HJ0046 96TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HJ0046 LRB096 12297 KXB 25169 r

HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, There is no official statewide data on the health needs of our diverse student populations or the level of services required to meet these needs in this State; and

WHEREAS, Unmet health needs interfere with a student's ability to focus on learning and achieve their highest potential; and

WHEREAS, It is our intent to assure that students are healthy and ready to learn and to provide health service resources to enable all students to access education equally; and

WHEREAS, It is also our intent to support and sustain the healthy development of youth in partnership with parents, schools, health care providers, community organizations , and governmental agencies in keeping with the goals and objectives of Healthy People 2010; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE NINETY-SIXTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, THE SENATE CONCURRING HEREIN, that we respectfully request that the State Board of Education, the Department of Human Services School Health Program and the Department of Public Health Division of Chronic Disease Prevention and Control establish a task force to study and compile a report on:

1) Identification of current student health needs and the level of health services required to address such needs;

2) Regulatory conflicts that limit delivery of school health services to students in need along with possible solutions; and

3) Needed support for and monitoring of school health services; and be it further

RESOLVED, That the Illinois Department of Public Health shall provide administrative and other support to the task force; and be it further

RESOLVED, That the task force shall consist of no more than 15 members appointed jointly by a working group of the three above agencies; the task force shall include one member from each of the agencies as well as additional members that shall be selected by the work group from organizations representing the interests of at minimum; school administrators, school board members, school nurses, nurses, school health advocates, school health centers, physician groups, teacher unions and parents; additional members may be determined at the discretion of the State agencies; and be it further

RESOLVED, That the task force will report to the General Assembly by January 1, 2010.