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1    AN ACT concerning health.
 
2    Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
3represented in the General Assembly:
 
4    Section 5. The Department of Public Health Powers and
5Duties Law of the Civil Administrative Code of Illinois is
6amended by adding Section 2310-455 as follows:
 
7    (20 ILCS 2310/2310-455 new)
8    Sec. 2310-455. Suicide prevention. Subject to
9appropriation, the Department shall implement activities
10associated with the Suicide Prevention, Education, and
11Treatment Act, including, but not limited to, the following:
12        (1) Coordinating suicide prevention, intervention, and
13    postvention programs, services, and efforts statewide.
14        (2) Developing and submitting proposals for funding
15    from federal agencies or other sources of funding to
16    promote suicide prevention and coordinate activities.
17        (3) With input from the Illinois Suicide Prevention
18    Alliance, preparing the Illinois Suicide Prevention
19    Strategic Plan required under Section 15 of the Suicide
20    Prevention, Education, and Treatment Act and coordinating
21    the activities necessary to implement the recommendations
22    in that Plan.
23        (4) With input from the Illinois Suicide Prevention

 

 

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1    Alliance, providing to the Governor and General Assembly
2    the annual report required under Section 13 of the Suicide
3    Prevention, Education, and Treatment Act.
4        (5) Providing technical support for the activities of
5    the Illinois Suicide Prevention Alliance.
 
6    Section 10. The Suicide Prevention, Education, and
7Treatment Act is amended by changing Sections 5, 13, 15, 20,
8and 30 as follows:
 
9    (410 ILCS 53/5)
10    Sec. 5. Legislative findings. The General Assembly makes
11the following findings:
12        (1) 1,474 Illinoisans lost their lives to suicide in
13    2017. During 2016, suicide was the eleventh leading cause
14    of death in Illinois, causing more deaths than homicide,
15    motor vehicle accidents, accidental falls, and numerous
16    prevalent diseases, including liver disease, hypertension,
17    influenza/pneumonia, Parkinson's disease, and HIV. Suicide
18    was the third leading cause of death of ages 15 to 34 and
19    the fourth leading cause of death of ages 35 to 54. Those
20    living outside of urban areas are particularly at risk for
21    suicide, with a rate that is 50% higher than those living
22    in urban areas.
23        (2) For every person who dies by suicide, more than 30
24    others attempt suicide.

 

 

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1        (3) Each suicide attempt and death impacts countless
2    other individuals. Family members, friends, co-workers,
3    and others in the community all suffer the long-lasting
4    consequences of suicidal behaviors.
5        (4) Suicide attempts and deaths by suicide have an
6    economic impact on Illinois. The National Center for Injury
7    Prevention and Control estimates that in 2010 each suicide
8    death in Illinois resulted in $1,181,549 in medical costs
9    and work loss costs. It also estimated that each
10    hospitalization for self-harm resulted in $31,019 in
11    medical costs and work loss costs and each emergency room
12    visit for self-harm resulted in $4,546 in medical costs and
13    work loss costs.
14        (5) In 2004, the Illinois General Assembly passed the
15    Suicide Prevention, Education, and Treatment Act (Public
16    Act 93-907), which required the Illinois Department of
17    Public Health to establish the Illinois Suicide Prevention
18    Strategic Planning Committee to develop the Illinois
19    Suicide Prevention Strategic Plan. That law required the
20    use of the 2002 United States Surgeon General's National
21    Suicide Prevention Strategy as a model for the Plan. Public
22    Act 95-109 changed the name of the committee to the
23    Illinois Suicide Prevention Alliance. The Illinois Suicide
24    Prevention Strategic Plan was submitted in 2007 and updated
25    in 2018.
26        (6) In 2004, there were 1,028 suicide deaths in

 

 

