State of Illinois
91st General Assembly
Legislation

   [ Search ]   [ Legislation ]
[ Home ]   [ Back ]   [ Bottom ]



91_HB1907

 
                                               LRB9101433DHmg

 1        AN  ACT  to amend the Department of Human Services Act by
 2    adding Article 15.

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

 5        Section   5.   The  Department  of  Human Services Act is
 6    amended by adding Article 15 as follows:

 7        (20 ILCS 1305/Art. 15 heading new)
 8        ARTICLE 15.  RURAL HUMAN SERVICES NETWORKING PROGRAM

 9        (20 ILCS 1305/15-5 new)
10        Sec. 15-5.  Legislative findings.  The  General  Assembly
11    finds as follows:
12             (1)  In  rural areas there is a necessity to promote
13        different  approaches  to  human  services  delivery   if
14        programs  are  to  properly address diverse community and
15        individual needs and such unique rural conditions as  low
16        population   density,   a  large  proportion  of  elderly
17        persons, the absence of economics  of  scale,  geographic
18        isolation, inadequate transportation, fluctuating service
19        demands,  and  general  lack of suitable alternatives for
20        service delivery.
21             (2)  The human services  delivery  system  in  rural
22        areas   is   often  fragmented,  consisting  of  isolated
23        providers with limited financial  resources  and  limited
24        information-sharing  networks.   Many  such providers are
25        currently providing identical or similar services to  the
26        same  clientele  in  the  same  area, often without being
27        aware of a possible duplication of effort.
28             (3)  A full  range  of  coordinated  and  integrated
29        human  services  is vital to the health and well-being of
30        residents of rural areas of the State who are or  may  in
 
                            -2-                LRB9101433DHmg
 1        the   future  be  confronted  with  such  intense  social
 2        problems as domestic violence, teenage pregnancy, migrant
 3        health  problems,  nutritional   deficiencies,   suicide,
 4        hunger,  unemployment,  lack  of suitable shelter, crime,
 5        drug and alcohol abuse, and poverty.
 6             (4)  A proper response to intense social problems in
 7        some rural areas would be to encourage greater sharing of
 8        information and resources among human services  providers
 9        in    those    rural   areas,   thereby   enhancing   the
10        cost-effectiveness and delivery of services  required  to
11        address   those   social   problems.   These  cooperative
12        undertakings  could  be  accomplished  if  a  program  of
13        financial incentives and State-level technical assistance
14        were made available to encourage providers in rural areas
15        to  embark  upon  these  cooperative   arrangements   and
16        networking of the services they provide.

17        (20 ILCS 1305/15-10 new)
18        Sec. 15-10.  In this Article 15:
19        "Advisory  Committee"  means  the Committee created under
20    Section 15-15.
21        "Human service" means any service  that  is  provided  to
22    individuals  or  groups  of  individuals  for  the purpose of
23    improving or enhancing those individuals' health  or  welfare
24    and that addresses one or more social problems, including but
25    not  limited  to  the  following:   domestic  violence, child
26    abuse,  crime,  drug  and  alcohol  abuse,  suicide,  teenage
27    pregnancy, nutritional deficiencies, migrant health problems,
28    unemployment, lack of suitable shelter, hunger, and poverty.
29        "Human   services   provider"   means   any   public   or
30    not-for-profit private entity that  uses  public  or  private
31    funds  or  both  public  and  private  funds to provide or to
32    contract for the provision of human services for the  benefit
33    of the general public or specific client groups.
 
                            -3-                LRB9101433DHmg
 1        "Rural area" means any of the following:
 2             (1)  An  unincorporated  area  located  in  a county
 3        having not more than 350,000 inhabitants.
 4             (2)  A municipality  having  not  more  than  20,000
 5        inhabitants, but not a municipality that is contiguous to
 6        a municipality having more than 20,000 inhabitants.

