State of Illinois
90th General Assembly
Legislation

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90_SB0240eng

      20 ILCS 505/35.5
      20 ILCS 505/35.6
      20 ILCS 515/20
      20 ILCS 520/1-15
      210 ILCS 30/6             from Ch. 111 1/2, par. 4166
      210 ILCS 30/6.2           from Ch. 111 1/2, par. 4166.2
      210 ILCS 30/6.3 rep.
      210 ILCS 30/6.4 rep.
      305 ILCS 5/8A-12
      305 ILCS 5/12-13.1
      405 ILCS 5/5-100A         from Ch. 91 1/2, par. 5-100A
      405 ILCS 5/5-100A         from Ch. 91 1/2, par. 5-100A
          Creates the Inspector General Act.  Creates the Office of
      the Inspector General to replace the inspectors  general  who
      currently  function  in the Department of Children and Family
      Services, the Department of Mental Health  and  Developmental
      Disabilities  or  its  successor,  the  Department  of  Human
      Services,  and  the Department of Public Aid. Provides for an
      Inspector General and  up  to  3  Deputy  Inspectors  General
      appointed  by  the  Governor  and confirmed by the Senate for
      2-year terms who may  be  removed  by  the  Governor  without
      cause.   Provides  for  transfer  of  powers,  property,  and
      personnel to the new Office of the Inspector General.  Amends
      the Children and Family Services Act, the Child Death  Review
      Team  Act,  the  Foster  Parent Law, the Abused and Neglected
      Long Term Care Facility Residents Reporting Act,  the  Public
      Aid   Code,   and   the   Mental   Health  and  Developmental
      Disabilities Code to make conforming changes. Effective  July
      1, 1997.
                                                    LRB9001118LDdvA
SB240 Engrossed                               LRB9001118LDdvA
 1        AN  ACT in relation to inspectors general, amending named
 2    Acts.
 3        Be it enacted by the People of  the  State  of  Illinois,
 4    represented in the General Assembly:
 5        Section  5.   The  Children  and  Family  Services Act is
 6    amended by changing Section 35.5 as follows:
 7        (20 ILCS 505/35.5)
 8        Sec. 35.5.  Inspector General.
 9        (a)  The Governor shall appoint,  and  the  Senate  shall
10    confirm, an Inspector General who shall have the authority to
11    conduct  investigations  into  allegations of or incidents of
12    possible misconduct, misfeasance, malfeasance, or  violations
13    of rules, procedures, or laws by any employee, foster parent,
14    service provider, or contractor of the Department of Children
15    and  Family  Services.   The  Inspector  General  shall  make
16    recommendations  to  the  Director  of  Children  and  Family
17    Services concerning sanctions or disciplinary actions against
18    Department  employees  or providers of service under contract
19    to  the  Department.   Any  investigation  conducted  by  the
20    Inspector General shall be independent and separate from  the
21    investigation  mandated  by  the  Abused  and Neglected Child
22    Reporting Act.  The Inspector General shall be appointed  for
23    a   term   of  4  years.   The  Inspector  General  shall  be
24    independent of the operations of  the  Department  and  shall
25    report  to  the  Director of Children and Family Services and
26    the Governor  and  perform  other  duties  the  Director  may
27    designate.
28        (b)  The  Inspector  General  shall  have  access  to all
29    information and personnel necessary to perform the duties  of
30    the  office.   To  minimize  duplication  of  efforts, and to
31    assure consistency and conformance with the requirements  and
SB240 Engrossed             -2-               LRB9001118LDdvA
 1    procedures  established  in  the B.H. v. Suter consent decree
 2    and  to  share  resources  when  appropriate,  the  Inspector
 3    General shall coordinate  his  or  her  activities  with  the
 4    Bureau of Quality Assurance within the Department.
 5        (c)  The  Inspector  General shall be the primary liaison
 6    between the Department and the  Department  of  State  Police
 7    with  regard  to investigations conducted under the Inspector
 8    General's auspices. If the Inspector General determines  that
 9    a  possible  criminal act has been committed, or that special
10    expertise is required in the investigation, he or  she  shall
11    immediately  notify  the  Department  of  State  Police.  All
12    investigations  conducted  by  the Inspector General shall be
13    conducted in a manner designed to ensure the preservation  of
14    evidence for possible use in a criminal prosecution.
