103RD GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2023 and 2024
SB3419

 

Introduced 2/8/2024, by Sen. Napoleon Harris, III

 

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:
 
730 ILCS 5/3-6-9 new

    Amends the Unified Code of Corrections. Provides that the Department of Corrections shall ensure all persons under its care are assessed for substance use disorder, as defined in the Substance Use Disorder Act. Provides that this process includes screening and assessment for opioid use disorders. Provides that, for committed persons diagnosed with opioid use disorder, the Department shall offer, or facilitate access to, all medication-assisted treatment options deemed appropriate by an authorized health care professional. Provides that the Department shall not impose limitations on the types of medication-assisted treatment that may be recommended by an authorized health care professional as part of a treatment plan. Provides that an individual receiving medication-assisted treatment prior to being committed to a Department of Corrections facility shall be entitled to, upon request, continue such treatment in the medication-assisted treatment program for any period of time deemed medically necessary by an authorized health care professional. Provides that no person shall be denied participation in medication-assisted treatment on the basis of a positive drug screening upon entering the Department's custody, nor shall any person receive a disciplinary infraction for such positive drug screen. No person shall be denied participation in medication-assisted treatment based on prior success of failure of any medication-assisted treatment program. Provides that the Department may adopt rules for the implementation of these provisions. Effective January 1, 2025.


LRB103 38442 RLC 68578 b

 

 

A BILL FOR

 

SB3419LRB103 38442 RLC 68578 b

1    AN ACT concerning criminal law.
 
2    Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
3represented in the General Assembly:
 
4    Section 5. The Unified Code of Corrections is amended by
5adding Section 3-6-9 as follows:
 
6    (730 ILCS 5/3-6-9 new)
7    Sec. 3-6-9. Treatment for committed persons with substance
8use disorders.
9    (a)(1) The General Assembly finds that:
10        (A) The Department of Corrections does not currently
11    have extensive medication-assisted treatment programs
12    readily available to meet the needs of all committed
13    persons with opioid use disorder, despite estimates that
14    more than half of the committed population meets the
15    criteria for having a substance use disorder.
16        (B) Providing timely access to medication-assisted
17    treatment in correctional settings reduces recidivism,
18    overdose risk following release, and improves treatment
19    retention. Withholding evidence-based opioid use disorder
20    treatment increases risk for death during detention and
21    upon release.
22        (C) According to the Department of Human Services, up
23    to 75% of parolees who leave prison without treatment for

 

 

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1    an identified substance use disorder resume substance use
2    within 3 months of release.
3        (D) Studies demonstrate that in the first 2 weeks
4    after release, the risk of opioid overdose is 40 times
5    higher for those who were incarcerated compared to the
6    general population.
7        (E) It is the stated position of the U.S. Substance
8    Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration that no
9    justification exists for denying access to medications for
10    opioid use disorder because psychosocial services are
11    unavailable or individuals are unwilling to avail
12    themselves of those services.
13        (F) The U.S. Department of Justice has determined that
14    individuals with opioid use disorder are protected under
15    the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990.
16        (G) In community-based settings, such as opioid
17    treatment programs and primary care facilities,
18    medication-assisted treatment has been proven to reduce
19    overdose deaths and illicit opioid use. Individuals with
20    opioid use disorder living in correctional settings are
21    entitled to the same level of care as those in
22    community-based settings.
23    (2) In alignment with the State of Illinois Overdose
24Action Plan, the purpose of this Section is to facilitate
25timely access to medication-assisted treatment options and
26therapies to all individuals under the care of the Illinois

 

 

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1Department of Corrections who are diagnosed with opioid use
2disorder.
3    (b) In this Section:
4    "Authorized health care professional" means a physician
5licensed to practice medicine in all its branches, a licensed
6physician assistant with prescriptive authority, a licensed
7advanced practice registered nurse with prescriptive
8authority, an advanced practice registered nurse or physician
9assistant who practices in a hospital, hospital affiliate, or
10ambulatory surgical treatment center and possesses appropriate
11clinical privileges in accordance with the Nurse Practice Act,
12or a pharmacist licensed to practice pharmacy under the
13Pharmacy Practice Act.
14    "Department" means the Department of Corrections.
15    "Medication-assisted treatment" means the use of U.S. Food
16and Drug Administration-approved medications, in combination
17with counseling and behavioral therapies, to provide a whole
18patient approach to the treatment of substance use disorders.
19    (c) The Department shall ensure that all persons under its
20care are assessed for substance use disorder, as defined in
21the Substance Use Disorder Act. This process includes
22screening and assessment for opioid use disorders. For
23committed persons diagnosed with opioid use disorder, the
24Department shall offer, or facilitate access to, all
25medication-assisted treatment options deemed appropriate by an
26authorized health care professional. The Department shall not

 

 

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1impose limitations on the types of medication-assisted
2treatment that may be recommended by an authorized health care
3professional as part of a treatment plan.
4    (d) An individual receiving medication-assisted treatment
5prior to being committed to a Department of Corrections
6facility shall be entitled to, upon request, continue such
7treatment in the medication-assisted treatment program for any
8period of time deemed medically necessary by an authorized
9health care professional. No person shall be denied
10participation in medication-assisted treatment on the basis of
11a positive drug screening upon entering the Department's
12custody, nor shall any person receive a disciplinary
13infraction for such positive drug screen. No person shall be
14denied participation in medication-assisted treatment based on
15prior success of failure of any medication-assisted treatment
16program.
17    (e) The Department may adopt rules for the implementation
18of this Section.
 
19    Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect on
20January 1, 2025.