97TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2011 and 2012
SB2578

 

Introduced 1/18/2012, by Sen. M. Maggie Crotty

 

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:
 
New Act

    Creates the Consumer Alternatives Program Act. Directs the Department of Human Services to implement the Consumer Alternatives Program to prevent or avoid the unnecessary institutional care treatment of individuals with mental disorders or a co-occurring disorder of mental illness and substance abuse or addiction and to provide cost effective, community alternatives and supports that enable these individuals to live successfully in the community. Requires implementation of the Program during fiscal year 2013. Makes implementation of the Program dependent upon funds appropriated by the General Assembly. Provides that participants in the program may receive certain services such as a comprehensive evaluation that includes an assessment of skills, abilities, and potential for living in the community and work placement; family or individual support services; case coordination services; and vocational training. Prohibits the denial of program services because of age, sex, ethnic origin, marital status, ability to pay (except when contrary to law), degree of disability, or illness. Requires the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity to assist the Department of Human Services in developing housing assistance programs aimed at promoting the ability of individuals with a mental disorder to move from institutions to the most integrated community residence. Effective July 1, 2012.


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FISCAL NOTE ACT MAY APPLY

 

 

A BILL FOR

 

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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
5Consumer Alternatives Program Act.
 
6    Section 5. Purposes. The purposes of this Act are to
7prevent or avoid the unnecessary institutional care treatment
8of individuals with mental disorders or a co-occurring disorder
9of mental illness and substance abuse or addiction and to
10provide cost effective, community alternatives and supports
11that enable these individuals to live successfully in the
12community.
 
13    Section 10. Definitions. As used in this Act:
14    "Individual with a disability" means any of the following:
15        (1) An adult individual who has a physical impairment
16    or mental disorder or co-occurring disorder of mental
17    illness and substance abuse or addiction that
18    substantially limits one or more of the individual's major
19    life activities.
20        (2) An adult individual who has a record of a physical
21    impairment or mental disorder or co-occurring disorder of
22    mental illness and substance abuse or addiction that

 

 

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1    substantially limits one or more of the individual's major
2    life activities.
3        (3) An adult individual who is regarded as having a
4    physical impairment or mental disorder or co-occurring
5    disorder of mental illness and substance abuse or
6    addiction, whether or not the individual has the impairment
7    or disorder.
8    "Institutional care treatment or services" means care,
9treatment, or services, including general acute care
10hospitals, hospitals with distinct parts for psychiatric care,
11free-standing public or private psychiatric hospitals,
12community residential treatment facilities, and nursing
13facilities.
14    "Mental disorder" means a mental or psychological disorder
15or a co-occurring disorder of mental illness and substance
16abuse or addiction.
17    "Stakeholder" means an advocacy organization or service
18provider whose mission includes advocacy for or provision of
19quality services to individuals with mental illness or
20disorders, substance abuse or addiction, or a co-occurring
21disorder of mental illness and substance abuse or addiction.
22    "Supervised or supported setting" means Department of
23Human Services supported treatment or services in acute care
24hospitals, hospitals with distinct parts for psychiatric care,
25free-standing public or private psychiatric hospitals,
26community residential treatment facilities, and nursing

 

 

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1facilities.
2    "Department" means the Department of Human Services.
3    "Program" means the Consumer Alternatives Program.
 
4    Section 15. Implementation of the Consumer Alternatives
5Program. The Department of Human Services is directed to
6implement the Consumer Alternatives Program for individuals
7with a mental disorder or a co-occurring disorder of mental
8illness and substance abuse or addiction. The Program shall:
9        (1) Be designed to provide a system of services and
10    supports that enable those individuals with a disability,
11    including individuals with a mental disorder, to live in
12    the community. The Department of Human Services shall begin
13    implementation of the Program during fiscal year 2013. The
14    Department of Healthcare and Family Services, the
15    Department of Public Health, and other State agencies as
16    appropriate shall cooperate fully with the Department in
17    fulfilling the Program's requirements.
18        (2) Be accompanied by a multiple year plan or plans for
19    any closing or restructuring and plans for State-operated
20    facilities supported by a plan detailing State financial
21    resources for the statewide development and implementation
22    of local community support systems inclusive of acute care
23    with an emphasis on care and treatment of extended or
24    repeated users of inpatient or other intensive mental
25    health care, treatment, and services.

 

 

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1        (3) Be developed in cooperation with the General
2    Assembly, consumers, advocates, stakeholders, and
3    community behavioral health care providers as alternatives
4    when appropriate, to those currently offered by or at
5    State-operated facilities.
 
6    Section 20. Community services. In order to prevent or
7avoid unnecessary institutional care or treatment of
8individuals due to a mental disorder the Department shall
9implement, coordinate, monitor, and evaluate community
10services for individuals with disabilities in Illinois in
11cooperation with all governmental and private resources,
12organizations, and stakeholders. Services shall address the
13needs of adult individuals in the following areas:
14        (1) Mental illness.
15        (2) Mental illness and substance abuse.
 
16    Section 25. Duties; Program components.
17    (a) Subject to appropriations by the General Assembly, the
18Department shall do the following:
19        (1) In order to prevent or avoid unnecessary
20    institutional care, treatment, or services, establish a
21    comprehensive plan to develop and maintain a statewide
22    system of community-based services that reflect the
23    choices and needs of individuals with a mental disorder and
24    their families.