15        (d)  The   Inspector   General   may   recommend  to  the
16    Department of Children and Family Services, the Department of
17    Public Health, or any other appropriate agency, sanctions  to
18    be  imposed  against service providers under the jurisdiction
19    of or under contract with the Department for  the  protection
20    of  children  in the custody or under the guardianship of the
21    Department who received services from  those  providers.  The
22    Inspector  General  may  seek  the assistance of the Attorney
23    General or any of the several State's Attorneys  in  imposing
24    sanctions.
25        (e)  The  Inspector General shall at all times be granted
26    access to any foster home, facility, or program operated  for
27    or licensed or funded by the Department.
28        (f)  Nothing  in  this Section shall limit investigations
29    by the Department of Children and Family  Services  that  may
30    otherwise be required by law or that may be necessary in that
31    Department's capacity as the central administrative authority
32    for child welfare.
33        (g)  The  Inspector  General  shall  have  the  power  to
34    subpoena  witnesses  and  compel  the production of books and
SB240 Engrossed             -3-               LRB9001118LDdvA
 1    papers pertinent to an investigation authorized by this  Act.
 2    The  power  to  subpoena or to compel the production of books
 3    and papers, however,  shall  not  extend  to  the  person  or
 4    documents  of  a  labor  organization  or its representatives
 5    insofar as the person or documents of  a  labor  organization
 6    relate to the function of representing an employee subject to
 7    investigation under this Act.  Any person who fails to appear
 8    in  response  to  a  subpoena  or  to  answer any question or
 9    produce any books or papers  pertinent  to  an  investigation
10    under this Act, except as otherwise provided in this Section,
11    or  who  knowingly  gives  false  testimony in relation to an
12    investigation  under  this  Act  is  guilty  of  a  Class   A
13    misdemeanor.
14        (h)  The  Inspector  General shall provide to the General
15    Assembly and the Governor, no later than January  1  of  each
16    year, a summary of reports and investigations made under this
17    Section for the prior fiscal year. The summaries shall detail
18    the  imposition  of  sanctions  and  the final disposition of
19    those recommendations.  The summaries shall not  contain  any
20    confidential   or   identifying  information  concerning  the
21    subjects of the reports  and  investigations.  The  summaries
22    also   shall   include  detailed  recommended  administrative
23    actions  and  matters  for  consideration  by   the   General
24    Assembly.
25    (Source: P.A. 88-7.)
26        Section  10.   The  Abused  and  Neglected Long Term Care
27    Facility Residents  Reporting  Act  is  amended  by  changing
28    Section 6.2 as follows:
29        (210 ILCS 30/6.2) (from Ch. 111 1/2, par. 4166.2)
30        (Section scheduled to be repealed on January 1, 2000)
31        (Text of Section before amendment by P.A. 89-507)
32        Sec. 6.2.  Inspector General.
SB240 Engrossed             -4-               LRB9001118LDdvA
 1        (a)  The  Governor  shall  appoint,  and the Senate shall
 2    confirm, an Inspector General who shall function  within  the
 3    Department  of  Mental  Health and Developmental Disabilities
 4    and report to the Director and the Governor.   The  Inspector
 5    General  shall  investigate  reports  of  suspected  abuse or
 6    neglect (as those terms are defined in Section 3 of this Act)
 7    of patients or residents in  any  facility  operated  by  the
 8    Department  of  Mental  Health and Developmental Disabilities
 9    and shall have authority to investigate  and  take  immediate
10    action  on reports of abuse or neglect of recipients, whether
11    patients or residents, in any facility  or  program  that  is
12    licensed  or certified by the Department of Mental Health and
13    Developmental  Disabilities  or  that  is   funded   by   the
14    Department  of  Mental  Health and Developmental Disabilities
15    and is not licensed or certified by any agency of the  State.
16    At  the  specific,  written request of an agency of the State
17    other than the Department of Mental Health and  Developmental
18    Disabilities,   the   Inspector   General  may  cooperate  in
19    investigating reports of abuse and neglect  of  persons  with
20    mental  illness  or  persons with developmental disabilities.
21    The Inspector General  shall  have  no  supervision  over  or
22    involvement   in   routine,   programmatic,   licensure,   or
23    certification  operations  of the Department of Mental Health
24    and Developmental Disabilities or any of its funded agencies.
