96TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2009 and 2010
HB4587

 

Introduced , by Rep. LaShawn K. Ford

 

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:
 
New Act

    Creates the Lupus Education and Awareness Act. Establishes the Lupus Education and Awareness Program within the Department of Public Health. Provides that the Program shall raise public awareness, educate consumers, and educate and train health professionals, human service providers, and other audiences. Sets forth the responsibilities of the Director of the Department of Public Health concerning the Program. Provides that the Department shall establish and coordinate the Interagency and Partnership Advisory Panel on Lupus. Sets forth the membership guidelines and duties of the Panel. Provides that subject to the availability of funds, the Department may make expenditures of up to $2,500 for the fiscal year 2010 for use toward providing educational materials to clinics.


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FISCAL NOTE ACT MAY APPLY

 

 

A BILL FOR

 

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1     AN ACT concerning public health.
 
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 Lupus
5 Education and Awareness Act.
 
6     Section 5. Legislative findings and purpose.
7     (a) The General Assembly finds the following:
8         (1) Lupus is an urgent national health issue. Lupus is
9     the result of an immune system that is unbalanced and can
10     become destructive to any organ or tissue in the body.
11     Lupus is unpredictable and potentially fatal, yet no
12     satisfactory treatment exists. Its health consequences
13     include heart attacks, strokes, seizures, and organ
14     failure.
15         (2) The Lupus Foundation of America, Inc. estimates
16     that more than 1.5 million Americans live with some form of
17     lupus; lupus affects women 9 times more often than men, and
18     80% of newly diagnosed cases of lupus develop among women
19     of childbearing age. An estimated 65,000 people with lupus
20     reside in Illinois.
21         (3) Lupus disproportionately affects women of color;
22     it is 2 to 3 times more common among African Americans,
23     Hispanics and Latinos, Asians, and Native Americans and is

 

 

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1     generally more prevalent in minority populations, a health
2     disparity that remains unexplained.
3         (4) No new drugs have been approved by the U.S. Food
4     and Drug Administration specifically for lupus in 50 years
5     and, while current treatments for the disease can be
6     effective, they can lead to damaging side effects.
7         (5) The pain and fatigue associated with lupus can
8     threaten one's ability to live independently, make it
9     difficult to maintain employment, and lead normal lives.
10     One in 5 people with lupus is disabled by the disease and
11     consequently receives support from government programs,
12     including Medicare, Medicaid, Social Security Disability,
13     and Social Security Supplemental Income.
14         (6) The estimated average annual total of direct and
15     indirect costs for an individual with lupus is $21,000; for
16     people who have the most serious form of lupus, medical
17     costs can greatly exceed this amount, causing a significant
18     economic, emotional, and social burden to the entire family
19     and society.
20     (b) The purpose of this Act is to create a multi-pronged,
21 statewide program to promote public and health professional
22 awareness among State and local health and human services
23 officials, physicians, nurses, and other health care providers
24 and increase knowledge concerning the causes and consequences
25 of lupus, the importance of early diagnosis and appropriate
26 management, and effective treatment and management strategies

 

 

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1 by taking the following actions:
2         (1) Conducting educational and training programs for
3     health professionals on lupus diagnosis and management.
4         (2) Disseminating medically sound educational
5     materials and information on lupus research findings to
6     patients and health care professionals.
7         (3) Fostering greater public understanding and
8     awareness of lupus statewide.
 
9     Section 10. Definitions. For the purpose of this Act:
10     "Department" means the Department of Public Health.
11     "Director" means the Director of Public Health.
12     "Panel" means the Interagency and Partnership Advisory
13 Panel on Lupus.
14     "Program" means the Lupus Education and Awareness Program
15 (LEAP).
 
16     Section 15. Establishment of the Lupus Education and
17 Awareness Program.
18     (a) There is created within the Department of Public Health
19 the Lupus Education and Awareness Program (LEAP). The Program
20 shall be composed of various components, including, but not
21 limited to, public awareness activities and professional
22 education programs. The Interagency and Partnership Advisory
23 Panel on Lupus is created to oversee LEAP and advise the
24 Department in implementing LEAP.

