Full Text of SJR0007 096th General Assembly
SJ0007 96TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
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| SENATE JOINT RESOLUTION
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| WHEREAS, Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASD) are the | 3 |
| leading cause of mental retardation in Western civilization, | 4 |
| including the United States, and are 100% preventable; and
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| WHEREAS, The term FASD includes a broader range of | 6 |
| conditions and therefore has replaced the term fetal alcohol | 7 |
| syndrome as the umbrella term describing the range of effects | 8 |
| that can occur in an individual whose mother consumed alcohol | 9 |
| during pregnancy; and
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| WHEREAS, FASD are a major cause of numerous social | 11 |
| disorders, including learning disabilities, school failure, | 12 |
| juvenile delinquency, homelessness, unemployment, mental | 13 |
| illness, and crime; and
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| WHEREAS, The incidence rate of fetal alcohol syndrome is | 15 |
| estimated at one out of 500 live births and the incidence rate | 16 |
| of fetal alcohol spectrum disorders is estimated at one out of | 17 |
| every 100 live births; in Illinois, it is estimated that there | 18 |
| are potentially 9,000 children born with FASD each year; and
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| WHEREAS, It is estimated that FASD alone can cost between | 20 |
| one and 5 million dollars per child, not inclusive of societal | 21 |
| costs associated with lost productivity, incarceration, and |
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| quality of life; and
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| WHEREAS, Learning and life skills affected by prenatal | 3 |
| alcohol exposure vary among persons, depending on amount, | 4 |
| timing, and pattern of exposure and on each person's current | 5 |
| and past environments; as a result, services for people with | 6 |
| FASD vary according to the parts of the brain that have been | 7 |
| affected, the person's age or level of maturation, the health | 8 |
| or functioning of the person's family, and the person's overall | 9 |
| living environment; given the range of need, services must be | 10 |
| individualized; and | 11 |
| WHEREAS, Children diagnosed with FASD consistently have | 12 |
| lower IQs and have difficulty with behavior regulation, | 13 |
| impulsivity, socialization, and poor judgment; and | 14 |
| WHEREAS, Early identification of the disability and proper | 15 |
| school interventions can greatly increase the potential for | 16 |
| success in school and in life; and | 17 |
| WHEREAS, Illinois does not currently have a statewide, | 18 |
| coordinated response to FASD that includes data collection, | 19 |
| educational services, and mental health services; and | 20 |
| WHEREAS, The estimated cost that each individual with fetal | 21 |
| alcohol syndrome will cost taxpayers is significant; |
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| therefore, be it
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| RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE NINETY-SIXTH GENERAL | 3 |
| ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES | 4 |
| CONCURRING HEREIN, that we urge the Department of Human | 5 |
| Services, in collaboration with the Departments of Children and | 6 |
| Family Services, Healthcare and Family Services, Corrections, | 7 |
| and Financial Institutions and Professional Regulation, the | 8 |
| Illinois State Board of Education, and the Illinois Planning | 9 |
| Council on Developmental Disabilities to complete an | 10 |
| assessment of existing State and federal assistance programs | 11 |
| and to conduct public hearings across the State to gather | 12 |
| testimony from parents, educators, healthcare providers, | 13 |
| clinicians, mental health providers, FASD service providers, | 14 |
| and others regarding the services they feel need to be in place | 15 |
| in this State in order to serve this unique population of | 16 |
| children and adults; and be it further
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| RESOLVED, That the Illinois Department of Human Services | 18 |
| shall issue a report highlighting its findings and | 19 |
| recommendations for improving Illinois' services to children, | 20 |
| adults, and their families affected by FASD to the Governor and | 21 |
| the General Assembly no later than January 2, 2010; and be it | 22 |
| further
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| RESOLVED, That a copy of the report be sent to the |
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| Directors of the Departments of Children and Family Services, | 2 |
| Healthcare and Family Services, Financial Institutions and | 3 |
| Professional Regulation, and Corrections, the Superintendent | 4 |
| of the Illinois State Board of Education, the Illinois Planning | 5 |
| Council on Developmental Disabilities, the Illinois General | 6 |
| Assembly, the Office of the Governor, and the Governor's Office | 7 |
| of Management and Budget.
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