97TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2011 and 2012
HB1904

 

Introduced , by Rep. David R. Leitch

 

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:
 
20 ILCS 1705/54.6 new

    Amends the Mental Health and Developmental Disabilities Administrative Act. Provides that the Department of Human Services may reimburse an individual community service provider serving individuals, including children, suffering from mental illness, co-occurring mental and substance use disorders, and other behavioral disorders for spending incurred to provide improved wages and benefits to its employees. Provides that reimbursement shall be based upon the provider's most recent cost report and shall be made according to certain criteria. Further provides that the reimbursement is subject to audit by the Department and shall be reduced or eliminated in the case of any provider that does not honor its commitment to increase spending to improve the wages and benefits of its employees or that decreases such spending. Effective immediately.


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FISCAL NOTE ACT MAY APPLY

 

 

A BILL FOR

 

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1    AN ACT concerning State government.
 
2    Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
3represented in the General Assembly:
 
4    Section 5. The Mental Health and Developmental
5Disabilities Administrative Act is amended by adding Section
654.6 as follows:
 
7    (20 ILCS 1705/54.6 new)
8    Sec. 54.6. Community behavioral health care quality
9workforce initiative.
10    (a) Legislative intent. Individuals, including children,
11suffering from mental illness, co-occurring mental and
12substance use disorders, and other behavioral disorders who
13receive care and treatment in community-based settings rely on
14direct support staff for a variety of supports and services
15essential to the ability to reach their full potential. A
16stable, well-trained direct support workforce is critical to
17the well-being of these individuals. The General Assembly
18recognizes that in order to address underserved areas and
19populations and to address Illinois' professional shortage
20areas, Illinois must attract and retain a qualified community
21behavioral health care workforce. This community behavioral
22health care quality workforce must include a workforce that is
23culturally and linguistically competent. Fair compensation is

 

 

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1an important component of Illinois' human resources strategy to
2help reduce turnover and develop a well trained, more stable,
3and committed workforce. This Section would increase the wages
4and benefits for direct care workers supporting individuals,
5including children, suffering from mental illness,
6co-occurring mental and substance use disorders, and other
7behavioral disorders and provide accountability by ensuring
8that these additional resources go directly to direct care
9workers.
10    (b) Reimbursement. In order to attract and retain a stable,
11qualified, and healthy workforce, beginning July 1, 2011, the
12Department may reimburse an individual community service
13provider serving individuals, including children, suffering
14from mental illness, co-occurring mental and substance use
15disorders, and other behavioral disorders for spending
16incurred to provide improved wages and benefits to its
17employees. Reimbursement shall be based upon the provider's
18most recent cost report. Subject to available appropriations,
19this reimbursement shall be made according to the following
20criteria:
21        (1) The Department shall reimburse the provider to
22    compensate for spending on improved wages and benefits for
23    its eligible employees. Eligible employees include
24    employees engaged in direct care work.
25        (2) In order to qualify for reimbursement under this
26    Section, a provider must submit to the Department, before

 

 

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1    January 1 of each year, documentation of a written, legally
2    binding commitment to increase spending for the purpose of
3    providing improved wages and benefits to its eligible
4    employees during the next year. The commitment must apply
5    to both existing and future staff. The commitment must
6    include a method of enforcing the commitment that is
7    available to the employees or their representative, is
8    expeditious, and is economical to administer for the
9    provider. The Department must also receive documentation
10    of the provider's provision of written notice of the
11    commitment and the availability of the enforcement
12    mechanism to the employees or their representative.
13        (3) Reimbursement shall be based on the amount of
14    increased spending to be incurred by the provider for
15    improving wages and benefits that exceed the spending
16    reported in the cost report currently used by the
17    Department. Reimbursement shall be calculated as follows:
18    the per diem equivalent of the quarterly difference between
19    the cost to provide improved wages and benefits for covered
20    eligible employees as identified in the legally binding
21    commitment and the previous period cost of wages and
22    benefits as reported in the cost report currently used by
23    the Department, subject to the limitations identified in
24    paragraph (2) of this subsection.
25        (4) Any community service provider is eligible to
26    receive reimbursement under this Section. A provider's

 

 

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1    eligibility to receive reimbursement shall continue as
2    long as the provider maintains eligibility under paragraph
3    (2) of this subsection and the reimbursement program
4    continues to exist.
5    (c) Audit. Reimbursement under this Section is subject to
6audit by the Department and shall be reduced or eliminated in
7the case of any provider that does not honor its commitment to
8increase spending to improve the wages and benefits of its
9employees or that decreases such spending.
 
10    Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon
11becoming law.