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1    Illinois, which the Centers for Disease Control reports was
2    an age-adjusted rate of 8.11 deaths per 100,000. The
3    Centers for Disease Control reports that the 1,474 suicide
4    deaths in 2017 result in an age-adjusted rate of 11.19
5    deaths per 100,000. Thus, since the enactment of Public Act
6    93-907, the rate of suicides in Illinois has risen by 38%.
7        (7) Since the enactment of Public Act 93-907, there
8    have been numerous developments in suicide prevention,
9    including the issuance of the 2012 National Strategy for
10    Suicide Prevention by the United States Surgeon General and
11    the National Action Alliance for Suicide Prevention
12    containing new strategies and recommended activities for
13    local governmental bodies.
14        (8) Despite the obvious impact of suicide on Illinois
15    citizens, Illinois has devoted minimal resources to its
16    prevention. There is no full-time coordinator or director
17    of suicide prevention activities in the State. Moreover,
18    the Suicide Prevention Strategic Plan is still modeled on
19    the now obsolete 2002 National Suicide Prevention
20    Strategy.
21        (9) It is necessary to revise the Suicide Prevention
22    Strategic Plan to reflect the most current National Suicide
23    Prevention Strategy as well as current research and
24    experience into the prevention of suicide.
25        (10) One of the goals adopted in the 2012 National
26    Strategy for Suicide Prevention is to promote suicide

 

 

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1    prevention as a core component of health care services so
2    there is an active engagement of health and social
3    services, as well as the coordination of care across
4    multiple settings, thereby ensuring continuity of care and
5    promoting patient safety.
6        (11) Integrating suicide prevention into behavioral
7    and physical health care services can save lives. National
8    data indicate that: over 30% of individuals are receiving
9    mental health care at the time of their deaths by suicide;
10    45% have seen their primary care physicians within one
11    month of their deaths; and 25% of those who die of suicide
12    visited an emergency department in the year prior to their
13    deaths.
14        (12) The Zero Suicide model is a part of the National
15    Strategy for Suicide Prevention, a priority of the National
16    Action Alliance for Suicide Prevention, and a project of
17    the Suicide Prevention Resource Center that implements the
18    goal of making suicide prevention a core component of
19    health care services.
20        (13) The Zero Suicide model is built on the
21    foundational belief and aspirational goal that suicide
22    deaths of individuals who are under the care of our health
23    care systems are preventable with the adoption of
24    comprehensive training, patient engagement, transition,
25    and quality improvement.
26        (14) Health care systems, including mental and

 

 

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1    behavioral health systems and hospitals, that have
2    implemented the Zero Suicide model have noted significant
3    reductions in suicide deaths for patients within their
4    care.
5        (15) The Suicide Prevention Resource Center
6    facilitates adoption of the Zero Suicide model by providing
7    comprehensive information, resources, and tools for its
8    implementation.
9        (1) The Surgeon General of the United States has
10    described suicide prevention as a serious public health
11    priority and has called upon each state to develop a
12    statewide comprehensive suicide prevention strategy using
13    a public health approach. Suicide now ranks 10th among
14    causes of death, nationally.
15        (2) In 1998, 1,064 Illinoisans lost their lives to
16    suicide, an average of 3 Illinois residents per day. It is
17    estimated that there are between 21,000 and 35,000 suicide
18    attempts in Illinois every year. Three and one-half percent
19    of all suicides in the nation take place in Illinois.
20        (3) Among older adults, suicide rates are increasing,
21    making suicide the leading fatal injury among the elderly
22    population in Illinois. As the proportion of Illinois'
23    population age 75 and older increases, the number of
24    suicides among persons in this age group will also
25    increase, unless an effective suicide prevention strategy
26    is implemented.

 

 

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1        (4) Adolescents are far more likely to attempt suicide
2    than other age groups in Illinois. The data indicates that
3    there are 100 attempts for every adolescent suicide
4    completed. In 1998, 156 Illinois youths died by suicide,
5    between the ages of 15 through 24. Using this estimate,
6    there were likely more than 15,500 suicide attempts made by
7    Illinois adolescents or approximately 50% of all estimated
8    suicide attempts that occurred in Illinois were made by
9    adolescents.
10        (5) Homicide and suicide rank as the second and third
11    leading causes of death in Illinois for youth,
12    respectively. Both are preventable. While the death rates
13    for unintentional injuries decreased by more than 35%
14    between 1979 and 1996, the death rates for homicide and
15    suicide increased for youth. Evidence is growing in terms
16    of the links between suicide and other forms of violence.
17    This provides compelling reasons for broadening the
18    State's scope in identifying risk factors for self-harmful
19    behavior. The number of estimated youth suicide attempts
20    and the growing concerns of youth violence can best be
21    addressed through the implementation of successful
22    gatekeeper-training programs to identify and refer youth
23    at risk for self-harmful behavior.
24        (6) The American Association of Suicidology
25    conservatively estimates that the lives of at least 6
26    persons related to or connected to individuals who attempt

