HB5412enr 98TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HB5412 Enrolled LRB098 19365 RPM 54518 b

AN ACT concerning public health.

Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois, represented in the General Assembly:

Section 1. Short title. This Act may be cited as the Community Health Worker Advisory Board Act.

Section 5. Definitions. In this Act:

"Board" means the Community Health Worker Advisory Board.

"Community health worker" means a frontline public health worker who is a trusted member or has an unusually close understanding of the community served. This trusting relationship enables the community health worker to serve as a liaison, link, and intermediary between health and social services and the community to facilitate access to services and improve the quality and cultural competence of service delivery. A community health worker also builds individual and community capacity by increasing health knowledge and self-sufficiency through a range of activities, including outreach, community education, informal counseling, social support, and advocacy. Nothing in this definition shall be construed to authorize a community health worker to provide direct care or treatment to any person or to perform any act or service for which a license issued by a professional licensing board is required.

"Department" means the Department of Public Health.

Section 10. Advisory Board.

(a) There is created the Advisory Board on Community Health Workers. The Board shall consist of 15 members appointed by the Director of Public Health. The Director shall make the appointments to the Board within 90 days after the effective date of this Act. The members of the Board shall represent different racial and ethnic backgrounds and have the qualifications as follows:

(1) four members who currently serve as community health workers in Cook County, one of whom shall have served as a health insurance marketplace navigator;

(2) two members who currently serve as community health workers in DuPage, Kane, Lake, or Will County;

(3) one member who currently serves as a community health worker in Bond, Calhoun, Clinton, Jersey, Macoupin, Madison, Monroe, Montgomery, Randolph, St. Clair, or Washington County;

(4) one member who currently serves as a community health worker in any other county in the State;

(5) one member who is a physician licensed to practice medicine in Illinois;

(6) one member who is a licensed nurse or advanced practice nurse;

(7) one member who is a licensed social worker, counselor, or psychologist;

(8) one member who currently employs community health workers;

(9) one member who is a health policy advisor with experience in health workforce policy;

(10) one member who is a public health professional with experience with community health policy; and

(11) one representative of a community college, university, or educational institution that provides training to community health workers.

(b) In addition, the following persons or their designees shall serve as ex officio, non-voting members of the Board: the Executive Director of the Illinois Community College Board, the Director of Children and Family Services, the Director of Aging, the Director of Public Health, the Director of Employment Security, the Director of Commerce and Economic Opportunity, the Secretary of Financial and Professional Regulation, the Director of Healthcare and Family Services, and the Secretary of Human Services.

(c) The voting members of the Board shall select a chairperson from the voting members of the Board. The Board shall consult with additional experts as needed. Members of the Board shall serve without compensation. The Department shall provide administrative and staff support to the Board. The meetings of the Board are subject to the provisions of the Open Meetings Act.

(d) The Board shall consider the core competencies of a community health worker, including skills and areas of knowledge that are essential to bringing about expanded health and wellness in diverse communities and reducing health disparities. As relating to members of communities and health teams, the core competencies for effective community health workers may include, but are not limited to:

(1) outreach methods and strategies;

(2) client and community assessment;

(3) effective community-based and participatory methods, including research;

(4) culturally competent communication and care;

(5) health education for behavior change;

(6) support, advocacy, and health system navigation for clients;

(7) application of public health concepts and approaches;

(8) individual and community capacity building and mobilization; and

(9) writing, oral, technical, and communication skills.

Section 15. Report.

(a) The Board shall develop a report with its recommendations regarding the certification process of community health workers. The report shall be completed no later than 12 months after the first meeting of the Board. The report shall be submitted to all members and ex officio members of the Board, the Governor, the President of the Senate, the Minority Leader of the Senate, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, and the Minority Leader of the House of Representatives. The Department shall publish the report on its Internet website.

(b) The report shall at a minimum include the following:

(1) a summary of research regarding the best practices, curriculum, and training programs for designing a certification program in this State for community health workers, including a consideration of a multi-tiered education or training system, statewide certification, non-certification degree-based levels of certification, and the requirements for experience-based certification;

(2) recommendations regarding certification and a renewal process for community health workers, and a system of approval and accreditation for curriculum and training;

(3) recommendations for a proposed curriculum for community health workers that ensures the content, methodology, development, and delivery of any proposed program is appropriately based on cultural, geographic, and other specialty needs and also reflects relevant responsibilities for community health workers; and

(4) recommendations for best practices for reimbursement options and pathways through which secure funding for community health workers may be obtained.

(c) The Board shall advise the Department, the Governor, and the General Assembly on all matters that impact the effective work of community health workers.

Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon becoming law.