093_HB3941

                                     LRB093 13611 DRJ 18986 b

 1        AN ACT in relation to public health.

 2        Be  it  enacted  by  the People of the State of Illinois,
 3    represented in the General Assembly:

 4        Section 1. Short title. This Act  may  be  cited  as  the
 5    Arthritis Prevention and Control Act.

 6        Section 5. Findings and purposes.
 7        (a)  Findings.   The   legislature   hereby   finds   the
 8    following:
 9             (1)  Arthritis  encompasses  more  than 100 diseases
10        and  conditions  that  affect  joints,  the   surrounding
11        tissues, and other connective tissues.
12             (2)  One  of  the  most common family of diseases in
13        the United States, arthritis affects nearly one of  every
14        6  Americans  and  will  impact  an  estimated 60,000,000
15        people (almost 20% of the population) by the year 2020.
16             (3)  Arthritis is the leading cause of disability in
17        the United States, limiting  daily  activities  for  more
18        than 7,000,000 citizens.
19             (4)  Although  prevailing myths inaccurately portray
20        arthritis as an old  person's  disease,  arthritis  is  a
21        multi-generational  disease  that  has  become one of the
22        country's most pressing public health problems.
23             (5)  This  disease  has  a  significant  impact   on
24        quality   of   life  not  only  for  the  individual  who
25        experiences   its   painful   symptoms   and    resulting
26        disability, but also for family members and caregivers.
27             (6)  Compounding   this  picture  are  the  enormous
28        economic  and  social  costs  associated  with   treating
29        arthritis  and  its complications, which are estimated at
30        almost $80,000,000,000 annually.
31             (7)  Currently,  the  challenge  exists  to   ensure
 
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 1        delivery   of   effective,   but   often   underutilized,
 2        interventions  that  are  necessary  in the prevention or
 3        reduction of arthritis-related pain and disability.
 4             (8)  Although  there  exists  a  large  quantity  of
 5        public  information  and  programs  about  arthritis,  it
 6        remains inadequately  disseminated  and  insufficient  in
 7        addressing  the needs of specific diverse populations and
 8        other underserved groups.
 9             (9)  The  Arthritis  Foundation,  the  Centers   for
10        Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and the Association
11        of  State  and  Territorial Health Officials have led the
12        development of a public  health  strategy,  the  National
13        Arthritis Action Plan, to respond to this challenge.
14             (10)  Educating the public and health care community
15        throughout the State about this devastating disease is of
16        paramount  importance  and  is  in  every  respect in the
17        public interest and to the benefit of  all  residents  of
18        this State.
19        (b)  Purposes. The purposes of this Act are:
20             (1)  To  create  and foster a statewide program that
21        promotes public awareness and increases  knowledge  about
22        the   causes   of  arthritis,  the  importance  of  early
23        diagnosis   and   appropriate    management,    effective
24        prevention    strategies,   and   pain   prevention   and
25        management.
26             (2)  To develop knowledge and enhance  understanding
27        of  arthritis  by disseminating educational materials and
28        information on research results, services  provided,  and
29        strategies for prevention and control to patients, health
30        professionals, and the public.
31             (3)  To   establish   a  solid  scientific  base  of
32        knowledge on the  prevention  of  arthritis  and  related
33        disability   through   surveillance,   epidemiology,  and
34        prevention research.
 
                            -3-      LRB093 13611 DRJ 18986 b
 1             (4)  To utilize educational and  training  resources
 2        and  services developed by organizations with appropriate
 3        expertise and knowledge of arthritis and to use available
 4        technical assistance.
 5             (5)  To evaluate the need for improving the  quality
 6        and  accessibility  of existing community-based arthritis
 7        services.
 8             (6)  To heighten  awareness  about  the  prevention,
 9        detection,  and  treatment  of  arthritis among State and
10        local  health  and  human  services   officials,   health
11        professionals and providers, and policy makers.
12             (7)  To  implement  and  coordinate  State and local
13        programs and services to reduce the public health  burden
14        of arthritis.
15             (8)  To  adequately  fund  these programs on a State
16        level.
17             (9)  To provide lasting improvements in the delivery
18        of health care for individuals with arthritis  and  their
19        families, thus improving their quality of life while also
20        containing health care costs.