 

 

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1    or complete suicide are impacted. Using these estimates, in
2    1998, more than 6,000 Illinoisans struggled to cope with
3    the impact of suicide.
4        (7) Decreases in alcohol and other drug abuse, as well
5    as decreases in access to lethal means, significantly
6    reduce the number of suicides.
7        (8) Suicide attempts are expected to be higher than
8    reported because attempts not requiring medical attention
9    are not required to be reported. The underreporting of
10    suicide completion is also likely because suicide
11    classification involves conclusions regarding the intent
12    of the deceased. The stigma associated with suicide is also
13    likely to contribute to underreporting. Without
14    interagency collaboration and support for proven,
15    community-based, culturally-competent suicide prevention
16    and intervention programs, suicides are likely to rise.
17        (9) Emerging data on rates of suicide based on gender,
18    ethnicity, age, and geographic areas demand a new strategy
19    that responds to the needs of a diverse population.
20        (10) According to Children's Safety Network Economics
21    Insurance, the cost of youth suicide acts by persons in
22    Illinois who are under 21 years of age totals $539,000,000,
23    including medical costs, future earnings lost, and a
24    measure of quality of life.
25        (11) Suicide is the second leading cause of death in
26    Illinois for persons between the ages of 15 and 24.

 

 

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1        (12) In 1998, there were 1,116 homicides in Illinois,
2    which outnumbered suicides by only 52. Yet, so far, only
3    homicide has received funding, programs, and media
4    attention.
5        (13) According to the 1999 national report on
6    statistics for suicide of the American Association of
7    Suicidology, categories of unintentional injury, motor
8    vehicle deaths, and all other deaths include many reported
9    and unsubstantiated suicides that are not identified
10    correctly because of poor investigatory techniques,
11    unsophisticated inquest jurors, and stigmas that cause
12    families to cover up evidence.
13        (14) Programs for HIV infectious diseases are very well
14    funded even though, in Illinois, HIV deaths number 30% less
15    than suicide deaths.
16(Source: P.A. 93-907, eff. 8-11-04.)
 
17    (410 ILCS 53/13)
18    Sec. 13. Duration; report. The Department, in consultation
19with All projects set forth in this Act must be at least 3
20years in duration, and the Department and related contracts as
21well as the Illinois Suicide Prevention Alliance, must submit
22an annual report annually to the Governor and General Assembly
23on the effectiveness of the these activities and programs
24undertaken under the Plan that includes any recommendations for
25modification to Illinois law to enhance the effectiveness of

 

 

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1the Plan.
2(Source: P.A. 95-109, eff. 1-1-08.)
 
3    (410 ILCS 53/15)
4    Sec. 15. Suicide Prevention Alliance.
5    (a) The Alliance is created as the official grassroots
6creator, planner, monitor, and advocate for the Illinois
7Suicide Prevention Strategic Plan. No later than one year after
8the effective date of this amendatory Act of the 101st General
9Assembly Act, the Alliance shall review, finalize, and submit
10to the Governor and the General Assembly the 2020 Illinois
11Suicide Prevention Strategic Plan and appropriate processes
12and outcome objectives for 10 overriding recommendations and a
13timeline for reaching these objectives.
14    (b) The Plan shall include: The Alliance shall use the
15United States Surgeon General's National Suicide Prevention
16Strategy as a model for the Plan.
17        (1) recommendations from the most current National
18    Suicide Prevention Strategy;
19        (2) current research and experience into the
20    prevention of suicide;
21        (3) measures to encourage and assist health care
22    systems and primary care providers to include suicide
23    prevention as a core component of their services,
24    including, but not limited to, implementing the Zero
25    Suicide model; and

 

 