 

 

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1        (2) Carry out all functions and duties required by law
2    through collaboration with individuals with a mental
3    disorder, their families and guardians, community
4    organizations, and providers throughout the State.
5        (3) Facilitate planning, developing, and implementing
6    services and supports for individuals with a mental
7    disorder and their families.
8    (b) Subject to appropriations by the General Assembly to
9the Department, the Secretary of the Department of Human
10Services shall establish initiatives including, but not
11limited to, the Program to prevent or avoid unnecessary
12institutional care or services to ensure that individuals
13needing alternative services are served in the most integrated
14setting.
15    (c) The Program's components shall include the following:
16        (1) Policies to avoid inappropriate use of
17    institutional care, treatment, or services or placement of
18    an individual in acute care hospitals, hospitals with
19    distinct parts for psychiatric care, free-standing public
20    or private psychiatric hospitals, residential treatment
21    facilities, and nursing facilities.
22        (2) Additional community-based integrated residential
23    settings with appropriate community supports in accordance
24    with an individual program plan or an individual treatment
25    plan, or both.
26        (3) Training programs on community-based alternatives

 

 

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1    for institutional discharge staff that treat individuals
2    with disabilities.
3        (4) A process to inform an individual of all available
4    options for his or her care before that individual makes a
5    decision on his or her care, treatment, or service choices.
6        (5) A specialist who will assist the individual, prior
7    to placement, in making the move from an institution to a
8    community setting.
9        (6) Outreach activities to identify individuals in
10    institutions who may wish to move. The Department shall
11    establish the qualifications of persons or organizations,
12    or both, that perform the outreach for community-based
13    organizations funded through the Program. The guardian of
14    the individual, if any, must be afforded the opportunity to
15    be involved with the outreach process and the resident.
 
16    Section 30. Provision of services. In accordance with an
17individual program plan or an individual treatment plan, or
18both, based on a comprehensive evaluation, individuals with a
19mental disorder may be provided the services described in the
20following Sections.
 
21    Section 35. Comprehensive evaluation. An individual with a
22mental disorder who is applying for services is entitled to
23receive a comprehensive evaluation, including an assessment of
24skills, abilities, and potential for living in the community

 

 

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1and work placement.
 
2    Section 40. Individual program or treatment plan. An
3individual with a mental disorder is entitled to receive
4services in accordance with a current individual program plan
5or an individual treatment plan, or both. An individual who is
6receiving services shall be provided periodic reevaluation and
7review of the individual program plan or individual treatment
8plan, or both, in order to measure progress or to modify or
9change objectives, if necessary. An individual and his or her
10representatives have the right to participate in the planning
11and decision-making process regarding the individual's program
12plan and to be informed in writing, or in that individual's
13mode of communication, of progress at reasonable time
14intervals. Each individual must be given the opportunity to
15make decisions and exercise options regarding the plan,
16consistent with the individual's capabilities.
 
17    Section 45. Nondiscriminatory access to services. An
18individual with a mental disorder may not be denied program
19services because of age, sex, ethnic origin, marital status,
20ability to pay (except when contrary to law), record, degree of
21disability, or illness.
 
22    Section 50. Family or individual support. An individual
23with a mental disorder must be provided family or individual

 

 

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1support services, or both, in accordance with a current
2individual program plan or an individual treatment plan, or
3both, to prevent unnecessary out-of-home placement and to
4foster independent living skills.
 
5    Section 55. Residential choices. An individual with a
6mental disorder or a co-occurring disorder of mental illness
7and substance abuse who requires care, treatment, or services
8for a successful residential placement in a supervised or
9supported setting must be provided a choice among available,
10clinically appropriate, care, treatment, or services that
11support residential options including harm reduction models
12and supportive housing. The care, treatment, or services must
13be offered in the most integrated community setting possible.
 
14    Section 60. Vocational training. An individual with a
15mental disorder must be provided vocational training, when
16appropriate, in accordance with a current individual program
17plan or an individual treatment plan, or both, that contributes
18to the individual's independence and employment potential.
19This training must include strategies and activities in
20programs that increase the individual skills for employment or
21reemployment.
 
22    Section 65. Case coordination services. An individual with
23a mental disorder or a co-occurring disorder of mental illness

 

 

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1and substance abuse must be provided case coordination
2services, as appropriate, in accordance with a current
3individual program plan or an individual treatment plan, or
4both.
 
5    Section 70. Due process; judicial review.
6    (a) An individual with a mental disorder or a co-occurring
7disorder of mental illness and substance abuse retains the
8rights of citizenship. Any individual aggrieved by a decision
9made by a State agency regarding services provided under this
10Act must be given an opportunity to present complaints at a due
11process hearing before a hearing officer designated by the
12director of that department.
13    (b) Any individual aggrieved by a final administrative
14decision rendered following the due process hearing may seek
15judicial review of that decision pursuant to the Administrative
16Review Law of the Code of Civil Procedure. For purposes of this
17Section, "administrative decision" has the meaning ascribed to
18it in Section 3-101 of the Code of Civil Procedure. Reasonable
19attorney's fees and costs may be awarded to the successful
20plaintiff in any formal administrative or judicial action.
21    (c) The right to a hearing under this Section is in
22addition to any other rights under federal, State, or local
23laws.
 
24    Section 75. Transitional living assistance. The Department

 

 

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1of Human Services shall lead a coordinated effort with the
2Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity to further
3develop housing assistance programs to promote the ability of
4individuals with a mental disorder to move from institutions to
5the most integrated community residence. The housing
6assistance programs shall address eligibility criteria, the
7period a person may receive assistance, and the types of
8housing expenses to be covered. The Department of Human
9Services shall administer the programs and may seek the advice
10of the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity for this
11purpose.
 
12    Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect July 1,
132012.