21        Section 10.  Arthritis Prevention and Control Program.
22        (a)  The  Department  of  Public  Health shall establish,
23    promote, and maintain an  Arthritis  Prevention  and  Control
24    Program  to  raise  public  awareness, educate consumers, and
25    educate and train health professionals, teachers,  and  human
26    services providers, and for other purposes. The program shall
27    include the following components:
28             (1)  Needs  assessment.  The  Department  of  Public
29        Health  shall  conduct a needs assessment to identify the
30        following:
31                  (A)  Epidemiological and  other  public  health
32             research being conducted within the State.
33                  (B)  Available    technical    assistance   and
 
                            -4-      LRB093 13611 DRJ 18986 b
 1             educational materials and  programs  nationwide  and
 2             within the State.
 3                  (C)  The   level  of  public  and  professional
 4             arthritis awareness.
 5                  (D)  The needs of  people  with  arthritis  and
 6             their families and caregivers.
 7                  (E)  Educational  and  support service needs of
 8             health care providers, including physicians, nurses,
 9             managed care organizations, and  other  health  care
10             providers.
11                  (F)  The  services  available  to a person with
12             arthritis.
13                  (G)  The  existence  of  arthritis   treatment,
14             self-management,   physical   activity,   and  other
15             education programs.
16                  (H)  The existence of rehabilitation services.
17             (2)  Advisory Council on Arthritis.  The  Department
18        of  Public  Health  shall  establish  and  coordinate  an
19        Advisory Council on Arthritis to provide non-governmental
20        input  regarding  the  Arthritis  Prevention  and Control
21        Program. Membership of the Council must include, but need
22        not be limited to, persons with arthritis, public  health
23        educators,  medical  experts  on  arthritis, providers of
24        arthritis health care, persons  knowledgeable  in  health
25        promotion  and education, and representatives of national
26        arthritis organizations and their local chapters.
27             (3)  Public  awareness.  The  Department  of  Public
28        Health shall use,  but  is  not  limited  to,  strategies
29        consistent  with  the  National Arthritis Action Plan and
30        existing State planning efforts to raise public awareness
31        and knowledge on the  causes  and  nature  of  arthritis,
32        personal  risk factors, the value of prevention and early
33        detection, ways to minimize preventable pain, and options
34        for diagnosing and treating the disease.
 
                            -5-      LRB093 13611 DRJ 18986 b
 1             (4)  Technical assistance. The Department of  Public
 2        Health   may   replicate  and  use  successful  arthritis
 3        programs  and  enter  into  contracts  with  or  purchase
 4        materials or  services  from  entities  with  appropriate
 5        expertise  for  services and materials that are necessary
 6        to carry out the goals of the  Arthritis  Prevention  and
 7        Control Program. The Department may enter into agreements
 8        with one or more national organizations with expertise in
 9        arthritis  to implement parts of the Arthritis Prevention
10        and Control Program.
11        (b)  The Department of Public Health shall do all of  the
12    following:
13             (1)  Provide   sufficient  staff  to  implement  the
14        Arthritis Prevention and Control Program.
15             (2)  Provide appropriate training for staff  of  the
16        Arthritis Prevention and Control Program.
17             (3)  Identify the appropriate organizations to carry
18        out the program.
19             (4)  Base the program on the most current scientific
20        information and findings.
21             (5)  Work  to  increase  and improve community-based
22        services available to people  with  arthritis  and  their
23        family members.
24             (6)  Work   with   governmental   offices,  national
25        voluntary health organizations and their local  chapters,
26        community  and business leaders, community organizations,
27        and  health  care  and  human   services   providers   to
28        coordinate  efforts  and  maximize State resources in the
29        areas   of   prevention,   education,   detection,   pain
30        management, and treatment of arthritis.
31             (7)  Identify    and,    when    appropriate,    use
32        evidence-based  arthritis  programs  and  obtain  related
33        materials   and   services   from   organizations    with
34        appropriate expertise and knowledge of arthritis.
 
                            -6-      LRB093 13611 DRJ 18986 b
 1        Section 15.  Funding. The Department of Public Health may
 2    accept  grants,  services,  and  property  from  the  federal
 3    government,  foundations, organizations, medical schools, and
 4    other entities that may be  available  for  the  purposes  of
 5    fulfilling  the  obligations  of the Arthritis Prevention and
 6    Control Program.

 7        Section 20.  Waivers. The  Department  of  Public  Health
 8    shall  seek  all  waivers of federal law and regulations that
 9    may  be  necessary  to  maximize  funds  from   the   federal
10    government  to implement the Arthritis Prevention and Control
11    Program.