101ST GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2019 and 2020
HB4412

 

Introduced 2/3/2020, by Rep. Sonya M. Harper

 

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:
 
New Act
30 ILCS 105/5.930 new

    Creates the Outdoor Rx Program Act. Creates the Outside Rx Program to provide funds, through grants established by the Department of Public Health, for outdoor environmental, ecological, agricultural, or other natural resource or outdoor-based therapy programs serving the citizens of the State of Illinois. Requires the Department to establish an advisory committee to assist and advise the Department in the development and administration of the Outdoor Rx Program, including developing the form for an application for receipt of a grant. Provides that the Department shall set priorities and develop criteria for the awarding of grants to natural resource or outdoor-based therapy programs. Provides criteria for grant eligibility and selection. Provides that the Director of Public Health shall make the final decision on funding a program. Amends the State Finance Act. Creates the Outdoor Rx Program Fund as a special fund in the State treasury.


LRB101 17196 CPF 66598 b

FISCAL NOTE ACT MAY APPLY

 

 

A BILL FOR

 

HB4412LRB101 17196 CPF 66598 b

1    AN ACT concerning health.
 
2    Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
3represented in the General Assembly:
 
4    Section 1. Short title. This Act may be cited as the
5Outdoor Rx Program Act.
 
6    Section 5. Intent. Studies have shown that time outdoors
7can be a valuable adjunct therapy in addition to more
8traditional health care, while also reducing reliance on
9prescription medication. The therapeutic benefits of time
10spent outdoors is clinically proven and known to help reduce
11stress, improve concentration, and promote overall well-being,
12both physical and mental. Natural resource and outdoor-based
13therapy programs, including adventure therapy, wilderness
14therapy, horticultural therapy, walk-and-talk therapy, and
15other nature-oriented programs, are currently being used by
16mental health professionals and are shown to have benefits,
17including, but not limited to, reduction of stress, restoration
18of attention, and an improved sense of well-being. Such outdoor
19programs aim to connect people with nature, thereby proving to
20be particularly beneficial to individuals undergoing a
21recovery process. Recognizing the healing benefits of natural
22resource or outdoor-based therapy programs to residents of the
23State, particularly veterans and individuals recovering from

 

 

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1substance abuse or a physical or mental trauma, the General
2Assembly supports the establishment of an Outdoor Rx Program.
 
3    Section 10. Definitions. In this Act:
4    "Department" means the Department of Public Health.
5    "Director" means the Director of Public Health.
6    "Fund" means the Outdoor Rx Program Fund.
 
7    Section 15. Outdoor Rx Program; Department rules.
8    (a) The Outdoor Rx Program is created to provide grants for
9outdoor environmental, ecological, agricultural, or other
10natural resource or outdoor-based therapy programs serving the
11citizens of the State of Illinois. The Department shall
12establish, implement, and administer the Outdoor Rx Program to
13provide grants for natural resource or outdoor-based therapy
14programs.
15    (b) The Department shall adopt any rules necessary for the
16implementation and administration of this Act.
 
17    Section 20. Advisory committee.
18    (a) The Department shall establish an advisory committee to
19assist and advise the Department in the development and
20administration of the Outdoor Rx Program. The advisory
21committee shall consist of at least 7 members, appointed as
22follows:
23        (1) at least one member appointed by the Director;

 

 

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1        (2) at least one member appointed by the Director of
2    Natural Resources;
3        (3) at least one member appointed by the Director of
4    Veterans' Affairs;
5        (4) at least one member appointed by the Director of
6    the Environmental Protection Agency;
7        (5) at least one member appointed by the Director from
8    the business community;
9        (6) at least 2 members appointed by the Director from
10    an outdoor organization; and
11        (7) any other members the Director deems sufficient to
12    ensure a cross section of participants.
13    (b) The Advisory Committee shall develop an application
14form that eligible applicants shall be required to complete and
15submit in order to be considered for receipt of a grant under
16the Outdoor Rx Program.
 
17    Section 25. Outdoor Rx Program Fund.
18    (a) The Outdoor Rx Program Fund is created as a special
19fund in the State treasury. Moneys deposited into the Fund
20shall be used solely for the administration of the Outdoor Rx
21Program. The Department may accept gifts, grants, donations, or
22moneys from any source for deposit into the Fund. Any public
23agency in this State may use moneys in the Fund, subject to
24approval by the Director under subsection (c) of Section 35, to
25develop and implement natural resource or outdoor-based

 

 

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1therapy programs. The Department may award grants to public
2agencies and contract with any public or private agency or
3person to develop and implement natural resource or
4outdoor-based therapy programs under the Outdoor Rx Program.
5    (b) The Department shall establish limitations on the
6availability and use of Outdoor Rx Program moneys. However, any
7limitations shall be defined in the application package and the
8Department shall establish the limitations only after
9considering the following:
10        (1) consistency with the purpose of the Outdoor Rx
11    Program, as stated in subsection (a) of Section 15; and
12        (2) availability of moneys.
13    (c) The Department may require applicants to make a
14matching contribution to be eligible for a grant to be awarded.
15    (d) The Department may limit the amount of funding
16available for any element of natural resource or outdoor-based
17therapy programs.
18    (e) The following conditions are placed on the use of
19moneys from the Fund:
20        (1) For every funded program, a contract shall be
21    executed on behalf of the Department and by the grant
22    recipient. The grant recipient shall not be reimbursed for
23    costs incurred prior to the execution of the contract by
24    both parties.
25        (2) The grant recipient shall ensure that all natural
26    resource or outdoor-based therapy programs are in

 

 

