HB2247eng 101ST GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HB2247 Engrossed LRB101 10522 RLC 55628 b

AN ACT concerning health.

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

Section 5. The Developmental Disability and Mental Disability Services Act is amended by adding Article VII as follows:

(405 ILCS 80/Art. VII heading new)

ARTICLE VII. FAMILY CENTERS

(405 ILCS 80/7-1 new)

Sec. 7-1. Community-based pilot program.

(a) Subject to appropriation, the Department of Human Services' Division of Mental Health shall make available funding for the development and implementation of a comprehensive and coordinated continuum of community-based pilot programs for persons with or at risk for a mental health diagnosis that is sensitive to the needs of local communities.

The funding shall allow for the development of one or more pilot programs that will support the development of local social media campaigns that focus on the prevention or promotion of mental wellness and provide linkages to mental health services, especially for those individuals who are uninsured or underinsured.

For a provider to be considered for the pilot program, the provider must demonstrate the ability to:

(1) implement the pilot program in an area that shows a high need or underutilization of mental health services;

(2) offer a comprehensive strengths-based array of mental health services;

(3) collaborate with other systems and government entities that exist in a community;

(4) provide education and resources to the public on mental health issues, including suicide prevention and wellness;

(5) develop a local social media campaign that focuses on the prevention or promotion of mental wellness;

(6) ensure that the social media campaign is culturally relevant, developmentally appropriate, trauma informed, and covers information across an individual's lifespan;

(7) provide linkages to other appropriate services in the community;

(8) provide a presence staffed by mental health professionals in natural community settings, which includes any setting where an individual who has not been diagnosed with a mental illness typically spends time; and

(9) explore partnership opportunities with institutions of higher learning in the areas of social work or mental health.

(b) The Department of Human Services is authorized to adopt and implement any administrative rules necessary to carry out the pilot program.