HR1117 95TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HR1117 LRB095 17915 DRJ 48748 r

HOUSE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, Children with developmental disabilities or mental illness receive a variety of services provided or sponsored by the Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS), the Department of Human Services (DHS), and the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE); and

WHEREAS, Each of those agencies has adopted a different age by which children in their programs "age out" of those programs (that is, become ineligible for those programs based on their age); for DCFS it is age 18; for DHS it is age 21; and for ISBE it is age 22; and

WHEREAS, Upon "aging out" of these programs, individuals must undergo a transition to programs and services for adults; an individual between the ages of 18 and 22 may have to participate in children's programs and adult programs at the same time; and

WHEREAS, This lack of uniformity in the "age-out" age between agencies results in disparities in services provided to children and their families and confusion among beneficiaries of State programs and services; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE NINETY-FIFTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that the Department of Children and Family Services, the Department of Human Services, and the Illinois State Board of Education, in coordination with providers of developmental disability and mental health services, shall establish a Cross-Agency Coordination Task Force on Developmental Disabilities to study the implementation of a uniform age by which children with developmental disabilities or mental illness "age out" of programs administered by those agencies; the study shall include an examination of ways to improve transition services to individuals affected by a developmental disability or mental illness; and be it further

RESOLVED, That the task force shall consist of 9 members; the Department of Children and Family Services, the Department of Human Services, and the State Board of Education shall each appoint one of each of the following as a member: (i) a parent of a child who receives mental health or developmental disability services; (ii) a provider of mental health or developmental disability services; and (iii) a staff member of the appointing agency; and be it further

RESOLVED, That the task force shall submit a report of its findings and recommendations to the House of Representatives by August 31, 2008; and be it further

RESOLVED, That suitable copies of this resolution be delivered to the Governor, the Director of Children and Family Services, the Secretary of Human Services, and the State Superintendent of Education.