 7        (20 ILCS 1305/15-15 new)
 8        Sec. 15-15. Advisory Committee.
 9        (a)  The   Rural   Human   Services  Networking  Advisory
10    Committee is created to assist the Secretary in carrying  out
11    the provisions of this Article.  The Advisory Committee shall
12    consist  of  the  following  members  or their designees: the
13    Director of  Aging,  the  Director  of  Children  and  Family
14    Services,  the Director of Public Health, a representative of
15    the Department of Human Services whose duties pertain to  the
16    Department's  mental  health  and  developmental disabilities
17    functions, and the head of  the  Office  of  Rural  Community
18    Development  within  the Department of Commerce and Community
19    Affairs.  The Secretary or  the  Secretary's  designee  shall
20    serve  as the chair of the Advisory Committee.  The Secretary
21    may  invite  the  head  of  any  other  department  of  State
22    government or a  representative  of  any  other  rural  human
23    services  provider  or consumer, or their designees, to serve
24    as  ex  officio  members  of  the  Advisory  Committee.   The
25    Secretary shall take all actions necessary or appropriate  to
26    promote the efficient and effective operation of the Advisory
27    Committee.
28        (b)  The Advisory Committee shall do the following:
29             (1)  Review   and   recommend   to   the   Secretary
30        guidelines  for the operation of the Rural Human Services
31        Networking Program created under Section 15-20.
32             (2)  Recommend to the Secretary changes in  statutes
33        or  rules  necessary  to  accomplish the purposes of this
 
                            -4-                LRB9101433DHmg
 1        Article 15.
 2             (3)  Assist the Department in evaluating  the  Rural
 3        Human  Services  Networking  Program  and  in  evaluating
 4        individual pilot projects under that program.
 5             (4)  Assist  the Secretary in developing interim and
 6        final reports in accordance with Section 15-60.
 7             (5)  Assist the the Secretary in  determining  which
 8        rural  areas  shall  receive  priority  consideration  in
 9        selecting  pilot project sites in accordance with Section
10        15-35.

11        (20 ILCS 1305/15-20 new)
12        Sec. 15-20.  Program established.   The  Secretary  shall
13    establish  within  the  Department  a  Rural  Human  Services
14    Networking   Program  for  the  purpose  of  assisting  human
15    services providers in rural areas who seek to participate  in
16    the  program and to develop pilot projects to address intense
17    social problems through the creation of contracts or joint or
18    cooperative agreements between those providers.  These  pilot
19    projects  shall  capitalize on the strength of existing human
20    services providers by promoting the sharing of resources  and
21    service delivery in rural areas with the goal of reducing the
22    total  cost of those services to both consumers and providers
23    of  the  services  while  increasing  the  availability   and
24    accessibility  of  human  services in rural areas.  The pilot
25    projects shall also serve to identify methods  of  overcoming
26    impediments   to   the  joint  provision  of  integrated  and
27    cost-effective human services in rural areas.

28        (20 ILCS 1305/15-25 new)
29        Sec. 15-25.  Notice of Program.  Within  120  days  after
30    the  effective  date  of this amendatory Act of 1999 and with
31    the advice  and  guidance  of  the  Advisory  Committee,  the
32    Secretary  shall  give  public notice of the existence of the
 
                            -5-                LRB9101433DHmg
 1    Rural  Human  Services  Networking   Program   and   of   the
 2    availability   of   competitive   grants  to  human  services
 3    providers who are interested in  undertaking  pilot  projects
 4    pursuant  to this Article 15.  In connection with the notice,
 5    the Secretary shall distribute information on the Program and
 6    shall distribute grant application forms  and  procedures  to
 7    eligible human services providers.

 8        (20 ILCS 1305/15-30 new)
 9        Sec. 15-30.  Pilot project grants.
10        (a)  In  order  to  implement  the  Rural  Human Services
11    Networking Program, the Secretary  shall  provide  grants  to
12    eligible  human  services  provider  applicants.   The grants
13    shall be awarded  on  a  competitive  basis  and  subject  to
14    amounts appropriated for that purpose.  The Secretary may not
15    award  a  grant unless the application for the grant has been
16    reviewed by the department or departments of State government
17    that license or certify the applicants under State  law.   In
18    determining  whether  to  award  a grant, the Secretary shall
19    consider all comments on the application that are made by the
20    licensing or certifying department or departments.
21        (b)  To be eligible for a grant under this Article 15, an
22    application must be submitted to the Secretary on behalf of 2
23    or more local or regional human services providers who intend
24    to implement a pilot project in a rural area  pursuant  to  a
25    contract  or  a joint or cooperative agreement.  Applications
26    for grants must be submitted on the forms and  at  the  times
27    prescribed by the Secretary.
28        (c)  If  the Secretary determines that an application for
29    a grant is  complete  when  submitted,  the  Secretary  shall
30    approve or disapprove the application within 90 days after it
31    is  received  by  the  Secretary.  If the Secretary initially
32    determines that an  application  is  incomplete,  or  if  the
33    applicant requests a waiver of any rule in order to implement
 
                            -6-                LRB9101433DHmg
 1    the  proposed  pilot  project, the Secretary shall approve or
 2    disapprove the application within 90 days after the Secretary
 3    determines that the application  is  complete  or  after  the
 4    Secretary makes a determination to approve or deny the waiver
 5    request.

