Public Act 096-0810
 
HB0746 Enrolled LRB096 04731 DRJ 14794 b

    AN ACT concerning public aid.
 
    Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
represented in the General Assembly:
 
    Section 5. The Disabilities Services Act of 2003 is amended
by adding the heading of Article IV and Section 60 as follows:
 
    (20 ILCS 2407/Art. IV heading new)
ARTICLE IV. RAPID REINTEGRATION PILOT PROGRAM

 
    (20 ILCS 2407/60 new)
    Sec. 60. Rapid Reintegration Pilot Program.
    (a) The Department of Human Services shall operate a Rapid
Reintegration Pilot Program. The purpose of the pilot program
is to demonstrate that, with appropriate support and services,
individuals with physical disabilities and individuals with
mental illness who need a short-term placement of 6 months or
less in a nursing facility can successfully return to the
community without experiencing unnecessary
institutionalization. The initial pilot program sites shall be
those initiated or operated by the Department in Fiscal Year
2009. The pilot program may be expanded to other sites as
funding becomes available for that purpose.
    (b) The Department of Human Services shall secure the
cooperation of hospitals in the geographic areas served by the
pilot program so that hospitals will coordinate with the
Service Coordination Agencies and the Home Services Program to
verify whether the individual is expected to have a short-term
stay of 6 months or less in a nursing facility upon discharge
from the hospital.
    (c) The Service Coordination Agencies and the Home Services
Program in the pilot areas shall make an initial assessment and
a post-admission assessment to ascertain whether an individual
needs a nursing facility level of care and whether the
individual is expected to be in the nursing facility for a
short-term stay of 6 months or less.
    (d) The Service Coordination Agencies and the Home Services
Program shall make necessary and appropriate efforts to
reintegrate any individual who is found to need nursing
facility level of care and is expected to be in a nursing home
for a short-term stay of 6 months or less, including
collaboration with local service providers, such as centers for
independent living and community mental health agencies.
    (e) If an individual who, through the pilot program, has
been identified as needing a short-term stay of 6 months or
less is admitted to a nursing facility, the individual shall be
assessed for eligibility for an enhanced Community Home
Maintenance Allowance to allow the individual to retain income
for a period of up to 6 months in order to retain his or her
home.
    (f) The pilot program shall operate for not less than 3
years after the effective date of this amendatory Act of the
96th General Assembly. The Department of Human Services shall
assess the effectiveness of the pilot program in preventing the
unnecessary institutionalization of individuals with physical
disabilities or mental illness and allowing them to
successfully return to their pre-admission living
arrangements.
    (g) The pilot program established under this Article shall
not apply to facilities that qualify under federal law as
institutions for mental disease.
 
    Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon
becoming law.

Effective Date: 10/30/2009