25        The Inspector General shall promulgate rules establishing
26    minimum  requirements   for   initiating,   conducting,   and
27    completing   investigations.   The  promulgated  rules  shall
28    clearly set forth that in instances where  2  or  more  State
29    agencies could investigate an allegation of abuse or neglect,
30    the Inspector General shall not conduct an investigation that
31    is  redundant  to an investigation conducted by another State
32    agency.  The rules shall establish criteria for  determining,
33    based  upon  the  nature  of  the allegation, the appropriate
34    method of investigation, which may include, but need  not  be
SB240 Engrossed             -5-               LRB9001118LDdvA
 1    limited  to, site visits, telephone contacts, or requests for
 2    written responses  from  agencies.    The  rules  shall  also
 3    clarify  how  the  Office  of  the  Inspector  General  shall
 4    interact  with the licensing unit of the Department of Mental
 5    Health and Developmental Disabilities  in  investigations  of
 6    allegations   of  abuse  or  neglect.    Any  allegations  or
 7    investigations of reports made pursuant  to  this  Act  shall
 8    remain confidential until a final report is completed.  Final
 9    reports  regarding  unsubstantiated  or unfounded allegations
10    shall remain confidential, except that final reports  may  be
11    disclosed pursuant to Section 6 of this Act.
12        The  Inspector General shall be appointed for a term of 4
13    years.
14        (b)  The Inspector General shall within  24  hours  after
15    receiving  a  report  of suspected abuse or neglect determine
16    whether the evidence indicates that any possible criminal act
17    has been committed. If he determines that a possible criminal
18    act has been committed, or that special expertise is required
19    in  the  investigation,  he  shall  immediately  notify   the
20    Department  of  State  Police. The Department of State Police
21    shall investigate any report indicating  a  possible  murder,
22    rape,  or  other  felony. All investigations conducted by the
23    Inspector General shall be conducted in a manner designed  to
24    ensure  the  preservation  of  evidence for possible use in a
25    criminal prosecution.
26        (c)  The Inspector General shall, within 10 calendar days
27    after the transmittal date of a completed investigation where
28    abuse or neglect is substantiated or administrative action is
29    recommended, provide a complete report on  the  case  to  the
30    Director  of Mental Health and Developmental Disabilities and
31    to the agency in which the abuse or  neglect  is  alleged  to
32    have  happened.   There  shall  be an appeals process for any
33    person or agency that is subject to any  action  based  on  a
34    recommendation or recommendations.
SB240 Engrossed             -6-               LRB9001118LDdvA
 1        (d)  The   Inspector   General   may   recommend  to  the
 2    Departments  of  Public  Health   and   Mental   Health   and
 3    Developmental  Disabilities  sanctions  to be imposed against
 4    facilities under the jurisdiction of the Department of Mental
 5    Health and Developmental Disabilities for the  protection  of
 6    residents,  including  appointment  of  on-site  monitors  or
 7    receivers,  transfer  or relocation of residents, and closure
 8    of units. The Inspector General may seek  the  assistance  of
 9    the  Attorney General or any of the several State's attorneys
10    in imposing such sanctions.
11        (e)  The Inspector General shall  establish  and  conduct
12    periodic   training   programs   for   Department   employees
13    concerning the prevention and reporting of neglect and abuse.
14        (f)  The  Inspector General shall at all times be granted
15    access to any facility  operated  by  the  Department,  shall
16    establish  and  conduct  unannounced  site  visits  to  those
17    facilities  at  least  once  annually,  and  shall be granted
18    access, for the purpose of investigating a report of abuse or
19    neglect, to any facility or program funded by the  Department
20    that  is  subject  under  the  provisions  of this Section to
21    investigation by the Inspector General for a report of  abuse
22    or neglect.
23        (g)  Nothing  in  this Section shall limit investigations
24    by  the  Department  of  Mental  Health   and   Developmental
25    Disabilities  that  may  otherwise be required by law or that
26    may be necessary in that Department's capacity as the central
27    administrative authority responsible  for  the  operation  of
28    State mental health and developmental disability facilities.
29        (h)  This Section is repealed on January 1, 2000.
30    (Source: P.A. 89-427, eff. 12-7-95.)
