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91_SR0146
LRB9106900SMpr
1 SENATE RESOLUTION
2 WHEREAS, 84 of 102 counties in Illinois have been
3 determined to be rural by the Center for Rural Health of the
4 Department of Public Health; and
5 WHEREAS, A survey conducted in 1995 by the Illinois Rural
6 Health Association and the Center for Rural Health revealed
7 that citizens of rural counties had the distinction of
8 leading the State in several mortality statistics, including
9 heart attacks and motor vehicle accidents; and
10 WHEREAS, The lack of adequate emergency medical services
11 in rural areas has been identified as a problem in rural
12 areas that contributes to the higher mortality rates; and
13 WHEREAS, The access and availability of emergency medical
14 services in rural areas are a critical concern; and
15 WHEREAS, Ambulance providers are a vital link in the
16 emergency medical services systems; therefore, be it
17 RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE NINETY-FIRST GENERAL
18 ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that the Department of
19 Public Health establish a Special Committee on the Access and
20 Availability of Emergency Medical Services in Rural Illinois;
21 and be it further
22 RESOLVED, That the Committee members shall be appointed
23 by the Director of Public Health, shall serve without
24 compensation, and shall include one representative from the
25 Illinois Rural Health Association, one representative from
26 the Illinois Farm Bureau, one representative from the
27 Illinois State Ambulance Association, one representative from
28 the Illinois College of Emergency Physicians, one
29 representative from the Illinois Hospital and Health Systems
30 Association, one representative from the Lt. Governor's Rural
31 Affairs Council, one representative from the Illinois
-2- LRB9106900SMpr
1 Department of Public Aid, one representative each from the
2 Center for Rural Health and the Division of Emergency Medical
3 Services and Highway Safety in the Department of Public
4 Health; and be it further
5 RESOLVED, That the Committee shall select one member as
6 chairperson at its initial meeting, and shall meet thereafter
7 at the call of the chairperson; and be it further
8 RESOLVED, That the Committee shall identify all ambulance
9 providers, including public, private, and volunteer
10 organizations, located in rural areas by their service
11 regions and review and analyze the impact of funding,
12 training, regulations, and licensing on the access and
13 availability of emergency medical services in rural areas;
14 and be it further
15 RESOLVED, That the Committee present to the General
16 Assembly and the Governor by March 1, 2000 a report with
17 recommendations for legislative and administrative action
18 that will improve the access and availability of emergency
19 medical services for rural citizens of Illinois; and that
20 upon filing its report the Committee is dissolved.