Rep. Sonya M. Harper
Filed: 3/21/2023
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1 | AMENDMENT TO HOUSE BILL 1526
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2 | AMENDMENT NO. ______. Amend House Bill 1526 by replacing | ||||||
3 | everything after the enacting clause with the following:
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4 | "Section 1. Short title. This Act may be cited as the | ||||||
5 | Outdoor Rx Program Act. | ||||||
6 | Section 5. Intent. Studies have shown that time outdoors | ||||||
7 | can be a valuable adjunct therapy in addition to more | ||||||
8 | traditional health care, while also reducing reliance on | ||||||
9 | prescription medication. The therapeutic benefits of time | ||||||
10 | spent outdoors is clinically proven and known to help reduce | ||||||
11 | stress, improve concentration, and promote overall well-being, | ||||||
12 | both physical and mental. Natural resource-based and | ||||||
13 | outdoor-based therapy programs, including adventure therapy, | ||||||
14 | wilderness therapy, horticultural therapy, walk-and-talk | ||||||
15 | therapy, and other nature-oriented programs, are currently | ||||||
16 | being used by mental health professionals and are shown to |
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1 | have benefits, including, but not limited to, reduction of | ||||||
2 | stress, restoration of attention, and an improved sense of | ||||||
3 | well-being. Such outdoor programs aim to connect people with | ||||||
4 | nature, thereby proving to be particularly beneficial to | ||||||
5 | individuals undergoing a recovery process. Recognizing the | ||||||
6 | healing benefits of natural resource-based or outdoor-based | ||||||
7 | therapy programs to residents of the State, particularly | ||||||
8 | veterans and individuals recovering from substance abuse or a | ||||||
9 | physical or mental trauma, the General Assembly supports the | ||||||
10 | establishment 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 | ||||||
18 | created to provide grants for outdoor environmental, | ||||||
19 | ecological, agricultural, or other natural resource-based or | ||||||
20 | outdoor-based therapy programs serving the citizens of the | ||||||
21 | State of Illinois. The Department shall establish, implement, | ||||||
22 | and administer the Outdoor Rx Program to provide grants for | ||||||
23 | natural resource-based or outdoor-based therapy programs. | ||||||
24 | (b) The Department shall adopt any rules necessary for the |
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1 | implementation and administration of this Act. | ||||||
2 | Section 20. Advisory committee. | ||||||
3 | (a) The Department of Natural Resources shall establish an | ||||||
4 | advisory committee to assist and advise the Department in the | ||||||
5 | development and administration of the Outdoor Rx Program. The | ||||||
6 | advisory committee shall consist of at least 7 members, | ||||||
7 | appointed 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 | ||||||
22 | form that eligible applicants shall complete and submit to be | ||||||
23 | considered 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 | ||||||
2 | fund in the State treasury. Moneys deposited into the Fund | ||||||
3 | shall be used solely for the administration of the Outdoor Rx | ||||||
4 | Program. The Department may accept gifts, grants, donations, | ||||||
5 | or moneys from any source for deposit into the Fund. Any public | ||||||
6 | agency in this State may use moneys in the Fund, subject to | ||||||
7 | approval by the Director under subsection (c) of Section 35, | ||||||
8 | to develop and implement natural resource-based or | ||||||
9 | outdoor-based therapy programs. The Department may award | ||||||
10 | grants to public agencies and contract with any public or | ||||||
11 | private agency or person to develop and implement natural | ||||||
12 | resource-based or outdoor-based therapy programs under the | ||||||
13 | Outdoor Rx Program. | ||||||
14 | (b) The Department shall establish limitations on the | ||||||
15 | availability and use of Outdoor Rx Program moneys. However, | ||||||
16 | any limitations shall be defined in the application package, | ||||||
17 | and the Department shall establish the limitations only after | ||||||
18 | considering 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 | ||||||
23 | matching contribution to be eligible for a grant under the | ||||||
24 | Act. | ||||||
25 | (d) The Department may limit the amount of funding | ||||||
26 | available for any element of natural resource-based or |
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1 | outdoor-based therapy programs. | ||||||
2 | (e) The following conditions are placed on the use of | ||||||
3 | moneys 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 | ||||||
3 | Outdoor Rx Program participants for Outdoor Rx Program | ||||||
4 | services. | ||||||
5 | (g) Moneys in the Fund shall be expended only for natural | ||||||
6 | resource-based or outdoor-based therapy programs approved by | ||||||
7 | the Director. To the extent practicable, the Director shall | ||||||
8 | ensure that all moneys received during a fiscal year are | ||||||
9 | expended prior to the end of that fiscal year. | ||||||
10 | Section 30. Eligibility criteria; applications; | ||||||
11 | evaluation. | ||||||
12 | (a) The Secretary shall set priorities and develop | ||||||
13 | criteria for the award of grants to outdoor environmental, | ||||||
14 | ecological, agricultural, or other natural resource-based or | ||||||
15 | outdoor-based therapy programs considering, at a minimum, | ||||||
16 | programs 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 | ||||||
14 | the awarding of grants. The activities may include, but need | ||||||
15 | not 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 | ||||||
24 | awarding 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.
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5 | (d) The following criteria shall be used to evaluate | ||||||
6 | applications:
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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.
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13 | Section 35. Program selection. | ||||||
14 | (a) Completed applications shall be reviewed by the | ||||||
15 | Department to determine eligibility and shall be evaluated in | ||||||
16 | accordance with the purposes, eligibility requirements, | ||||||
17 | limitations, and evaluation criteria in this Act. | ||||||
18 | (b) The Department shall consult with and consider the | ||||||
19 | recommendations of the advisory committee and present final | ||||||
20 | recommendations to the Secretary. | ||||||
21 | (c) The Secretary shall make the final decision on funding | ||||||
22 | a natural resource-based or outdoor-based therapy program. | ||||||
23 | Section 40. Report. On or before February 1 of each year, | ||||||
24 | the Department shall issue a report to the General Assembly. |
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1 | The report shall state how moneys from the Fund were used | ||||||
2 | during 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.
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15 | Section 90. The State Finance Act is amended by adding | ||||||
16 | Section 5.990 as follows: | ||||||
17 | (30 ILCS 105/5.990 new) | ||||||
18 | Sec. 5.990. The Outdoor Rx Program Fund. ".
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