Public Act 101-0331
 
SB1425 EnrolledLRB101 07367 CPF 52407 b

    AN ACT concerning health.
 
    Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
represented in the General Assembly:
 
    Section 5. The Department of Public Health Powers and
Duties Law of the Civil Administrative Code of Illinois is
amended by adding Section 2310-455 as follows:
 
    (20 ILCS 2310/2310-455 new)
    Sec. 2310-455. Suicide prevention. Subject to
appropriation, the Department shall implement activities
associated with the Suicide Prevention, Education, and
Treatment Act, including, but not limited to, the following:
        (1) Coordinating suicide prevention, intervention, and
    postvention programs, services, and efforts statewide.
        (2) Developing and submitting proposals for funding
    from federal agencies or other sources of funding to
    promote suicide prevention and coordinate activities.
        (3) With input from the Illinois Suicide Prevention
    Alliance, preparing the Illinois Suicide Prevention
    Strategic Plan required under Section 15 of the Suicide
    Prevention, Education, and Treatment Act and coordinating
    the activities necessary to implement the recommendations
    in that Plan.
        (4) With input from the Illinois Suicide Prevention
    Alliance, providing to the Governor and General Assembly
    the annual report required under Section 13 of the Suicide
    Prevention, Education, and Treatment Act.
        (5) Providing technical support for the activities of
    the Illinois Suicide Prevention Alliance.
 
    Section 10. The Suicide Prevention, Education, and
Treatment Act is amended by changing Sections 5, 13, 15, 20,
and 30 as follows:
 