31        (Text of Section after amendment by P.A. 89-507)
32        Sec. 6.2.  Inspector General.
33        (a)  The  Governor  shall  appoint,  and the Senate shall
34    confirm, an Inspector General who shall function  within  the
SB240 Engrossed             -7-               LRB9001118LDdvA
 1    Department  of  Human Services and report to the Secretary of
 2    Human Services and the Governor.  The Inspector General shall
 3    investigate reports of suspected abuse or neglect  (as  those
 4    terms  are  defined  in Section 3 of this Act) of patients or
 5    residents in any mental health or developmental  disabilities
 6    facility  operated  by  the  Department of Human Services and
 7    shall have authority to investigate and take immediate action
 8    on  reports  of  abuse  or  neglect  of  recipients,  whether
 9    patients or residents, in any mental health or  developmental
10    disabilities   facility   or  program  that  is  licensed  or
11    certified by the Department of Human Services  (as  successor
12    to   the   Department  of  Mental  Health  and  Developmental
13    Disabilities) or that is funded by the  Department  of  Human
14    Services (as successor to the Department of Mental Health and
15    Developmental  Disabilities) and is not licensed or certified
16    by any agency of the State.  At the specific, written request
17    of an agency of the State other than the Department of  Human
18    Services (as successor to the Department of Mental Health and
19    Developmental   Disabilities),   the  Inspector  General  may
20    cooperate in investigating reports of abuse  and  neglect  of
21    persons  with  mental  illness  or persons with developmental
22    disabilities.   The   Inspector   General   shall   have   no
23    supervision  over  or  involvement  in routine, programmatic,
24    licensure, or certification operations of the  Department  of
25    Human Services or any of its funded agencies.
26        The Inspector General shall promulgate rules establishing
27    minimum   requirements   for   initiating,   conducting,  and
28    completing  investigations.   The  promulgated  rules   shall
29    clearly  set  forth  that  in instances where 2 or more State
30    agencies could investigate an allegation of abuse or neglect,
31    the Inspector General shall not conduct an investigation that
32    is redundant to an investigation conducted by  another  State
33    agency.   The rules shall establish criteria for determining,
34    based upon the nature  of  the  allegation,  the  appropriate
SB240 Engrossed             -8-               LRB9001118LDdvA
 1    method  of  investigation, which may include, but need not be
 2    limited to, site visits, telephone contacts, or requests  for
 3    written  responses  from  agencies.    The  rules  shall also
 4    clarify  how  the  Office  of  the  Inspector  General  shall
 5    interact with the licensing unit of the Department  of  Human
 6    Services   in  investigations  of  allegations  of  abuse  or
 7    neglect.  Any allegations or investigations of  reports  made
 8    pursuant  to this Act shall remain confidential until a final
 9    report is completed.  Final reports regarding unsubstantiated
10    or unfounded allegations shall  remain  confidential,  except
11    that  final reports may be disclosed pursuant to Section 6 of
12    this Act.
13        The Inspector General shall be appointed for a term of  4
14    years.
15        (b)  The  Inspector  General  shall within 24 hours after
16    receiving a report of suspected abuse  or  neglect  determine
17    whether the evidence indicates that any possible criminal act
18    has been committed. If he determines that a possible criminal
19    act has been committed, or that special expertise is required
20    in   the  investigation,  he  shall  immediately  notify  the
21    Department of State Police.  The Department of  State  Police
22    shall  investigate  any  report indicating a possible murder,
23    rape, or other felony. All investigations  conducted  by  the
24    Inspector  General shall be conducted in a manner designed to
25    ensure the preservation of evidence for  possible  use  in  a
26    criminal prosecution.
27        (c)  The Inspector General shall, within 10 calendar days
28    after the transmittal date of a completed investigation where
29    abuse or neglect is substantiated or administrative action is
30    recommended,  provide  a  complete  report on the case to the
31    Secretary of Human Services and to the agency  in  which  the
32    abuse or neglect is alleged to have happened.  There shall be
33    an  appeals  process for any person or agency that is subject
34    to any action based on a recommendation or recommendations.
SB240 Engrossed             -9-               LRB9001118LDdvA
 1        (d)  The  Inspector  General   may   recommend   to   the
 2    Departments  of Public Health and Human Services sanctions to
 3    be  imposed   against   mental   health   and   developmental
 4    disabilities   facilities   under  the  jurisdiction  of  the
 5    Department of Human Services for the protection of residents,
 6    including  appointment  of  on-site  monitors  or  receivers,
 7    transfer or relocation of residents, and  closure  of  units.
 8    The Inspector General may seek the assistance of the Attorney
 9    General  or  any of the several State's attorneys in imposing
10    such sanctions.
