HR0141 97TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HR0141 LRB097 10985 RPM 51633 r

HOUSE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, Public health issues are of paramount importance to the State and its units of local government; and

WHEREAS, Health disparities have a systemic and critical impact on morbidity and mortality rates in communities throughout the State; and

WHEREAS, The State is in need of a comprehensive review of its public health policymaking and regulatory framework in order to meet the needs of its diverse citizenry; and

WHEREAS, The State has the resources through its agencies, public and private universities, and community-based organizations to conduct a comprehensive review of its public health policies and policymaking infrastructure; and

WHEREAS, Population health status and health services needs unique to Illinois should be reflected in the research and policy analysis work of researchers, planners, and policy analysts; and

WHEREAS, The Community Engagement and Research Core is a federally-funded component of the University of Illinois at Chicago Center for Clinical and Translational Science, engaged in broad-based, action-oriented public health policy research and dissemination; and

WHEREAS, This comprehensive review of the State's public health policies and policymaking infrastructure is critical and necessary in order to fully benefit from federal health care reform, demonstrate additional efficiencies in the delivery of health care services to those most in need, and foster the relationship of public health to the larger community in terms of human, physical, fiscal, and program resources; and

WHEREAS, State policymakers will benefit from a comprehensive and well-developed study of the State's public health policies and policymaking infrastructure; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE NINETY-SEVENTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that the Public Health Policy Task Force is hereby established to prepare a comprehensive report to the General Assembly on the State's public health policies and its public health policymaking infrastructure that shall include an Illinois policy agenda; and be it further

RESOLVED, That members of the Public Health Policy Task Force shall include representatives from the House Healthcare and Health Disparities Committee; State agencies, including, without limitation, the Department of Public Health, the Department of Human Services, and the Department of Healthcare and Family Services; the Office of the Governor; research universities; relevant community-based organizations; and the provider community; and be it further

RESOLVED, That the Community Engagement and Research Core housed at the University of Illinois at Chicago is designated as the lead agency for administering the work of the Public Health Policy Task Force; and be it further

RESOLVED, That members of the Public Health Policy Task Force shall be recommended to the General Assembly by the Chairman of the House Healthcare and Health Disparities Committee, which recommendations shall be submitted to the Governor for formal establishment of the Task Force; and be it further

RESOLVED, That the Task Force shall hold subject-matter hearings as necessary under the auspices of the House Health Care and Health Disparities Committee and shall prepare a report to be presented to members of the House Health Care and Health Disparities Committee on or before December 31, 2011; and be it further

RESOLVED, That suitable copies of this resolution be presented to the directors of the Community Engagement and Research Code.