 6        (20 ILCS 1305/15-35 new)
 7        Sec. 15-35.  Matters to be considered in awarding grants.
 8    The  Secretary,  with the advice and guidance of the Advisory
 9    Committee, shall determine the most sparsely populated  rural
10    areas  in  the  State.   In determining whether to approve an
11    application and award a grant  under  this  Article  15,  the
12    Secretary  shall  give priority consideration to applications
13    received  from  human  services  providers  who   intend   to
14    implement  pilot projects in those rural areas.  In addition,
15    the Secretary shall consider matters that  include,  but  are
16    not limited to, the following:
17             (1)  A description of the proposed pilot project and
18        its   specific   objective,   including   a  demonstrated
19        awareness of the level of human services currently  being
20        provided in the service area.
21             (2)  The  degree to which the proposed pilot project
22        will meet local or regional human services needs.
23             (3)  The   applicants'   demonstrated   ability   to
24        undertake the proposed pilot project.
25             (4)  The  contribution  that  the   proposed   pilot
26        project  will  make  toward  identifying  and  developing
27        innovative delivery systems.
28             (5)  The  degree to which the proposed pilot project
29        will enhance the delivery or improve the availability and
30        accessibility of human services with respect to the  full
31        continuum of human services needs.
32             (6)  The  degree to which the proposed pilot project
33        will foster and improve continuity of care.
 
                            -7-                LRB9101433DHmg
 1             (7)  The degree to which the proposed pilot  project
 2        will enhance cost efficiency and access to human services
 3        by populations that need those services.
 4             (8)  The  degree to which the proposed pilot project
 5        will  foster  information  sharing,  communication,   and
 6        cooperation   between   human   services   providers  and
 7        consumers.
 8             (9)  The degree to which the proposed pilot  project
 9        will address economies of scale in both the supply of and
10        the demand for human services.
11             (10)  The   demonstrated  level  of  commitment  and
12        support for the proposed pilot project expressed  by  the
13        community,  local governmental bodies, and other local or
14        regional human services providers.
15             (11)  The impact that  the  proposed  pilot  project
16        will  have  on State agencies that provide human services
17        or moneys for human services programs in the rural  area,
18        as  determined  by  the  Secretary  after consulting with
19        those State agencies.
20             (12)  Whether implementation of the  proposed  pilot
21        project  will  result in any potential decrease in moneys
22        or State or federal aid, including  but  not  limited  to
23        reimbursements under Article V of the Illinois Public Aid
24        Code,  received  by  human  services  providers,  and the
25        actions that will be taken by the applicants and  by  the
26        Secretary  to  ensure  that current levels of funding and
27        aid are continued.

28        (20 ILCS 1305/15-40 new)
29        Sec. 15-40.  Preliminary plans.   The  Secretary  or  the
30    Secretary's   authorized   representative   may   meet   with
31    representatives  of  grant  applicants  to informally discuss
32    preliminary and informal plans for a proposed pilot project.
 
                            -8-                LRB9101433DHmg
 1        (20 ILCS 1305/15-45 new)
 2        Sec. 15-45.  Grant amounts; use; grantee reports.
 3        (a)  The Secretary shall approve a  pilot  project  under
 4    this Article 15 for a period of time not exceeding 3 years.
 5        (b)  Subject  to  amounts  appropriated for that purpose,
 6    the Secretary shall award pilot  project  grants  under  this
 7    Article  15 in amounts of not less than $10,000 nor more than
 8    $50,000 to any pilot project in any calendar year.    Subject
 9    to  amounts  appropriated  for the purpose, the Secretary may
10    annually renew a grant, but a grantee may not receive a grant
11    for more than 3 consecutive years.  The  amount  of  a  grant
12    awarded  for  a  second  or third year may be the same as the
13    amount awarded for the first year or may be a  lesser  amount
14    but  in  any event shall be determined in accordance with the
15    nature of the pilot project and the number of human  services
16    providers and consumers involved in the pilot project.
17        (c)  If  the Secretary determines that a grantee is using
18    grant moneys awarded under this Article 15 for purposes  that
19    do  not  conform  with  the  purposes  of  this  Article, the
20    Secretary  may  withdraw  approval  of  the  grantee's  pilot
21    project and require that the grantee repay all or a  part  of
22    the grant amount to the State.
23        (d)  Each  grantee  under this Article 15 shall submit to
24    the Secretary reports concerning the grantee's pilot project.
25    The Secretary shall prescribe the matters to be reported, the
26    times for submitting the reports, and the manner in which the
27    reports are to be submitted.