11        (e)  The Inspector General shall  establish  and  conduct
12    periodic   training   programs   for   Department   employees
13    concerning the prevention and reporting of neglect and abuse.
14        (f)  The  Inspector General shall at all times be granted
15    access to any mental  health  or  developmental  disabilities
16    facility  operated  by  the  Department,  shall establish and
17    conduct unannounced site visits to those facilities at  least
18    once  annually,  and shall be granted access, for the purpose
19    of investigating  a  report  of  abuse  or  neglect,  to  any
20    facility  or program funded by the Department that is subject
21    under the provisions of this Section to investigation by  the
22    Inspector General for a report of abuse or neglect.
23        (g)  Nothing  in  this Section shall limit investigations
24    by the Department of Human Services  that  may  otherwise  be
25    required by law or that may be necessary in that Department's
26    capacity  as the central administrative authority responsible
27    for the operation of State mental  health  and  developmental
28    disability facilities.
29        (h)  This Section is repealed on January 1, 2000.
30    (Source: P.A. 89-427, eff. 12-7-95; 89-507, eff. 7-1-97.)
31        Section   15.    The   Mental  Health  and  Developmental
32    Disabilities  Confidentiality  Act  is  amended  by  changing
33    Section 9 as follows:
SB240 Engrossed             -10-              LRB9001118LDdvA
 1        (740 ILCS 110/9) (from Ch. 91 1/2, par. 809)
 2        Sec. 9.  Therapist's disclosure without consent.  In  the
 3    course  of providing services and after the conclusion of the
 4    provision of services, a therapist may disclose a  record  or
 5    communications without consent to:
 6             (1)  the   therapist's   supervisor,   a  consulting
 7        therapist, members of a staff team participating  in  the
 8        provision  of  services,  a record custodian, or a person
 9        acting  under  the  supervision  and   control   of   the
10        therapist;
11             (2)  persons   conducting   a  peer  review  of  the
12        services being provided;
13             (3)  the Institute for  Juvenile  Research  and  the
14        Institute  for  the  Study of Developmental Disabilities;
15        and
16             (4)  an  attorney  or  advocate   consulted   by   a
17        therapist  or  agency  which provides services concerning
18        the therapist's or agency's legal  rights  or  duties  in
19        relation   to   the  recipient  and  the  services  being
20        provided; and
21        (5)  the Inspector General of the Department of  Children
22    and  Family  Services  for  the  sole  purpose  of conducting
23    investigations authorized under Section 3.5 of  the  Children
24    and Family Services Act.
25        In  the  course  of  providing  services, a therapist may
26    disclose a record or communications without  consent  to  any
27    department, agency, institution or facility which has custody
28    of the recipient pursuant to State statute or any court order
29    of commitment.
30        Information  may  be disclosed under this Section only to
31    the extent that knowledge of the record or communications  is
32    essential  to  the  purpose  for which disclosure is made and
33    only after the recipient is informed that such disclosure may
34    be made.  A person to whom  disclosure  is  made  under  this
SB240 Engrossed             -11-              LRB9001118LDdvA
 1    Section  shall  not  redisclose  any  information  except  as
 2    provided in this Act.
 3        Notwithstanding any other provision of  this  Section,  a
 4    therapist has the right to communicate at any time and in any
 5    fashion  with  his  or  her counsel or professional liability
 6    insurance carrier, or both, concerning any care or  treatment
 7    he  or  she  provided,  or  assisted  in  providing,  to  any
 8    recipient.   A  therapist has the right to communicate at any
 9    time and in any fashion with his or  her  present  or  former
10    employer,  principal,  partner,  professional corporation, or
11    professional liability insurance carrier, or counsel for  any
12    of those entities, concerning any care or treatment he or she
13    provided,  or  assisted in providing, to the recipient within
14    the scope of his or her  employment,  affiliation,  or  other
15    agency with the employer, principal, partner, or professional
16    corporation.
17        This  amendatory  Act of 1995 applies to causes of action
18    filed on or after its effective date.
19    (Source: P.A. 89-7, eff. 3-9-95.)
20        Section 95.  No acceleration or delay.   Where  this  Act
21    makes changes in a statute that is represented in this Act by
22    text  that  is not yet or no longer in effect (for example, a
23    Section represented by multiple versions), the  use  of  that
24    text  does  not  accelerate or delay the taking effect of (i)
25    the changes made by this Act or (ii) provisions derived  from
26    any other Public Act.

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