Rep. Sonya M. Harper

Filed: 3/21/2023

 

 


 

 


 
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1
AMENDMENT TO HOUSE BILL 1526

2    AMENDMENT NO. ______. Amend House Bill 1526 by replacing
3everything after the enacting clause with the following:
 
4    "Section 1. Short title. This Act may be cited as the
5Outdoor Rx Program Act.
 
6    Section 5. Intent. Studies have shown that time outdoors
7can be a valuable adjunct therapy in addition to more
8traditional health care, while also reducing reliance on
9prescription medication. The therapeutic benefits of time
10spent outdoors is clinically proven and known to help reduce
11stress, improve concentration, and promote overall well-being,
12both physical and mental. Natural resource-based and
13outdoor-based therapy programs, including adventure therapy,
14wilderness therapy, horticultural therapy, walk-and-talk
15therapy, and other nature-oriented programs, are currently
16being used by mental health professionals and are shown to

 

 

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1have benefits, including, but not limited to, reduction of
2stress, restoration of attention, and an improved sense of
3well-being. Such outdoor programs aim to connect people with
4nature, thereby proving to be particularly beneficial to
5individuals undergoing a recovery process. Recognizing the
6healing benefits of natural resource-based or outdoor-based
7therapy programs to residents of the State, particularly
8veterans and individuals recovering from substance abuse or a
9physical or mental trauma, the General Assembly supports the
10establishment of an Outdoor Rx Program.
 
11    Section 10. Definitions. In this Act:
12    "Department" means the Department of Human Services.
13    "Director" means the Director of Natural Resources.
14    "Fund" means the Outdoor Rx Program Fund.
15    "Secretary" means the Secretary of Human Services.
 
16    Section 15. Outdoor Rx Program; Department rules.
17    (a) Subject to appropriation, the Outdoor Rx Program is
18created to provide grants for outdoor environmental,
19ecological, agricultural, or other natural resource-based or
20outdoor-based therapy programs serving the citizens of the
21State of Illinois. The Department shall establish, implement,
22and administer the Outdoor Rx Program to provide grants for
23natural resource-based or outdoor-based therapy programs.
24    (b) The Department shall adopt any rules necessary for the

 

 

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1implementation and administration of this Act.
 
2    Section 20. Advisory committee.
3    (a) The Department of Natural Resources shall establish an
4advisory committee to assist and advise the Department in the
5development and administration of the Outdoor Rx Program. The
6advisory committee shall consist of at least 7 members,
7appointed as follows:
8        (1) at least one member, appointed by the Director;
9        (2) at least one member, appointed by the Director of
10    Public Health;
11        (3) at least one member, appointed by the Director of
12    Veterans' Affairs;
13        (4) at least one member, appointed by the Director of
14    the Environmental Protection Agency;
15        (5) at least one member of the business community,
16    appointed by the Director;
17        (6) at least 2 members of an outdoor organization,
18    appointed by the Director; and
19        (7) any other members the Director deems necessary to
20    ensure a representative cross section of participants.
21    (b) The advisory committee shall develop an application
22form that eligible applicants shall complete and submit to be
23considered for a grant under the Outdoor Rx Program.
 
24    Section 25. Outdoor Rx Program Fund.

 

 

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1    (a) The Outdoor Rx Program Fund is created as a special
2fund in the State treasury. Moneys deposited into the Fund
3shall be used solely for the administration of the Outdoor Rx
4Program. The Department may accept gifts, grants, donations,
5or moneys from any source for deposit into the Fund. Any public
6agency in this State may use moneys in the Fund, subject to
7approval by the Director under subsection (c) of Section 35,
8to develop and implement natural resource-based or
9outdoor-based therapy programs. The Department may award
10grants to public agencies and contract with any public or
11private agency or person to develop and implement natural
12resource-based or outdoor-based therapy programs under the
13Outdoor Rx Program.
14    (b) The Department shall establish limitations on the
15availability and use of Outdoor Rx Program moneys. However,
16any limitations shall be defined in the application package,
17and the Department shall establish the limitations only after
18considering the following:
19        (1) consistency with the purpose of the Outdoor Rx
20    Program, as stated in subsection (a) of Section 15; and
21        (2) availability of moneys.
22    (c) The Department may require applicants to make a
23matching contribution to be eligible for a grant under the
24Act.
25    (d) The Department may limit the amount of funding
26available for any element of natural resource-based or

 

 

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1outdoor-based therapy programs.
2    (e) The following conditions are placed on the use of
3moneys from the Fund:
4        (1) For every funded program, a contract shall be
5    executed on behalf of the Department and by the grant
6    recipient. The grant recipient shall not be reimbursed for
7    costs incurred prior to the execution of the contract by
8    both parties.
9        (2) The grant recipient shall ensure that all natural
10    resource-based or outdoor-based therapy programs are in
11    accordance with any technical standards established by the
12    Department.
13        (3) The grant recipient shall submit any reports
14    required by the Department as directed in the funding
15    contract.
16        (4) The grant recipient shall agree to and certify
17    compliance with all applicable federal and State laws,
18    rules, regulations, and policies.
19        (5) The grant recipient shall maintain accurate
20    accounting records on the expenditure of program moneys,
21    provide the Department with such records consistent with
22    the agreement or upon request, whichever is applicable,
23    and permit the Department to audit the use of moneys in
24    accordance with generally accepted audit practices and
25    standards. The Department shall reserve the right to
26    terminate its participation in any program that fails to

 

 

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1    perform according to the requirements of this Act.
2    (f) The Department may assess fees to grant recipients or
3Outdoor Rx Program participants for Outdoor Rx Program
4services.
5    (g) Moneys in the Fund shall be expended only for natural
6resource-based or outdoor-based therapy programs approved by
7the Director. To the extent practicable, the Director shall
8ensure that all moneys received during a fiscal year are
9expended prior to the end of that fiscal year.
 