28        (20 ILCS 1305/15-50 new)
29        Sec. 15-50.  Waiver of rules.
30        (a)  For the purpose of promoting  innovative  approaches
31    and  maximum  effectiveness  in  utilizing  State  and  local
32    moneys,  and  notwithstanding any other provision of law, the
33    Secretary may waive any  rule  of  the  Department  that  may
 
                            -9-                LRB9101433DHmg
 1    impede  the  successful implementation and testing of a pilot
 2    project.  The Secretary may not waive a rule, however, unless
 3    the Secretary finds that the general welfare  of  the  people
 4    receiving human services will not be impaired by the waiver.
 5        (b)  The   Secretary   shall   consult  with  appropriate
 6    federal, State, and local officials in an  effort  to  secure
 7    their  cooperation  in  coordinating  related programs and in
 8    seeking the waiver of administrative rules  as  necessary  to
 9    ensure   the   effective   operation   of   pilot   projects.
10    Notwithstanding any other provision of law, at the request of
11    the  Secretary  on  behalf  of an applicant for a grant under
12    this Article 15, the head of any other  department  of  State
13    government  may  waive any applicable rule of that department
14    that may impede the  successful  implementation  of  a  pilot
15    project,  provided  that the Secretary finds that the general
16    welfare of the people receiving human services  will  not  be
17    impaired by the waiver.

18        (20 ILCS 1305/15-55 new)
19        Sec.  15-55.  Technical  assistance to implement project.
20    Upon the request of an  applicant  for  a  grant  under  this
21    Article  15,  the  Secretary  or  the  Secretary's authorized
22    representative may provide to  the  applicant  any  technical
23    services  or assistance that the Department possesses or that
24    is available  to  the  Department  in  order  to  enable  the
25    applicant to implement the pilot project and the terms of the
26    contract  or  joint  or  cooperative agreement upon which the
27    pilot project is based.

28        (20 ILCS 1305/15-60 new)
29        Sec. 15-60.  Reports.
30        (a)  The Secretary,  in  conjunction  with  the  advisory
31    committee,  shall  prepare an interim report within 30 months
32    after the effective date of this amendatory Act of 1999.  The
 
                            -10-               LRB9101433DHmg
 1    interim report shall include a review of each  pilot  project
 2    approved for a grant under this Article 15.
 3        (b)  The  Secretary,  in  conjunction  with  the advisory
 4    committee, shall prepare a  final  report  within  60  months
 5    after the effective date of this amendatory Act of 1999.  The
 6    final  report  shall  contain  a  description  of  each pilot
 7    project approved for a grant under this Article  15  and  the
 8    effect  of  each  pilot  project  on  the cost, delivery, and
 9    accessibility of human services in the rural area  served  by
10    the  pilot  project.   The  final  report  shall describe the
11    effect of  each  pilot  project  on  existing  providers  and
12    consumers  of  human services in the rural area served by the
13    pilot project and shall describe the pilot  project's  effect
14    on  each  community  served.  The final report shall identify
15    laws or administrative rules that,  in  the  opinion  of  the
16    Secretary  or  the  Advisory  Committee, should be amended or
17    repealed in  order  to  make  it  possible  to  properly  and
18    efficiently  implement  similar projects or programs in other
19    rural areas of the State.
20        (c)  The Secretary shall distribute copies of the interim
21    and final reports to the Governor, the General Assembly,  and
22    each  human  services  provider  participating  in  the pilot
23    projects.

24        (20 ILCS 1305/15-65 new)
25        Sec. 15-65.  No diminution of  other  funding.   For  the
26    duration  of  the  period  of  a grant under this Article 15,
27    other funding to which a local  or  regional  human  services
28    provider   would   be   entitled   by  law  if  it  were  not
29    participating in an approved pilot project may not be  denied
30    or   diminished   solely   because  the  provider  elects  to
31    participate in the pilot project.  Notwithstanding any  other
32    provision  of  law,  that  other funding shall continue to be
33    allocated in the same manner and in the same amount as if the
 
                            -11-               LRB9101433DHmg
 1    human services provider were not participating in  the  pilot
 2    project.

 3        (20 ILCS 1305/15-70 new)
 4        Sec.  15-70.  This  Article  15 is repealed 5 years after
 5    the effective date of this amendatory Act of 1999.

[ Top ]