training opportunities for volunteers,
19    professionals, and other caregivers to develop specific
20    skills for assessing suicide risk and intervening to
21    prevent suicide.
22(Source: P.A. 95-109, eff. 1-1-08.)
 
23    (410 ILCS 53/30)
24    Sec. 30. Suicide prevention pilot programs.
25    (a) The Department shall establish, when funds are

 

 

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1appropriated, programs, including, but not limited to, pilot
2and demonstration programs, that are consistent with the Plan.
3up to 5 pilot programs that provide training and direct service
4programs relating to youth, elderly, special populations,
5high-risk populations, and professional caregivers. The
6purpose of these pilot programs is to demonstrate and evaluate
7the effectiveness of the projects set forth in this Act in the
8communities in which they are offered. The pilot programs shall
9be operational for at least 2 years of the 3-year requirement
10set forth in Section 13.
11    (b) The Director of Public Health is encouraged to ensure
12that the pilot programs include the following prevention
13strategies:
14        (1) school gatekeeper and faculty training;
15        (2) community gatekeeper training;
16        (3) general community suicide prevention education;
17        (4) health providers and physician training and
18    consultation about high-risk cases;
19        (5) depression, anxiety, and suicide screening
20    programs;
21        (6) peer support youth and older adult programs;
22        (7) the enhancement of 24-hour crisis centers,
23    hotlines, and person-to-person calling trees;
24        (8) means restriction advocacy and collaboration; and
25        (9) intervening and supporting after a suicide.
26    (b) (c) The funds appropriated for purposes of this Section

 

 

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1shall be allocated by the Department on a competitive,
2grant-submission basis, which shall include consideration of
3different rates of risk of suicide based on age, ethnicity,
4gender, prevalence of mental health disorders, different rates
5of suicide based on geographic areas in Illinois, and the
6services and curriculum offered to fit these needs by the
7applying agency.
8    (d) The Department and Alliance shall prepare a report as
9to the effectiveness of the demonstration projects established
10pursuant to this Section and submit that report no later than 6
11months after the projects are completed to the Governor and
12General Assembly.
13(Source: P.A. 95-109, eff. 1-1-08.)
 
14    Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon
15becoming law.".