    (410 ILCS 53/5)
    Sec. 5. Legislative findings. The General Assembly makes
the following findings:
        (1) 1,474 Illinoisans lost their lives to suicide in
    2017. During 2016, suicide was the eleventh leading cause
    of death in Illinois, causing more deaths than homicide,
    motor vehicle accidents, accidental falls, and numerous
    prevalent diseases, including liver disease, hypertension,
    influenza/pneumonia, Parkinson's disease, and HIV. Suicide
    was the third leading cause of death of ages 15 to 34 and
    the fourth leading cause of death of ages 35 to 54. Those
    living outside of urban areas are particularly at risk for
    suicide, with a rate that is 50% higher than those living
    in urban areas.
        (2) For every person who dies by suicide, more than 30
    others attempt suicide.
        (3) Each suicide attempt and death impacts countless
    other individuals. Family members, friends, co-workers,
    and others in the community all suffer the long-lasting
    consequences of suicidal behaviors.
        (4) Suicide attempts and deaths by suicide have an
    economic impact on Illinois. The National Center for Injury
    Prevention and Control estimates that in 2010 each suicide
    death in Illinois resulted in $1,181,549 in medical costs
    and work loss costs. It also estimated that each
    hospitalization for self-harm resulted in $31,019 in
    medical costs and work loss costs and each emergency room
    visit for self-harm resulted in $4,546 in medical costs and
    work loss costs.
        (5) In 2004, the Illinois General Assembly passed the
    Suicide Prevention, Education, and Treatment Act (Public
    Act 93-907), which required the Illinois Department of
    Public Health to establish the Illinois Suicide Prevention
    Strategic Planning Committee to develop the Illinois
    Suicide Prevention Strategic Plan. That law required the
    use of the 2002 United States Surgeon General's National
    Suicide Prevention Strategy as a model for the Plan. Public
    Act 95-109 changed the name of the committee to the
    Illinois Suicide Prevention Alliance. The Illinois Suicide
    Prevention Strategic Plan was submitted in 2007 and updated
    in 2018.
        (6) In 2004, there were 1,028 suicide deaths in
    Illinois, which the Centers for Disease Control reports was
    an age-adjusted rate of 8.11 deaths per 100,000. The
    Centers for Disease Control reports that the 1,474 suicide
    deaths in 2017 result in an age-adjusted rate of 11.19
    deaths per 100,000. Thus, since the enactment of Public Act
    93-907, the rate of suicides in Illinois has risen by 38%.
        (7) Since the enactment of Public Act 93-907, there
    have been numerous developments in suicide prevention,
    including the issuance of the 2012 National Strategy for
    Suicide Prevention by the United States Surgeon General and
    the National Action Alliance for Suicide Prevention
    containing new strategies and recommended activities for
    local governmental bodies.
        (8) Despite the obvious impact of suicide on Illinois
    citizens, Illinois has devoted minimal resources to its
    prevention. There is no full-time coordinator or director
    of suicide prevention activities in the State. Moreover,
    the Suicide Prevention Strategic Plan is still modeled on
    the now obsolete 2002 National Suicide Prevention
    Strategy.
        (9) It is necessary to revise the Suicide Prevention
    Strategic Plan to reflect the most current National Suicide
    Prevention Strategy as well as current research and
    experience into the prevention of suicide.
        (10) One of the goals adopted in the 2012 National
    Strategy for Suicide Prevention is to promote suicide
    prevention as a core component of health care services so
    there is an active engagement of health and social
    services, as well as the coordination of care across
    multiple settings, thereby ensuring continuity of care and
    promoting patient safety.
        (11) Integrating suicide prevention into behavioral
    and physical health care services can save lives. National
    data indicate that: over 30% of individuals are receiving
    mental health care at the time of their deaths by suicide;
    45% have seen their primary care physicians within one
    month of their deaths; and 25% of those who die of suicide
    visited an emergency department in the year prior to their
    deaths.
        (12) The Zero Suicide model is a part of the National
    Strategy for Suicide Prevention, a priority of the National
    Action Alliance for Suicide Prevention, and a project of
    the Suicide Prevention Resource Center that implements the
    goal of making suicide prevention a core component of
    health care services.
        (13) The Zero Suicide model is built on the
    foundational belief and aspirational goal that suicide
    deaths of individuals who are under the care of our health
    care systems are preventable with the adoption of
    comprehensive training, patient engagement, transition,
    and quality improvement.
        (14) Health care systems, including mental and
    behavioral health systems and hospitals, that have
    implemented the Zero Suicide model have noted significant
    reductions in suicide deaths for patients within their
    care.
        (15) The Suicide Prevention Resource Center
    facilitates adoption of the Zero Suicide model by providing
    comprehensive information, resources, and tools for its
    implementation.
        (1) The Surgeon General of the United States has
    described suicide prevention as a serious public health
    priority and has called upon each state to develop a
    statewide comprehensive suicide prevention strategy using
    a public health approach. Suicide now ranks 10th among
    causes of death, nationally.
        (2) In 1998, 1,064 Illinoisans lost their lives to
    suicide, an average of 3 Illinois residents per day. It is
    estimated that there are between 21,000 and 35,000 suicide
    attempts in Illinois every year. Three and one-half percent
    of all suicides in the nation take place in Illinois.
        (3) Among older adults, suicide rates are increasing,
    making suicide the leading fatal injury among the elderly
    population in Illinois. As the proportion of Illinois'
    population age 75 and older increases, the number of
    suicides among persons in this age group will also
    increase, unless an effective suicide prevention strategy
    is implemented.
        (4) Adolescents are far more likely to attempt suicide
    than other age groups in Illinois. The data indicates that
    there are 100 attempts for every adolescent suicide
    completed. In 1998, 156 Illinois youths died by suicide,
    between the ages of 15 through 24. Using this estimate,
    there were likely more than 15,500 suicide attempts made by
    Illinois adolescents or approximately 50% of all estimated
    suicide attempts that occurred in Illinois were made by
    adolescents.
        (5) Homicide and suicide rank as the second and third
    leading causes of death in Illinois for youth,
    respectively. Both are preventable. While the death rates
    for unintentional injuries decreased by more than 35%
    between 1979 and 1996, the death rates for homicide and
    suicide increased for youth. Evidence is growing in terms
    of the links between suicide and other forms of violence.
    This provides compelling reasons for broadening the
    State's scope in identifying risk factors for self-harmful
    behavior. The number of estimated youth suicide attempts
    and the growing concerns of youth violence can best be
    addressed through the implementation of successful
    gatekeeper-training programs to identify and refer youth
    at risk for self-harmful behavior.
        (6) The American Association of Suicidology
    conservatively estimates that the lives of at least 6
    persons related to or connected to individuals who attempt
    or complete suicide are impacted. Using these estimates, in
    1998, more than 6,000 Illinoisans struggled to cope with
    the impact of suicide.
        (7) Decreases in alcohol and other drug abuse, as well
    as decreases in access to lethal means, significantly
    reduce the number of suicides.
        (8) Suicide attempts are expected to be higher than
    reported because attempts not requiring medical attention
    are not required to be reported. The underreporting of
    suicide completion is also likely because suicide
    classification involves conclusions regarding the intent
    of the deceased. The stigma associated with suicide is also
    likely to contribute to underreporting. Without
    interagency collaboration and support for proven,
    community-based, culturally-competent suicide prevention
    and intervention programs, suicides are likely to rise.
        (9) Emerging data on rates of suicide based on gender,
    ethnicity, age, and geographic areas demand a new strategy
    that responds to the needs of a diverse population.
        (10) According to Children's Safety Network Economics
    Insurance, the cost of youth suicide acts by persons in
    Illinois who are under 21 years of age totals $539,000,000,
    including medical costs, future earnings lost, and a
    measure of quality of life.
        (11) Suicide is the second leading cause of death in
    Illinois for persons between the ages of 15 and 24.
        (12) In 1998, there were 1,116 homicides in Illinois,
    which outnumbered suicides by only 52. Yet, so far, only
    homicide has received funding, programs, and media
    attention.
        (13) According to the 1999 national report on
    statistics for suicide of the American Association of
    Suicidology, categories of unintentional injury, motor
    vehicle deaths, and all other deaths include many reported
    and unsubstantiated suicides that are not identified
    correctly because of poor investigatory techniques,
    unsophisticated inquest jurors, and stigmas that cause
    families to cover up evidence.
        (14) Programs for HIV infectious diseases are very well
    funded even though, in Illinois, HIV deaths number 30% less
    than suicide deaths.
(Source: P.A. 93-907, eff. 8-11-04.)
 
