(20 ILCS 301/20-5)

Sec. 20-5. Development of statewide prevention system.

(a) The Department shall develop and implement a comprehensive, statewide, community-based strategy to reduce substance use disorders and prevent the misuse of illegal and legal drugs by persons of all ages, and to prevent the use of alcohol by minors. The system created to implement this strategy shall be based on the premise that coordination among and integration between all community and governmental systems will facilitate effective and efficient program implementation and utilization of existing resources.

(b) The statewide system developed under this Section may be adopted by administrative rule or funded as a grant award condition and shall be responsible for:

(1) Providing programs and technical assistance to improve the ability of Illinois communities and schools to develop, implement and evaluate prevention programs.

(2) Initiating and fostering continuing cooperation among the Department, Department-funded prevention programs, other community-based prevention providers and other State, regional, or local systems or agencies that have an interest in substance use disorder prevention.

(c) In developing, implementing, and advocating for this statewide strategy and system, the Department may engage in, but shall not be limited to, the following activities:

(1) Establishing and conducting programs to provide awareness and knowledge of the nature and extent of substance use disorders and their effect on individuals, families, and communities.

(2) Conducting or providing prevention skill building or education through the use of structured experiences.

(3) Developing, supporting, and advocating with new and existing local community coalitions or neighborhood-based grassroots networks using action planning and collaborative systems to initiate change regarding substance use disorders in their communities.

(4) Encouraging, supporting, and advocating for programs and activities that emphasize alcohol-free and other drug-free lifestyles.

(5) Drafting and implementing efficient plans for the use of available resources to address issues of substance use disorder prevention.

(6) Coordinating local programs of alcoholism and other drug abuse education and prevention.

(7) Encouraging the development of local advisory councils.

(d) In providing leadership to this system, the Department shall take into account, wherever possible, the needs and requirements of local communities. The Department shall also involve, wherever possible, local communities in its statewide planning efforts. These planning efforts shall include, but shall not be limited to, in cooperation with local community representatives and Department-funded agencies, the analysis and application of results of local needs assessments, as well as a process for the integration of an evaluation component into the system. The results of this collaborative planning effort shall be taken into account by the Department in making decisions regarding the allocation of prevention resources.

(e) Prevention programs funded in whole or in part by the Department shall maintain staff whose skills, training, experiences and cultural awareness demonstrably match the needs of the people they are serving.

(f) The Department may delegate the functions and activities described in subsection (c) of this Section to local, community-based providers.

(Source: P.A. 100-759, eff. 1-1-19.)