Illinois Code § 6

§ 6.

Geographic analysis of supports and services in community settings. (a) For purposes of this Section: "Direct support professionals" means direct support workers, direct care workers, personal assistants, personal attendants, and paraprofessionals that provide assistance to individuals with developmental disabilities or mental illness in the form of daily living, and provide the habilitation, rehabilitation, and training needs of these individuals. "Licensed professionals" means, but is not limited to, dentists, dental hygienists, dental assistants, advanced practice nurses, licensed practical nurses, registered nurses, psychiatrists, psychologists, and qualified mental health professionals. "Supports and services" means direct support professionals, licensed professionals, and residential services, including, but not limited to, private residences, community-integrated living arrangements, supported residential programs, supervised residential programs, or supportive housing programs. (b) Long-term care rebalancing. Pursuant to Public Act 96-1501, the State of Illinois has established a long-term care rebalancing initiative. This amendatory Act of the 97th General Assembly seeks to further the goals of that initiative by ensuring that individuals with developmental disabilities or mental illness who utilize long-term care services under the medical assistance program and other long-term care related benefit programs administered by the State have meaningful access to a reasonable array of community-based and institutional program options. Furthermore, the General Assembly declares that it is the policy of the State to ensure that the clinical, habilitative, and social needs of individuals with developmental disabilities or mental illness who choose to reside in integrated community-based settings can have those needs met in integrated community-based settings. In order to meaningfully comply with this policy, the General Assembly must have an understanding of the existing capacity in integrated-community based settings, including direct support professionals and licensed professionals, such as dentists, nurses, and psychiatrists, as well as residential capacity to provide for these needs. (c) By no later than July 1, 2012, subject to appropriation, the Department shall conduct a geographic analysis of supports and services for individuals with developmental disabilities or mental illness. The Department may work with other State agencies to perform the geographic analysis or to gather data for purposes of performing the geographic analysis. This analysis shall also identify gaps between required supports and services by region of the State. The Department shall prepare a final report by no later than January 1, 2013 that shall be made available to the Governor and shall be presented by the Department to the appropriate standing committees in the Senate, as determined by and on a date determined by the President of the Senate, and the House of Representatives, as determined by and on a date determined by the Speaker of the House. The final report shall be made available to the public and shall be published on the Department's website in an appropriate location a minimum of one week prior to presentation of the report to the General Assembly. (Source: P.A. 97-528, eff. 8-23-11.)