    (410 ILCS 53/13)
    Sec. 13. Duration; report. The Department, in consultation
with All projects set forth in this Act must be at least 3
years in duration, and the Department and related contracts as
well as the Illinois Suicide Prevention Alliance, must submit
an annual report annually to the Governor and General Assembly
on the effectiveness of the these activities and programs
undertaken under the Plan that includes any recommendations for
modification to Illinois law to enhance the effectiveness of
the Plan.
(Source: P.A. 95-109, eff. 1-1-08.)
 
    (410 ILCS 53/15)
    Sec. 15. Suicide Prevention Alliance.
    (a) The Alliance is created as the official grassroots
creator, planner, monitor, and advocate for the Illinois
Suicide Prevention Strategic Plan. No later than one year after
the effective date of this amendatory Act of the 101st General
Assembly Act, the Alliance shall review, finalize, and submit
to the Governor and the General Assembly the 2020 Illinois
Suicide Prevention Strategic Plan and appropriate processes
and outcome objectives for 10 overriding recommendations and a
timeline for reaching these objectives.
    (b) The Plan shall include: The Alliance shall use the
United States Surgeon General's National Suicide Prevention
Strategy as a model for the Plan.
        (1) recommendations from the most current National
    Suicide Prevention Strategy;
        (2) current research and experience into the
    prevention of suicide;
        (3) measures to encourage and assist health care
    systems and primary care providers to include suicide
    prevention as a core component of their services,
    including, but not limited to, implementing the Zero
    Suicide model; and
        (4) additional elements as determined appropriate by
    the Alliance.
    The Alliance shall review the statutorily prescribed
missions of major State mental health, health, aging, and
school mental health programs and recommend, as necessary and
appropriate, statutory changes to include suicide prevention
in the missions and procedures of those programs. The Alliance
shall prepare a report of that review, including its
recommendations, and shall submit the report to the Department
for inclusion in its annual report to the Governor and the
General Assembly by December 31, 2004.
    (c) The Director of Public Health shall appoint the members
of the Alliance. The membership of the Alliance shall include,
without limitation, representatives of statewide organizations
and other agencies that focus on the prevention of suicide and
the improvement of mental health treatment or that provide
suicide prevention or survivor support services. Other
disciplines that shall be considered for membership on the
Alliance include law enforcement, first responders,
faith-based community leaders, universities, and survivors of
suicide (families and friends who have lost persons to suicide)
as well as consumers of services of these agencies and
organizations.
    (d) The Alliance shall meet at least 4 times a year, and
more as deemed necessary, in various sites statewide in order
to foster as much participation as possible. The Alliance, a
steering committee, and core members of the full committee
shall monitor and guide the definition and direction of the
goals of the full Alliance, shall review and approve
productions of the plan, and shall meet before the full
Alliance meetings.
(Source: P.A. 95-109, eff. 1-1-08.)
 
