HB0754 96TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

LRB096 04644 DRJ 14703 b

96TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2009 and 2010
HB0754

Introduced 2/6/2009, by Rep. Sara Feigenholtz

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:

20 ILCS 1305/10-65 new

Amends the Department of Human Services Act. Provides that the Department of Human Services Division of Mental Health under the leadership of Secretary of the Department of Human Services and as the State Mental Health Authority, in an effort to develop and establish a comprehensive State mental health plan for Illinois and to coordinate all policy making in mental health, shall convene and lead a Work Group composed of directors of State agencies and principal stakeholders in the public mental health system. Provides that the Work Group is charged with designing Illinois' mental health system to be more efficient and effective as well as reduce redundancies in the delivery of services to persons with mental illnesses. Sets forth items that must be included in the Illinois Comprehensive State Mental Health Plan. Sets forth other Work Group functions.

FISCAL NOTE ACT MAY APPLY

A BILL FOR

AN ACT concerning State government.

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

Section 5. The Department of Human Services Act is amended by adding Section 10-65 as follows:

(20 ILCS 1305/10-65 new)

Sec. 10-65. Mental Health Work Group.

(a) The Department's Division of Mental Health under the leadership of Secretary and as the State Mental Health Authority, in an effort to develop and establish a comprehensive State mental health plan for Illinois and to coordinate the policy making in mental health, shall convene and lead a Work Group composed of directors of State agencies and principal stakeholders in the public mental health system, including but not limited to:

(1) The Department of Human Services in the program areas of Alcoholism and Substance Abuse, Community Health and Prevention, Developmental Disabilities, Human Capital Development, and Rehabilitation Services.

(2) The Department of Healthcare and Family Services.

(3) The Department of Corrections.

(4) The Department of Juvenile Justice.

(5) The Department of Children and Family Services.

(6) The Department of Public Health.

(7) The Department on Aging.

(8) The State Board of Education.

The Work Group shall also include representatives of other agencies and commissions of State government, including:

(9) The Illinois Housing Authority.

(10) The Illinois Violence Prevention Authority.

(11) The Criminal Justice Information Authority.

The Work Group shall also include adult consumers of mental health services and parents of youth with serious emotional disturbance.

The Work Group shall also include clinical practitioners, academics, advocacy groups, and other stakeholders as deemed appropriate by the mental health authority.

(b) The Department's Division of Mental Health, as the State Mental Health Authority, shall work with other State agencies to develop mechanisms to share data maintained by any State agency purchasing or providing mental health services as permitted by law. This access is deemed necessary by the State Mental Health Authority to report on the status of the mental health service system in Illinois.

(c) The Work Group is charged with designing Illinois' mental health system to be more efficient and effective as well as reduce redundancies in the delivery of services to persons with mental illnesses in the following ways:

(1) Conducting a thorough statewide needs assessment and reporting on the current status of the mental health system using data from all state agencies.

(2) Developing a comprehensive State mental health plan.

(3) Identifying and recommending policy, organizational, and financing changes required to effectively carry out the State plan.

(4) Coordinating policy with other State agencies and on all federal initiatives.

(5) Working with the Illinois Children's Mental Health Partnership to incorporate a children's mental health plan to ensure a comprehensive State mental health plan for all ages.

(6) Establishing cross-departmental management teams to address specific policy areas, address specific transformation planning objectives, and implement and monitor policy decisions. Specific focus shall be given to cross-departmental management of the long-term care system as the State moves to rebalancing resources and services and maximizing resources in community-based settings to ensure an appropriate level of services across a comprehensive continuum of care.

(d) The Work Group shall coordinate its policy and planning activities with other State-federal initiative planning and leadership groups.

(e) The "Illinois Comprehensive State Mental Health Plan" shall include but need not be limited to the following:

(1) A review and analysis of all laws, rules and regulations, and programs and policies of the State of Illinois and of the departments, commissions, boards, agencies, and offices in the executive branch thereof, which pertain to mental health care services and supports. The analysis shall identify barriers to access and make recommendations that will enable the residents of Illinois who require assistance to access needed mental health care services.

(2) The development of proposals for administrative restructuring of existing and future programs, policies, and procedures to improve the mental health care delivery system, including non-medical services such as transportation, housing, education, and vocational assistance, that are necessary for recovery and productive community-based living for persons with mental illnesses, which are achievable within resources available to the State.

(3) An analysis of programmatic, procedural, and fiscal impacts of any current or proposed policies or practices.

(4) Exploration of and recommendations as to methods to secure sufficient funding and develop and manage cross-agency (braided) funding to provide community-based services for persons needing mental health care services.

(5) Recommendations on strategies to educate the public regarding identification of mental health care needs, effective treatments for mental illness, and methods of accessing services.

(f) In conducting the assessment of the current system, developing the Comprehensive State Mental Health Plan, and executing other work of the group, the Work Group shall:

(1) Review all relevant work in progress or which has been completed by State departments, various statewide task forces, councils, commissions, and other bodies that have convened to address related mental health care issues.

(2) Consider all existing studies, reports, and settlement agreements related to the Illinois system of mental health services and supports.

(3) Obtain input from a broad range of stakeholders, including consumers, their family members, advocates, and private providers of services.

(4) Use consultation from nationally recognized experts and officials in other states in order to identify promising or proven practices that are consumer-centered, research-based, cost-effective, and applicable to improving accessibility, capacity, quality, and financing across all mental health care services and supports which may be adaptable in Illinois.

(g) Upon submittal to the Governor and the General Assembly of the Illinois Comprehensive State Mental Health Plan, the Work Group shall continue to meet quarterly to review progress in the implementation of the plan and shall revise the plan as needed based on lessons learned, stakeholder input, and advancements in best practices for the delivery of mental health care services.

(h) All departments, commissions, boards, offices, entities, agencies, and officers of the State of Illinois, or any political subdivision thereof, are authorized and directed to cooperate with the implementation of this amendatory Act of the 96th General Assembly.