 

 

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1     (b) The Department shall establish, promote, and maintain
2 the Lupus Education and Awareness Program with an emphasis on
3 minority populations and at-risk communities in order to raise
4 public awareness, educate consumers, and educate and train
5 health professionals, human service providers, and other
6 audiences.
7     The Department shall work with the Lupus Foundation of
8 America, Inc. to implement programs to raise public awareness
9 about the symptoms and nature of lupus, personal risk factors,
10 and options for diagnosing and treating the disease, with a
11 particular focus on populations at elevated risk for lupus,
12 including women and communities of color.
13     The Program shall include initiatives to educate and train
14 physicians, health care professionals, and other service
15 providers on the most up-to-date and accurate scientific and
16 medical information regarding lupus diagnosis, treatment,
17 risks and benefits of medications, research advances, and
18 therapeutic decision making, including medical best practices
19 for detecting and treating the disease in special populations.
20 These activities shall include, but not be limited to, all of
21 the following:
22         (1) Distribution of medically-sound health information
23     produced by the Lupus Foundation of America, Inc. and
24     government agencies, including, but not limited to, the
25     National Institutes of Health, the Centers for Disease
26     Control and Prevention, and the Social Security

 

 

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1     Administration, through local health departments, schools,
2     agencies on aging, employer wellness programs, physicians
3     and other health professionals, hospitals, health plans
4     and health maintenance organizations, women's health
5     programs, and nonprofit and community-based organizations.
6         (2) Development of educational materials for health
7     professionals that identify the latest scientific and
8     medical information and clinical applications.
9         (3) Working to increase knowledge among physicians,
10     nurses, and health and human services professionals about
11     the importance of lupus diagnosis, treatment, and
12     rehabilitation.
13         (4) Support of continuing medical education programs
14     presented by the leading State academic institutions by
15     providing them with the most up-to-date information.
16         (5) Providing statewide workshops and seminars for
17     in-depth professional development regarding the care and
18     management of patients with lupus in order to bring the
19     latest information on clinical advances to care providers.
20         (6) Development and maintenance of a directory of
21     lupus-related services and lupus health care providers
22     with specialization in services to diagnose and treat
23     lupus. The Department shall disseminate this directory to
24     all stakeholders, including, but not limited to,
25     individuals with lupus, families, and representatives from
26     voluntary organizations, health care professionals, health

 

 

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1     plans, and State and local health agencies.
2     (c) The Director shall do all of the following:
3         (1) Designate a person in the Department to oversee the
4     Program.
5         (2) Identify the appropriate entities to carry out the
6     Program, including, but not limited to, the following:
7     local health departments, schools, agencies on aging,
8     employer wellness programs, physicians and other health
9     professionals, hospitals, health plans and health
10     maintenance organizations, women's health organizations,
11     and nonprofit and community-based organizations.
12         (3) Base the Program on the most current scientific
13     information and findings.
14         (4) Work with governmental entities, community and
15     business leaders, community organizations, health care and
16     human service providers, and national, State, and local
17     organizations to coordinate efforts to maximize State
18     resources in the areas of lupus education and awareness.
19         (5) Use public health institutions for dissemination
20     of medically sound health materials.
21     (d) The Department shall establish and coordinate the
22 Interagency and Partnership Advisory Panel on Lupus consisting
23 of 15 members, one of whom shall be appointed by the Director
24 as the chair. The Panel shall be composed of:
25         (1) at least 3 individuals with lupus;
26         (2) three representatives from relevant State agencies

 

 

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1     including the Department;
2         (3) three scientists with experience in lupus who
3     participate in various fields of scientific endeavor,
4     including, but not limited to, biomedical research,
5     social, translational, behavioral, and epidemiological
6     research, and public health;
7         (4) two medical clinicians with experience in treating
8     people with lupus; and
9         (5) four representatives from relevant nonprofit
10     women's and health organizations, including one
11     representative from the Lupus Foundation of America, Inc.
12     Individuals and organizations may submit nominations to
13 the Director to be named to the Panel. Such nominations may
14 include the following:
15         (i) representatives from appropriate State departments
16     and agencies, such as entities with responsibility for
17     health disparities, public health programs, education,
18     public welfare, and women's health programs;
19         (ii) health and medical professionals with expertise
20     in lupus; and
21         (iii) individuals with lupus, and recognized experts
22     in the provision of health services to women, lupus
23     research, or health disparities.
24     All members of the panel shall serve terms of 2 years. A
25 member may be appointed to serve not more than 2 terms, whether
26 or not consecutive. A majority of the members of the panel

 

 

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1 shall constitute a quorum. A majority vote of a quorum shall be
2 required for any official action of the Panel. The Panel shall
3 meet at the call of the chair, but not less than 2 times per
4 year. All members shall serve without compensation, but shall
5 be entitled to actual, necessary expenses incurred in the
6 performance of their business as members of the Panel in
7 accordance with the reimbursement polices for the State.
 
8     Section 20. Funding. Subject to the availability of funds,
9 the Department may make expenditures of up to $2,500 for Fiscal
10 year 2010 for use toward providing educational materials to
11 clinics serving a high percentage of minorities in this State.
12 The Director may accept grants, services, and property from the
13 federal government, foundations, organizations, medical
14 schools, and other entities as may be available for the
15 purposes of fulfilling the obligations of this Program. Any
16 such funds shall only supplement any appropriations made for
17 the implementation of this Act. The Director shall seek any
18 federal waiver or waivers that may be necessary to maximize
19 funds from the federal government to implement the Program.