    (410 ILCS 53/20)
    Sec. 20. General awareness and screening program.
    (a) The Department shall provide technical assistance for
the work of the Alliance and the production of the Plan and
shall distribute general information and screening tools for
suicide prevention to the general public through local public
health departments throughout the State. These materials shall
be distributed to agencies, schools, hospitals, churches,
places of employment, and all related professional caregivers
to educate all citizens about warning signs and interventions
that all persons can do to stop the suicidal cycle.
    (b) This program shall include, without limitation, all of
the following:
        (1) Educational programs about warning signs and how to
    help suicidal individuals.
        (2) Educational presentations about suicide risk and
    how to help at-risk people in special populations and with
    bilingual support to special cultures.
        (3) The designation of an annual suicide awareness week
    or month to include a public awareness campaign on suicide.
        (4) An annual A statewide suicide prevention
    conference before November of 2004.
        (5) An Illinois Suicide Prevention Speaker's Bureau.
        (6) A program to educate the media regarding the
    guidelines developed by the American Association for
    Suicidology for coverage of suicides and to encourage media
    cooperation in adopting these guidelines in reporting
    suicides.
        (7) Increased training opportunities for volunteers,
    professionals, and other caregivers to develop specific
    skills for assessing suicide risk and intervening to
    prevent suicide.
(Source: P.A. 95-109, eff. 1-1-08.)
 
    (410 ILCS 53/30)
    Sec. 30. Suicide prevention pilot programs.
    (a) The Department shall establish, when funds are
appropriated, programs, including, but not limited to, pilot
and demonstration programs, that are consistent with the Plan.
up to 5 pilot programs that provide training and direct service
programs relating to youth, elderly, special populations,
high-risk populations, and professional caregivers. The
purpose of these pilot programs is to demonstrate and evaluate
the effectiveness of the projects set forth in this Act in the
communities in which they are offered. The pilot programs shall
be operational for at least 2 years of the 3-year requirement
set forth in Section 13.
    (b) The Director of Public Health is encouraged to ensure
that the pilot programs include the following prevention
strategies:
        (1) school gatekeeper and faculty training;
        (2) community gatekeeper training;
        (3) general community suicide prevention education;
        (4) health providers and physician training and
    consultation about high-risk cases;
        (5) depression, anxiety, and suicide screening
    programs;
        (6) peer support youth and older adult programs;
        (7) the enhancement of 24-hour crisis centers,
    hotlines, and person-to-person calling trees;
        (8) means restriction advocacy and collaboration; and
        (9) intervening and supporting after a suicide.
    (b) (c) The funds appropriated for purposes of this Section
shall be allocated by the Department on a competitive,
grant-submission basis, which shall include consideration of
different rates of risk of suicide based on age, ethnicity,
gender, prevalence of mental health disorders, different rates
of suicide based on geographic areas in Illinois, and the
services and curriculum offered to fit these needs by the
applying agency.
    (d) The Department and Alliance shall prepare a report as
to the effectiveness of the demonstration projects established
pursuant to this Section and submit that report no later than 6
months after the projects are completed to the Governor and
General Assembly.
(Source: P.A. 95-109, eff. 1-1-08.)
 
    Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon
becoming law.