HR0840LRB103 41000 ECR 74109 r

1
HOUSE RESOLUTION

 
2    WHEREAS, The State of Illinois has repeatedly emphasized
3the importance of timely and accessible mental health
4services; and
 
5    WHEREAS, The number of individuals facing mental health
6challenges in Illinois continues to rise at an alarming rate;
7and
 
8    WHEREAS, Mental health issues affect individuals across
9every socioeconomic status; and
 
10    WHEREAS, It is critically important to provide necessary
11assistance to those experiencing mental health challenges; and
 
12    WHEREAS, The provision of community-based mental health
13services varies greatly across the State; and
 
14    WHEREAS, Numerous facilities that previously provided
15inpatient mental health care have been eliminated and closed
16over the past few decades; and
 
17    WHEREAS, Efforts have been made and continue to be made to
18bring mental health services to those in need; and
 

 

 

HR0840- 2 -LRB103 41000 ECR 74109 r

1    WHEREAS, These efforts have not been sufficient to meet
2the growing mental health needs of Illinois citizens; and
 
3    WHEREAS, The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic has
4significantly exacerbated the already existing problem of
5unmet mental health service needs; and
 
6    WHEREAS, Mental health service providers face increasing
7challenges in finding necessary staffing to address the
8growing mental health needs of the people of Illinois; and
 
9    WHEREAS, Many individuals with unmet mental health needs
10have become entangled in the criminal justice system; and
 
11    WHEREAS, Numerous individuals facing mental health
12struggles have been incarcerated in county jails, environments
13not suited for addressing or treating mental health problems;
14and
 
15    WHEREAS, Many individuals with mental illness are found
16unfit to stand trial by the courts and are ordered to the
17Department of Human Services (DHS) for restoration to
18competency; and
 
19    WHEREAS, DHS was previously required to assign such
20individuals to an inpatient facility within 20 days of being

 

 

HR0840- 3 -LRB103 41000 ECR 74109 r

1found unfit to stand trial, after which the local county
2sheriff would transfer them; and
 
3    WHEREAS, DHS has successfully passed legislation to change
4that timeline to 60 days, with the possibility of additional
530-day extensions in perpetuity; and
 
6    WHEREAS, These extensions have placed significant burdens
7on county resources, diverting valuable time and attention
8away from the critical issues that county personnel are
9specifically trained and mandated to address, not only
10hampering the efficiency of our county systems but also
11undermining the well-being and safety of our communities; and
 
12    WHEREAS, This change in timeline has exacerbated the
13situation for those in need of mental health treatment,
14leaving individuals incarcerated when they should be receiving
15critical services from DHS; and
 
16    WHEREAS, The mental health crisis continues to grow with
17no end in sight; therefore, be it
 
18    RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE ONE
19HUNDRED THIRD GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that
20we urge the Department of Human Services (DHS) to work with
21stakeholders, including sheriffs, to submit monthly reports to

 

 

HR0840- 4 -LRB103 41000 ECR 74109 r

1the General Assembly detailing the number of available beds,
2the number of individuals needing mental health services on
3the waiting list, staffing changes implemented to support
4improvements, and the waiting time from the receipt of the
5judge's order for individuals deemed unfit to stand trial to
6when they begin receiving services; and be it further
 
7    RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be
8delivered to the Department of Human Services.