20 ILCS 2310/2310-730

(20 ILCS 2310/2310-730)

(Text of Section from P.A. 103-588)

Sec. 2310-730. Health care telementoring.

(a) Subject to appropriation, the Department shall designate one or more health care telementoring entities based on an application to be developed by the Department. Applicants shall demonstrate a record of expertise and demonstrated success in providing health care telementoring services. The Department may adopt rules necessary for the implementation of this Section. Funding may be provided based on the number of health care providers or professionals who are assisted by each approved health care telementoring entity and the hours of assistance provided to each health care provider or professional in addition to other factors as determined by the Director.

(b) In this Section:

"Health care providers or professionals" means individuals trained to provide health care or related services. "Health care providers or professionals" includes, but is not limited to, physicians, nurses, physician assistants, speech language pathologists, social workers, and school personnel involved in screening for targeted conditions and providing support to students impacted by those conditions.

"Health care telementoring" means a program:

(1) that is based on interactive video or phone technology that connects groups of local health care providers or professionals in urban and rural underserved areas with specialists in regular real-time collaborative sessions;

(2) that is designed around case-based learning and mentorship; and

(3) that helps local health care providers or professionals gain the expertise required to more effectively provide needed services.

"Health care telementoring" includes, but is not limited to, a program provided to improve services in one or more of a variety of areas, including, but not limited to, chronic disease, communicable disease, atypical vision or hearing, adolescent health, Hepatitis C, complex diabetes, geriatrics, mental illness, opioid use disorders, substance use disorders, maternity care, childhood adversity and trauma, pediatric ADHD, congregate settings, including justice involved systems, and other priorities identified by the Department.

(Source: P.A. 103-588, eff. 6-5-24.)

(Text of Section from P.A. 103-860)

(This Section may contain text from a Public Act with a delayed effective date)

Sec. 2310-730. Diversity in clinical trials.

(a) As used in this Section, "underrepresented community" or "underrepresented demographic group" means a community or demographic group that is more likely to be historically marginalized and less likely to be included in research and clinical trials represented by race, ethnicity, sex, sexual orientation, socioeconomic status, age, and geographic location.

(b) Any State entity or hospital that receives funding from the National Institutes of Health for the purpose of conducting clinical trials of drugs or medical devices is required to:

(1) adopt a policy that will result in the identification and recruitment of persons who are members of underrepresented demographic groups to participate in the clinical trials and that:

(A) includes specific strategies for trial enrollment and retention of diverse participants, including, but not limited to, site location and access, sustained community engagement, and reducing burdens due to trial design or conduct, as appropriate; and

(B) uses strategies recommended by the United States Food and Drug Administration to identify and recruit those persons to participate in the clinical trials;

(2) provide information to trial participants in languages other than English in accordance with current federal requirements;

(3) provide translation services or bilingual staff for trial recruitment and consent processes;

(4) provide culturally specific recruitment materials alongside general enrollment materials; and

(5) provide remote consent options when not prohibited by the granting entity or federal regulations.

(c) The Department, through voluntary reporting from research institutions and in consultation with community-based organizations and other stakeholders as appropriate and available, shall analyze and provide recommendations on the following:

(1) the demographic groups and populations that are currently represented and underrepresented in clinical trials in Illinois, including representation of groups based on their geographic location;

(2) the barriers that prevent persons who are members of underrepresented demographic groups from participating in clinical trials in Illinois, including barriers related to transportation; and

(3) approaches for how clinical trials can successfully partner with community-based organizations and others to provide outreach to underrepresented communities.

By July 1, 2026, the Department shall issue a report and post on its website the results of the analysis required under this subsection and any recommendations to increase diversity and reduce barriers for participants in clinical trials.

(d) The Department shall review the most recent guidance on race and ethnicity data collection in clinical trials published by the United States Food and Drug Administration and establish, using existing infrastructure and tools an Internet website that:

(1) provides information concerning methods recognized by the United States Food and Drug Administration for identifying and recruiting persons who are members of underrepresented demographic groups to participate in clinical trials; and

(2) contains links to Internet websites maintained by medical facilities, health authorities and other local governmental entities, nonprofit organizations, and scientific investigators and institutions that are performing research relating to drugs or medical devices in this State.

The Department may apply for grants from any source, including, without limitation, the Federal Government, to fund the requirements of this Section.

(Source: P.A. 103-860, eff. 1-1-25.)

(Text of Section from P.A. 103-964)

(This Section may contain text from a Public Act with a delayed effective date)

Sec. 2310-730. Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy Awareness Program.

(a) Subject to appropriation, the Department of Public Health, in conjunction with experts in the field of Duchenne muscular dystrophy, shall develop mandatory protocols and best practices for providing the necessary medical guidance for Duchenne muscular dystrophy in Illinois.

(b) To raise awareness about Duchenne muscular dystrophy, the protocols and best practices developed by the Department under subsection (a):

(1) shall be published on a designated and publicly accessible webpage;

(2) shall include up-to-date information about Duchenne muscular dystrophy;

(3) shall reference peer-reviewed scientific research articles;

(4) shall incorporate guidance and recommendations from the National Institutes of Health, and any other persons or entities determined by the Department to have particular expertise in Duchenne muscular dystrophy; and

(5) shall be distributed to physicians, other health care professionals and providers, and persons subject to Duchenne muscular dystrophy.

(c) The Department shall prepare a report of all efforts undertaken by the Department under this Section. The report shall be posted on the Department's website and distributed to local health departments and to any other facilities as determined by the Department.

(Source: P.A. 103-964, eff. 1-1-25.)