(20 ILCS 105/4.01) (from Ch. 23, par. 6104.01)

Sec. 4.01. Additional powers and duties of the Department.

In addition
to powers and duties otherwise provided by law, the Department shall have the
following powers and duties:

(1) To evaluate all programs, services, and facilities for the aged
and for minority senior citizens within the State and determine the extent
to which present public or private programs, services and facilities meet the
needs of the aged.

(2) To coordinate and evaluate all programs, services, and facilities
for the Aging and for minority senior citizens presently furnished by State
agencies and make appropriate recommendations regarding such services, programs
and facilities to the Governor and/or the General Assembly.

(2-a) To request, receive, and share information electronically through the use of data-sharing agreements for the purpose of (i) establishing and verifying the initial and continuing eligibility of older adults to participate in programs administered by the Department; (ii) maximizing federal financial participation in State assistance expenditures;  and (iii) investigating allegations of fraud or other abuse of publicly funded benefits. Notwithstanding any other law to the contrary, but only for the limited purposes identified in the preceding sentence, this paragraph (2-a) expressly authorizes the exchanges of income, identification, and other pertinent eligibility information by and among the Department and the Social Security Administration, the Department of Employment Security, the Department of Healthcare and Family Services, the Department of Human Services, the Department of Revenue, the Secretary of State, the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, and any other governmental entity. The confidentiality of information otherwise shall be maintained as required by law. In addition, the Department on Aging shall verify employment information at the request of a community care  provider for the purpose of ensuring program integrity under the Community Care Program.

(3) To function as the sole State agency to develop a comprehensive
plan to meet the needs of the State's senior citizens and the State's
minority senior citizens.

(4) To receive and disburse State and federal funds made available
directly to the Department including those funds made available under the
Older Americans Act and the Senior Community Service Employment Program for
providing services for senior citizens and minority senior citizens or for
purposes related thereto, and shall develop and administer any State Plan
for the Aging required by federal law.

(5) To solicit, accept, hold, and administer in behalf of the State
any grants or legacies of money, securities, or property to the State of
Illinois for services to senior citizens and minority senior citizens or
purposes related thereto.

(6) To provide consultation and assistance to communities, area agencies
on aging, and groups developing local services for senior citizens and
minority senior citizens.

(7) To promote community education regarding the problems of senior
citizens and minority senior citizens through institutes, publications,
radio, television and the local press.

(8) To cooperate with agencies of the federal government in studies
and conferences designed to examine the needs of senior citizens and minority
senior citizens and to prepare programs and facilities to meet those needs.

(9) To establish and maintain information and referral sources
throughout the State when not provided by other agencies.

(10) To provide the staff support that may reasonably be required
by the Council.

(11) To make and enforce rules and regulations necessary and proper
to the performance of its duties.

(12) To establish and fund programs or projects or experimental facilities
that are specially designed as alternatives to institutional care.

(13) To develop a training program to train the counselors presently
employed by the Department's aging network to provide Medicare
beneficiaries with counseling and advocacy in Medicare, private health
insurance, and related health care coverage plans.  The Department shall
report to the General Assembly on the implementation of the training
program on or before December 1, 1986.

(14) To make a grant to an institution of higher learning to study the
feasibility of establishing and implementing an affirmative action
employment plan for the recruitment, hiring, training and retraining of
persons 60 or more years old for jobs for which their employment would not
be precluded by law.

(15) To present one award annually in each of the categories of community
service, education, the performance and graphic arts, and the labor force
to outstanding Illinois senior citizens and minority senior citizens in
recognition of their individual contributions to either community service,
education, the performance and graphic arts, or the labor force.  The awards
shall be presented to 4 senior citizens and minority senior citizens
selected from a list of 44 nominees compiled annually by
the Department.  Nominations shall be solicited from senior citizens'
service providers, area agencies on aging, senior citizens'
centers, and senior citizens' organizations.  The Department shall establish a central location within
the State to be designated as the Senior Illinoisans Hall of Fame for the
public display of all the annual awards, or replicas thereof.

(16) To establish multipurpose senior centers through area agencies on
aging and to fund those new and existing multipurpose senior centers
through area agencies on aging, the establishment and funding to begin in
such areas of the State as the Department shall designate by rule and as
specifically appropriated funds become available.

(17) (Blank).

(18) To develop a pamphlet in English and Spanish which may be used by
physicians licensed to practice medicine in all of its branches pursuant
to the Medical Practice Act of 1987, pharmacists licensed pursuant to the
Pharmacy Practice Act, and Illinois residents 65 years of age or
older for the purpose of assisting physicians, pharmacists, and patients in
monitoring prescriptions provided by various physicians and to aid persons
65 years of age or older in complying with directions for proper use of
pharmaceutical prescriptions.  The pamphlet may provide space for recording
information including but not limited to the following:

(a) name and telephone number of the patient;

(b) name and telephone number of the prescribing physician;

(c) date of prescription;

(d) name of drug prescribed;

(e) directions for patient compliance; and

(f) name and telephone number of dispensing pharmacy.

In developing the pamphlet, the Department shall consult with the
Illinois State Medical Society, the Center for Minority Health Services,
the Illinois Pharmacists Association and
senior citizens organizations.  The Department shall distribute the
pamphlets to physicians, pharmacists and persons 65 years of age or older
or various senior citizen organizations throughout the State.

(19) To conduct a study of the feasibility of
implementing the Senior Companion Program throughout the State.

(20) The reimbursement rates paid through the community care program
for chore housekeeping services and home care aides

shall be the same.

(21) From funds appropriated to the Department from the Meals on Wheels
Fund, a special fund in the State treasury that is hereby created, and in
accordance with State and federal guidelines and the intrastate funding
formula, to make grants to area agencies on aging, designated by the
Department, for the sole purpose of delivering meals to homebound persons 60
years of age and older.

(22) To distribute, through its area agencies on aging, information
alerting seniors on safety issues regarding emergency weather
conditions, including extreme heat and cold, flooding, tornadoes, electrical
storms, and other severe storm weather.  The information shall include all
necessary instructions for safety and all emergency telephone numbers of
organizations that will provide additional information and assistance.

(23) To develop guidelines for the organization and implementation of
Volunteer Services Credit Programs to be administered by Area Agencies on
Aging or community based senior service organizations.  The Department shall
hold public hearings on the proposed guidelines for public comment, suggestion,
and determination of public interest.  The guidelines shall be based on the
findings of other states and of community organizations in Illinois that are
currently operating volunteer services credit programs or demonstration
volunteer services credit programs.  The Department shall offer guidelines for
all aspects of the programs including, but not limited to, the following:

(a) types of services to be offered by volunteers;

(b) types of services to be received upon the redemption of service
credits;

(c) issues of liability for the volunteers and the administering
organizations;

(d) methods of tracking service credits earned and service credits
redeemed;

(e) issues of time limits for redemption of service credits;

(f) methods of recruitment of volunteers;

(g) utilization of community volunteers, community service groups, and other resources