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1
HOUSE RESOLUTION

 
2    WHEREAS, The abuse, neglect, and financial exploitation of
3people with disabilities continues to plague our State; and
 
4    WHEREAS, Studies indicate that people with disabilities
5make up nearly 20 percent of all cases of abuse, neglect, and
6financial exploitation reported in 2015, and that the total
7number of reports of abuse, neglect, and financial exploitation
8has risen nearly 62 percent in the past ten years; and
 
9    WHEREAS, Studies indicate that three out of five victims
10suffered from some barrier to independent living, with 37
11percent of all victims being functionally impaired and 16
12percent being cognitively impaired; and
 
13    WHEREAS, Studies indicate that 74 percent of all reports of
14abuse, neglect, and financial exploitation occur to
15individuals living independently in their own dwellings; and
 
16    WHEREAS, There are approximately 26,000 people with
17disabilities living independently in Illinois and receiving
18services through Illinois' Home and Community Based Services
19Program; and
 
20    WHEREAS, The percentage of self-reports of abuse, neglect,

 

 

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1and financial exploitation are very low, at only nine percent
2of all reports, and the typical reasons for this low number are
3lack of knowledge by the victim as to what constitutes abuse,
4how to report it, and what help is available; and
 
5    WHEREAS, Victims of abuse, neglect, and exploitation incur
6health and economic consequences as a result of these
7situations, which cost the state Medicaid dollars; and
 
8    WHEREAS, Caseworkers at Home and Community Based Services
9have direct contact with customers when they enter the program
10and at least annually subsequent to that; and
 
11    WHEREAS, Many screening tools already exist for abuse,
12neglect, and exploitation; therefore, be it
 
13    RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE ONE
14HUNDREDTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we
15declare our intent to eradicate abuse, neglect, and financial
16exploitation of people with disabilities in Illinois; and be it
17further
 
18    RESOLVED, That we urge the Department of Public Health and
19the Department of Rehabilitation Services to work together to
20produce educational materials for people with disabilities in
21the Home and Community based Services Program in Illinois and

 

 

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1explain their rights, the warning signs of abuse, neglect, and
2financial exploitation, and appropriate reporting methods; and
3be it further
 
4    RESOLVED, That we urge the Department of Public Health and
5the Department of Rehabilitation Services in their respective
6regions to provide appropriate educational information and
7reporting methods to their clients on an annual basis; and be
8it further
 
9    RESOLVED, That we urge the Illinois State Medical Society
10and the Illinois Nurses Association to provide their respective
11members with appropriate educational materials to assist them
12with identifying and reporting suspected abuse, neglect, and
13exploitation of disabled Illinois citizens in the Home and
14Community Based Services Program; and be it further
 
15    RESOLVED, That suitable copies of this resolution be
16delivered to the Illinois Department of Public Health, the
17Illinois Department of Rehabilitation Services, the Illinois
18State Medical Society, and the Illinois Nurses Association.