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1        (4) additional elements as determined appropriate by
2    the Alliance.
3    The Alliance shall review the statutorily prescribed
4missions of major State mental health, health, aging, and
5school mental health programs and recommend, as necessary and
6appropriate, statutory changes to include suicide prevention
7in the missions and procedures of those programs. The Alliance
8shall prepare a report of that review, including its
9recommendations, and shall submit the report to the Department
10for inclusion in its annual report to the Governor and the
11General Assembly by December 31, 2004.
12    (c) The Director of Public Health shall appoint the members
13of the Alliance. The membership of the Alliance shall include,
14without limitation, representatives of statewide organizations
15and other agencies that focus on the prevention of suicide and
16the improvement of mental health treatment or that provide
17suicide prevention or survivor support services. Other
18disciplines that shall be considered for membership on the
19Alliance include law enforcement, first responders,
20faith-based community leaders, universities, and survivors of
21suicide (families and friends who have lost persons to suicide)
22as well as consumers of services of these agencies and
23organizations.
24    (d) The Alliance shall meet at least 4 times a year, and
25more as deemed necessary, in various sites statewide in order
26to foster as much participation as possible. The Alliance, a

 

 

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1steering committee, and core members of the full committee
2shall monitor and guide the definition and direction of the
3goals of the full Alliance, shall review and approve
4productions of the plan, and shall meet before the full
5Alliance meetings.
6(Source: P.A. 95-109, eff. 1-1-08.)
 
7    (410 ILCS 53/20)
8    Sec. 20. General awareness and screening program.
9    (a) The Department shall provide technical assistance for
10the work of the Alliance and the production of the Plan and
11shall distribute general information and screening tools for
12suicide prevention to the general public through local public
13health departments throughout the State. These materials shall
14be distributed to agencies, schools, hospitals, churches,
15places of employment, and all related professional caregivers
16to educate all citizens about warning signs and interventions
17that all persons can do to stop the suicidal cycle.
18    (b) This program shall include, without limitation, all of
19the following:
20        (1) Educational programs about warning signs and how to
21    help suicidal individuals.
22        (2) Educational presentations about suicide risk and
23    how to help at-risk people in special populations and with
24    bilingual support to special cultures.
25        (3) The designation of an annual suicide awareness week

 

 

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1    or month to include a public awareness campaign on suicide.
2        (4) An annual A statewide suicide prevention
3    conference before November of 2004.
4        (5) An Illinois Suicide Prevention Speaker's Bureau.
5        (6) A program to educate the media regarding the
6    guidelines developed by the American Association for
7    Suicidology for coverage of suicides and to encourage media
8    cooperation in adopting these guidelines in reporting
9    suicides.
10        (7) Increased training opportunities for volunteers,
11    professionals, and other caregivers to develop specific
12    skills for assessing suicide risk and intervening to
13    prevent suicide.
14(Source: P.A. 95-109, eff. 1-1-08.)
 
15    (410 ILCS 53/30)
16    Sec. 30. Suicide prevention pilot programs.
17    (a) The Department shall establish, when funds are
18appropriated, programs, including, but not limited to, pilot
19and demonstration programs, that are consistent with the Plan.
20up to 5 pilot programs that provide training and direct service
21programs relating to youth, elderly, special populations,
22high-risk populations, and professional caregivers. The
23purpose of these pilot programs is to demonstrate and evaluate
24the effectiveness of the projects set forth in this Act in the
25communities in which they are offered. The pilot programs shall

 

 

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1be operational for at least 2 years of the 3-year requirement
2set forth in Section 13.
3    (b) The Director of Public Health is encouraged to ensure
4that the pilot programs include the following prevention
5strategies:
6        (1) school gatekeeper and faculty training;
7        (2) community gatekeeper training;
8        (3) general community suicide prevention education;
9        (4) health providers and physician training and
10    consultation about high-risk cases;
11        (5) depression, anxiety, and suicide screening
12    programs;
13        (6) peer support youth and older adult programs;
14        (7) the enhancement of 24-hour crisis centers,
15    hotlines, and person-to-person calling trees;
16        (8) means restriction advocacy and collaboration; and
17        (9) intervening and supporting after a suicide.
18    (b) (c) The funds appropriated for purposes of this Section
19shall be allocated by the Department on a competitive,
20grant-submission basis, which shall include consideration of
21different rates of risk of suicide based on age, ethnicity,
22gender, prevalence of mental health disorders, different rates
23of suicide based on geographic areas in Illinois, and the
24services and curriculum offered to fit these needs by the
25applying agency.
26    (d) The Department and Alliance shall prepare a report as

 

 

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1to the effectiveness of the demonstration projects established
2pursuant to this Section and submit that report no later than 6
3months after the projects are completed to the Governor and
4General Assembly.
5(Source: P.A. 95-109, eff. 1-1-08.)
 
6    Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon
7becoming law.