10    Section 30. Eligibility criteria; applications;
11evaluation.
12    (a) The Secretary shall set priorities and develop
13criteria for the award of grants to outdoor environmental,
14ecological, agricultural, or other natural resource-based or
15outdoor-based therapy programs considering, at a minimum,
16programs that:
17        (1) use veterans for at least 50% of the program's
18    implementation or administration;
19        (2) contribute to healthy lifestyles through outdoor
20    recreation;
21        (3) will commit matching and in-kind resources;
22        (4) create partnerships with public and private
23    entities;
24        (5) maximize the number of participants who can be
25    served, particularly participants who are veterans or who

 

 

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1    are recovering from substance abuse or physical or mental
2    trauma;
3        (6) use a State park, other natural venue, or
4    Department personnel as a resource;
5        (7) use research-based and effective environmental,
6    ecological, agricultural, or other natural resource-based
7    or outdoor-based therapy;
8        (8) provide citizens of the State of Illinois with
9    opportunities to directly experience and understand nature
10    and the natural world; and
11        (9) include ongoing program evaluation and assessment
12    and reporting of program effectiveness.
13     (b) The Secretary shall select activities eligible for
14the awarding of grants. The activities may include, but need
15not be limited to, the following:
16        (1) outdoor recreation;
17        (2) outdoor environmental studies;
18        (3) agricultural activities;
19        (4) natural resource-based activities;
20        (5) conservation;
21        (6) ecological activities; and
22        (7) stewardship or restoration.
23    (c) The following activities are ineligible for the
24awarding of grants from the Outdoor Rx Program:
25        (1) activities that may be perceived to lobby or
26    advocate for political purposes;

 

 

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1        (2) activities that are not in compliance with local,
2    State, or federal laws; and
3        (3) organized youth sports, such as a community league
4    or school team.
5    (d) The following criteria shall be used to evaluate
6applications:
7        (1) proposals that provide for public or private
8    partnerships;
9        (2) proposals that provide for innovative ways to
10    increase the availability and use of outdoor recreation
11    facilities;
12        (3) proposals that show consideration for the
13    economics of installation or implementation to provide the
14    greatest cost-to-benefit ratio, for example, where private
15    parties contribute more than the minimum amount;
16        (4) proposals that commit matching and in-kind
17    resources;
18        (5) proposals that use a State park, other natural
19    venue, or Department personnel as a resource;
20        (6) proposals that contribute to healthy lifestyles
21    through outdoor recreation and sound nutrition;
22        (7) proposals that contribute to the statewide network
23    of facilities or programs;
24        (8) proposals that encourage community involvement;
25        (9) proposals that encourage sound environmental
26    practices;

 

 

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1        (10) proposals that maximize the number of
2    participants who can be served;
3        (11) proposals that provide an opportunity to
4    experience the outdoors directly and understand nature and
5    the natural world;
6        (12) proposals that include ongoing program evaluation
7    and assessment and reporting of program effectiveness;
8        (13) proposals that make use of research-based and
9    effective environmental, ecological, agricultural, or
10    other natural resource-based therapy; and
11        (14) proposals that demonstrate innovative approaches
12    to outdoor-based therapy.
 
13    Section 35. Program selection.
14    (a) Completed applications shall be reviewed by the
15Department to determine eligibility and shall be evaluated in
16accordance with the purposes, eligibility requirements,
17limitations, and evaluation criteria in this Act.
18    (b) The Department shall consult with and consider the
19recommendations of the advisory committee and present final
20recommendations to the Secretary.
21    (c) The Secretary shall make the final decision on funding
22a natural resource-based or outdoor-based therapy program.
 
23    Section 40. Report. On or before February 1 of each year,
24the Department shall issue a report to the General Assembly.

 

 

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1The report shall state how moneys from the Fund were used
2during the preceding calendar year and shall include:
3        (1) the amount of money deposited into the Fund during
4    the preceding calendar year as the result of revenue
5    derived under this Act;
6        (2) the amount of money disbursed from the Fund and
7    the process used for such disbursements;
8        (3) recipients of grants from the Fund;
9        (4) the amount awarded to each grant recipient;
10        (5) the purposes for which grants were awarded; and
11        (6) a summary financial plan for Fund moneys, which
12    shall include estimates of all receipts and all
13    disbursements for the current and succeeding fiscal years,
14    along with the actual results from the prior fiscal year.
 
15    Section 90. The State Finance Act is amended by adding
16Section 5.990 as follows:
 
17    (30 ILCS 105/5.990 new)
18    Sec. 5.990. The Outdoor Rx Program Fund.".