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1    accordance with any technical standards established by the
2    Department.
3        (3) The grant recipient shall submit any reports
4    required by the Department as directed in the funding
5    contract.
6        (4) The grant recipient shall agree to and certify
7    compliance with all applicable federal and State laws,
8    regulations, and policies.
9        (5) Grant recipients shall maintain accurate
10    accounting records on the expenditure of program moneys,
11    provide the Department with such records consistent with
12    the agreement or upon request, whichever is applicable, and
13    permit the Department to audit the use of moneys in
14    accordance with generally accepted audit practices and
15    standards. The Department shall reserve the right to
16    terminate its participation in any program that fails to
17    perform according to the requirements of this Act.
18    (f) The Department may assess fees to grant recipients or
19Outdoor Rx Program participants for Outdoor Rx Program
20services.
21    (g) Moneys in the Fund shall be expended only for natural
22resource or outdoor-based therapy programs approved by the
23Director. To the extent practicable, the Director shall ensure
24that all moneys received during a fiscal year are expended
25prior to the end of that fiscal year.
 

 

 

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1    Section 30. Eligibility criteria; applications;
2evaluation.
3    (a) The Director shall set priorities and develop criteria
4for the awarding of grants to outdoor environmental,
5ecological, agricultural, or other natural resource or
6outdoor-based therapy programs considering, at a minimum,
7programs that:
8        (1) utilize veterans for at least 50% of the program's
9    implementation or administration;
10        (2) contribute to healthy lifestyles through outdoor
11    recreation;
12        (3) will commit matching and in-kind resources;
13        (4) create partnerships with public and private
14    entities;
15        (5) maximize the number of participants that can be
16    served, particularly participants who are veterans or who
17    are recovering from substance abuse or physical or mental
18    trauma;
19        (6) use a State park, other natural venue, or
20    Department personnel as a resource;
21        (7) make use of research-based and effective
22    environmental, ecological, agricultural, or other natural
23    resource or outdoor-based therapy;
24        (8) provide citizens of the State of Illinois with
25    opportunities to directly experience and understand nature
26    and the natural world; and

 

 

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1        (9) include ongoing program evaluation, assessment,
2    and reporting of program effectiveness.
3     (b) The Director shall select activities eligible for the
4awarding or grants. The activities may include, but need not be
5limited to, the following:
6        (1) outdoor recreation;
7        (2) outdoor environmental studies;
8        (3) agricultural activities;
9        (4) natural resource-based activities;
10        (5) conservation;
11        (6) ecological activities; and
12        (7) stewardship or restoration.
13    (c) The following activities are ineligible for the
14awarding of grants from the Outdoor Rx Program:
15        (1) activities that may be perceived to lobby or
16    advocate for political purposes;
17        (2) activities that are not in compliance with local,
18    State, or federal laws; and
19        (3) organized youth sports, such as a community league
20    or school team.
21    (d) The following criteria shall be used to evaluate
22applications:
23        (1) proposals that provide for public or private
24    partnerships;
25        (2) proposals that provide for innovative ways to
26    increase the availability and use of outdoor recreation

 

 

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1    facilities;
2        (3) proposals that show consideration for the
3    economics of installation or implementation to provide the
4    greatest cost-to-benefit ratio, for example, where private
5    parties contribute more than the minimum amount;
6        (4) proposals that commit matching and in-kind
7    resources;
8        (5) proposals that use a State park, other natural
9    venue, or Department personnel as a resource;
10        (6) proposals that contribute to healthy lifestyles
11    through outdoor recreation and sound nutrition;
12        (7) proposals that contribute to the Statewide network
13    of facilities or programs;
14        (8) proposals that encourage community involvement;
15        (9) proposals that encourage sound environmental
16    practices;
17        (10) proposals that maximize the number of
18    participants who can be served;
19        (11) proposals that provide an opportunity to
20    experience the outdoors directly and understand nature and
21    the natural world;
22        (12) proposals that include ongoing program
23    evaluation, assessment, and reporting of program
24    effectiveness;
25        (13) proposals that make use of research-based and
26    effective environmental, ecological, agricultural, or

 

 

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1    other natural resource-based therapy; and
2        (14) proposals that demonstrate innovative approaches
3    to outdoor-based therapy.
 
4    Section 35. Program selection.
5    (a) Completed applications shall be reviewed by the
6Department to determine eligibility and evaluated in
7accordance with the purposes, eligibility requirements,
8limitations, and evaluation criteria in this Act.
9    (b) The Department shall consult with and consider the
10recommendations of the Advisory Committee and present final
11recommendations to the Director.
12    (c) The Director shall make the final decision on funding a
13natural resource or outdoor-based therapy program.
 
14    Section 40. Report. On or before February 1 of each year,
15the Department shall issue a report to the General Assembly.
16The report shall state how the moneys from the Fund were
17utilized during the preceding calendar year and shall include:
18        (1) the amount of money deposited into the Fund during
19    the preceding calendar year as the result of revenue
20    derived under this Act;
21        (2) the amount of money disbursed from the Fund and the
22    process used for such disbursements;
23        (3) recipients of grants from the Fund;
24        (4) the amount awarded to each grant recipient;

 

 

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1        (5) the purposes for which such grants were awarded;
2    and
3        (6) a summary financial plan for Fund moneys, which
4    shall include estimates of all receipts and all
5    disbursements for the current and succeeding fiscal years,
6    along with the actual results from the prior fiscal year.
 
7    Section 90. The State Finance Act is amended by adding
8Section 5.930 as follows:
 
9    (30 ILCS 105/5.930 new)
10    Sec. 5.930. The Outdoor Rx Program Fund.