93RD GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2003 and 2004
HB4733

 

Introduced 2/4/2004, by Elizabeth Coulson - Carolyn H. Krause - Sandra M. Pihos - Ruth Munson, Rosemary Mulligan, et al.

 

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:
 
New Act

    Creates the Long-term Care Options Program Act. Provides that the Governor shall create a Long-Term Care Options Program, administered by the Department on Aging in coordination with the Departments of Public Aid and Public Health, to establish a single point-of-entry system that assures ease of access to and coordination of community-based long-term care services for all seniors. Provides that the Options Program shall build upon the knowledge and expertise of the systems already in place such as the area agencies on aging, care coordination units, and senior centers. Creates the Long-Term Care Options Council. Effective immediately.


LRB093 19048 AMC 44783 b

FISCAL NOTE ACT MAY APPLY

 

 

A BILL FOR

 

HB4733 LRB093 19048 AMC 44783 b

1     AN ACT concerning long-term care.
 
2     Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
3 represented in the General Assembly:
 
4     Section 1. Short title. This Act may be cited as the
5 Long-term Care Options Program Act.
 
6     Section 5. Purpose. The purpose of the Long-term Care
7 Options Program is to help all seniors aged 60 and older with
8 long-term or chronic care needs make decisions and select care
9 options that meet their needs and reflect their preferences for
10 long-term care. The availability of and access to information
11 and other types of assistance is also intended to prevent or
12 delay unnecessary nursing facility placements and to provide
13 transition assistance back to the community after admission, if
14 deemed appropriate by timely re-assessments.
 
15     Section 10. Definitions. For the purposes of this Act:
16     "Agency" means a single point of entry agency.
17     "Department" means the Department on Aging.
18     "Options Program" means the Long-term Care Options Program
19 established under this Act.
 
20     Section 15. Long-term Care Options Program.
21     (a) The Governor shall create a Long-Term Care Options
22 Program to establish a single point-of-entry system that
23 assures ease of access to and coordination of community-based
24 long-term care services for all seniors.
25     (b) The Options Program shall be administered by the
26 Department on Aging in coordination with the Departments of
27 Public Aid and Public Health. The Department shall assure that
28 a single point of entry system exists and is accessible in all
29 planning and service areas. The Options Program shall build
30 upon the knowledge and expertise of the systems already in

 

 

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1 place such as the area agencies on aging, care coordination
2 units, and senior centers. The Department shall also make every
3 effort to streamline services in the planning and service areas
4 by eliminating, merging, and consolidating redundant or
5 duplicative services.
6     (c) In developing a budget for the Options Program, the
7 Department may phase in implementation, based on available
8 appropriations and incorporate funding from other State and
9 federal programs, including but not limited to the medical
10 assistance program under Title XIX of the Social Security Act,
11 the Older Americans Act, federal systems change grants under
12 the New Freedom Initiative, general revenue funds, foundation
13 funding, and other sources of funding identified by the State
14 of Illinois for any services that would or could be provided
15 under the Options Program.
16     (d) In consultation with the Council created under Section
17 25, the Department shall create a uniform name, identity,
18 public information campaign, and logo to be used throughout the
19 State, and designate the types of agencies that should use that
20 name, identity, and logo.
 
21     Section 20. Single point of entry agencies.
22     (a) A comprehensive, up-to-date information database on
23 all available senior services and benefit programs shall be
24 accessible through each single point-of-entry agency to
25 seniors and their families upon request or as needed. The
26 agency shall have trained staff to respond to the questions and
27 concerns of inquirers. The agency must publicize its services
28 and offer information about long-term care more generally
29 through culturally sensitive public information campaigns. It
30 must reach out to and educate first-line-of-contact
31 individuals, including but not limited to physicians, clergy,
32 pharmacists, legislative staff, other State agencies,
33 librarians, and other professionals. The agency shall
34 determine appropriate and acceptable referrals and determine
35 which individuals require further care planning and

 

 

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1 coordination.
2     (b) Upon request, the agency shall assess and provide
3 comprehensive care planning and coordination for seniors and
4 their caregivers towards the objective of identifying and
5 arranging appropriate long-term care services. Services shall
6 be provided regardless of the restrictions on eligibility for
7 any publicly funded program. These services shall include, at a
8 minimum, all of the following:
9         (1) Comprehensive, timely client assessment to
10     identify the needs of the senior and the family using
11     standardized assessment tools.
12         (2) Development of a care plan based on the assessment.
13         (3) Assistance in implementing the care plan,
14     including determination of eligibility for available
15     programs and assistance in applying for such programs.
16         (4) Arranging for an adequate level of services that
17     allows a person to stay at home if this is the most
18     cost-effective approach.
19         (5) Reassessment of the client as needed to accommodate
20     changes in physical, emotional, or mental conditions and
21     providing other follow-up as needed.
22         (6) Pre-admission consultation and screening before
23     entering a nursing facility.
24         (7) Community reintegration assistance for seniors who
25     have been admitted to a nursing facility and would prefer
26     to return to their home.
 
27     Section 25. Long-term Care Options Council.
28     (a) There is hereby created a Long-term Care Options
29 Council consisting to the following members:
30         (1) The Director of Aging or his or her designee.
31         (2) The Director of Public Aid or his or her designee.
32         (3) The Director of Public Health or his or her
33     designee.
34         (4) The Secretary of Human Services or his or her
35     designee.

 

 

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1         (5) Representatives of the following appointed by the
2     Governor:
3             (A) Community care unit providers.
4             (B) Area agencies on aging.
5             (C) Advocacy organizations.
6             (D) Nursing facilities.
7             (E) Senior center directors.
8             (F) Consumers.
9             (G) Researchers.
10     (b) The Council shall be geographically, ethnically, and
11 racially diverse.
12     (c) The Council shall have the responsibility to:
13          (1) develop protocols for single point of entry
14     agencies with appropriate benchmarks for evaluation of
15     outreach efforts, intake processes, assessments, care
16     management, pre-admission screening, and client follow-up;
17         (2) develop a process for the selection of single
18     point-of-entry agencies;
19         (3) coordinate service networks to maximize resources
20     and minimize duplication of services through vehicles such
21     as inter-agency agreements;
22         (4) make recommendations regarding the State budget
23     for long-term care services across all State agencies;
24     integrate federal, State, and local funding sources; and
25     identify additional funding sources such as foundations;
26         (5) develop a plan to facilitate the ability of all
27     older persons to access and pay for affordable in-home and
28     other support services, by exploring funding possibilities
29     that include but are not limited to spend-downs,
30     co-payments, private long-term care insurance, and waivers
31     of requirements under the Older Americans Act;
32         (6) identify barriers to the provision of alternative
33     long-term care services by licensed long-term care
34     facilities, including but not limited to, regulatory
35     complexity, State requirements, and federal requirements;
36         (7) make recommendations for building a qualified and

 

 

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1     adequately trained work force prepared to provide
2     long-term care services for seniors and their families;
3         (8) review and disseminate research on best practices
4     and model programs and create demonstration projects to
5     test these practices and programs in Illinois; and
6         (9) develop and implement programs that may include
7     such elements as money following the person, cash and
8     counseling, managed long-term care, and integration of
9     acute and chronic care systems.
10     (d) The Council shall submit a preliminary report to the
11 Governor and General Assembly by March 1, 2005. Thereafter, on
12 September 1 of each year, the Council shall submit a report to
13 the Governor and General Assembly on the progress of
14 implementation and recommendations related to the Long-Term
15 Care Options Program.
 
16     Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon
17 becoming law.