Illinois General Assembly - Full Text of HR0248
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Full Text of HR0248  100th General Assembly

HR0248 100TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY


  

 


 
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1
HOUSE RESOLUTION

 
2    WHEREAS, An estimated two million people aged 12 or older
3in the United States have a substance use disorder related to
4prescription pain relievers including opioids, and an
5additional 591,000 related to heroin; and
 
6    WHEREAS, During 2015, there were 52,404 deaths due to drug
7overdose, 63% of which were caused by opioids; and
 
8    WHEREAS, In Illinois, heroin-related deaths increased 22%
9between 2013 and 2014, from 583 to 711 deaths; the death rate
10in Illinois related to synthetic opioids other than methadone
11increased by 120% between 2014 and 2015; and
 
12    WHEREAS, Nearly 1.5 million of the 2.3 million individuals
13incarcerated in local, State, and federal jails or prisons meet
14diagnostic criteria for substance use disorder; an estimated
1515% of the hundreds entering and leaving prison have heroin use
16disorders; and
 
17    WHEREAS, Only 11% of those incarcerated in jails or prisons
18who meet diagnostic criteria for a substance use disorder
19receive any type of professional treatment while incarcerated,
20and fewer than 1% of them are provided detoxification services;
21and
 

 

 

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1    WHEREAS, Over the past five years alone, families in at
2least six states have been awarded nearly $11 million in
3compensation for loved ones who died while being denied routine
4detoxification care in local jails; and
 
5    WHEREAS, The Federal Bureau of Prisons, the World Health
6Organization, and the National Commission on Correctional
7Health Care provide guidelines and standards for the provision
8of care for individuals in correctional custody who need
9detoxification services; and
 
10    WHEREAS, The provision of medical monitoring and medically
11assisted detoxification in jails requires fiscal support for
12personnel, medications, and supplies, and the level of support
13is likely less than would be costs associated with wrongful
14death lawsuits; and
 
15    WHEREAS, County sheriffs in Illinois and around the country
16have been instrumental in assisting incarcerated individuals
17with substance use disorders connect to community-based
18substance use and mental health treatment services following
19release from jail; and
 
20    WHEREAS, County sheriffs in Illinois have consistently
21asked for more resources in dealing with addiction and the

 

 

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1mentally ill, only to be repeatedly denied due to limited local
2resources; and
 
3    WHEREAS, The State of Illinois continues to underfund
4mental health treatment in Illinois and fails to properly and
5timely fund community providers for substance abuse treatment;
6therefore, be it
 
7    RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE ONE
8HUNDREDTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we
9urge county sheriffs across Illinois to continue to implement
10standard medical protocols for monitoring and treatment of
11individuals experiencing withdrawal while incarcerated to
12mitigate pain and discomfort, and to reduce the risk of both
13serious medical incidents, including death, and wrongful death
14lawsuits; and be it further
 
15    RESOLVED, That we urge local municipalities, county
16boards, and the State to provide fiscal support necessary to
17assist county sheriffs in undertaking these efforts; and be it
18further
 
19    RESOLVED, That suitable copies of this resolution be
20delivered to all county sheriffs and county board presidents in
21Illinois.