Full Text of HR0840 103rd General Assembly
HR0840 103RD GENERAL ASSEMBLY | | | HR0840 | | LRB103 41000 ECR 74109 r |
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| 1 | | HOUSE RESOLUTION | 2 | | WHEREAS, The State of Illinois has repeatedly emphasized | 3 | | the importance of timely and accessible mental health | 4 | | services; and | 5 | | WHEREAS, The number of individuals facing mental health | 6 | | challenges in Illinois continues to rise at an alarming rate; | 7 | | and | 8 | | WHEREAS, Mental health issues affect individuals across | 9 | | every socioeconomic status; and | 10 | | WHEREAS, It is critically important to provide necessary | 11 | | assistance to those experiencing mental health challenges; and | 12 | | WHEREAS, The provision of community-based mental health | 13 | | services varies greatly across the State; and | 14 | | WHEREAS, Numerous facilities that previously provided | 15 | | inpatient mental health care have been eliminated and closed | 16 | | over the past few decades; and | 17 | | WHEREAS, Efforts have been made and continue to be made to | 18 | | bring mental health services to those in need; and |
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| 1 | | WHEREAS, These efforts have not been sufficient to meet | 2 | | the growing mental health needs of Illinois citizens; and | 3 | | WHEREAS, The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic has | 4 | | significantly exacerbated the already existing problem of | 5 | | unmet mental health service needs; and | 6 | | WHEREAS, Mental health service providers face increasing | 7 | | challenges in finding necessary staffing to address the | 8 | | growing mental health needs of the people of Illinois; and | 9 | | WHEREAS, Many individuals with unmet mental health needs | 10 | | have become entangled in the criminal justice system; and | 11 | | WHEREAS, Numerous individuals facing mental health | 12 | | struggles have been incarcerated in county jails, environments | 13 | | not suited for addressing or treating mental health problems; | 14 | | and | 15 | | WHEREAS, Many individuals with mental illness are found | 16 | | unfit to stand trial by the courts and are ordered to the | 17 | | Department of Human Services (DHS) for restoration to | 18 | | competency; and | 19 | | WHEREAS, DHS was previously required to assign such | 20 | | individuals to an inpatient facility within 20 days of being |
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| 1 | | found unfit to stand trial, after which the local county | 2 | | sheriff would transfer them; and | 3 | | WHEREAS, DHS has successfully passed legislation to change | 4 | | that timeline to 60 days, with the possibility of additional | 5 | | 30-day extensions in perpetuity; and | 6 | | WHEREAS, These extensions have placed significant burdens | 7 | | on county resources, diverting valuable time and attention | 8 | | away from the critical issues that county personnel are | 9 | | specifically trained and mandated to address, not only | 10 | | hampering the efficiency of our county systems but also | 11 | | undermining the well-being and safety of our communities; and | 12 | | WHEREAS, This change in timeline has exacerbated the | 13 | | situation for those in need of mental health treatment, | 14 | | leaving individuals incarcerated when they should be receiving | 15 | | critical services from DHS; and | 16 | | WHEREAS, The mental health crisis continues to grow with | 17 | | no end in sight; therefore, be it | 18 | | RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE ONE | 19 | | HUNDRED THIRD GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that | 20 | | we urge the Department of Human Services (DHS) to work with | 21 | | stakeholders, including sheriffs, to submit monthly reports to |
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| 1 | | the General Assembly detailing the number of available beds, | 2 | | the number of individuals needing mental health services on | 3 | | the waiting list, staffing changes implemented to support | 4 | | improvements, and the waiting time from the receipt of the | 5 | | judge's order for individuals deemed unfit to stand trial to | 6 | | when they begin receiving services; and be it further | 7 | | RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be | 8 | | delivered to the Department of Human Services. |
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