Public Act 103-0064
 
SB0216 EnrolledLRB103 25397 LNS 51744 b

    AN ACT concerning civil law.
 
    Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
represented in the General Assembly:
 
    Section 5. The Guardianship and Advocacy Act is amended by
changing Section 33.5 as follows:
 
    (20 ILCS 3955/33.5)
    Sec. 33.5. Guardianship training program. The State
Guardian shall provide a training program that outlines the
duties and responsibilities of guardians appointed under
Article XIa of the Probate Act of 1975. The training program
shall be offered to courts at no cost, and shall outline the
responsibilities of a guardian and the rights of a person with
a disability in a guardianship proceeding under Article XIa of
the Probate Act of 1975. The training program shall also
include content regarding Alzheimer's disease and dementia,
including, but not limited to, the following topics: effective
communication strategies; best practices for interacting with
people living with Alzheimer's disease or related forms of
dementia; and strategies for supporting people living with
Alzheimer's disease or related forms of dementia in exercising
their rights. In developing the training program content, the
State Guardian shall consult with the courts, State and
national guardianship organizations, public guardians,
advocacy organizations, and persons and family members with
direct experience with adult guardianship. In the preparation
and dissemination of training materials, the State Guardian
shall give due consideration to making the training materials
accessible to persons with disabilities.
(Source: P.A. 100-483, eff. 9-8-18.)
 
    Section 10. The Probate Act of 1975 is amended by changing
Section 13-1.2 as follows:
 
    (755 ILCS 5/13-1.2)
    Sec. 13-1.2. Certification requirement.
    Each person appointed as a public guardian by the Governor
shall be certified as a National Certified Guardian by the
Center for Guardianship Certification within 6 months after
his or her appointment. The Guardianship and Advocacy
Commission shall provide public guardians with information
about certification requirements and procedures for testing
and certification offered by the Center for Guardianship
Certification. The cost of certification shall be considered
an expense connected with the operation of the public
guardian's office within the meaning of subsection (b) of
Section 13-3.1 of this Article.
    A public guardian shall additionally complete a one-hour
course regarding Alzheimer's disease and dementia within 6
months of appointment and annually thereafter. The training
program shall include, but not be limited to, the following
topics: effective communication strategies; best practices for
interacting with people with Alzheimer's disease and related
forms of dementia; and strategies for supporting people living
with Alzheimer's disease or related forms of dementia in
exercising their rights.
(Source: P.A. 100-483, eff. 9-8-18.)

Effective Date: 1/1/2024