(20 ILCS 505/5.27)

(Section scheduled to be repealed on January 1, 2026)

Sec. 5.27. Holistic Mental Health Care for Youth in Care Task Force.

(a) The Holistic Mental Health Care for Youth in Care Task Force is created. The Task Force shall review and make recommendations regarding mental health and wellness services provided to youth in care, including a program of holistic mental health services provided 30 days after the date upon which a youth is placed in foster care, in order to determine how to best meet the mental health needs of youth in care. Additionally, the Task Force shall:

(1) assess the capacity of State licensed mental health professionals to provide preventive mental health care to youth in care;

(2) review the current payment rates for mental health providers serving the youth in care population;

(3) evaluate the process for smaller private practices and agencies to bill through managed care, evaluate delayed payments to mental health providers, and recommend improvements to make billing practices more efficient;

(4) evaluate the recruitment and retention of mental health providers who are persons of color to serve the youth in care population; and

(5) any other relevant subject and processes as deemed necessary by the Task Force.

(b) The Task Force shall have 9 members, comprised as follows:

(1) The Director of Healthcare and Family Services or the Director's designee.

(2) The Director of Children and Family Services or the Director's designee.

(3) A member appointed by the Governor from the Office of the Governor who has a focus on mental health issues.

(4) Two members from the House of Representatives, appointed one each by the Speaker of the House of Representatives and the Minority Leader of the House of Representatives.

(5) Two members of the Senate, appointed one each by the President of the Senate and the Minority Leader of the Senate.

(6) One member who is a former youth in care, appointed by the Governor.

(7) One representative from the managed care entity managing the YouthCare program, appointed by the Director of Healthcare and Family Services.

Task Force members shall serve without compensation but may be reimbursed for necessary expenses incurred in the performance of their duties.

(c) The Task Force shall meet at least once each month beginning no later than July 1, 2022 and at other times as determined by the Task Force. The Task Force may hold electronic meetings and a member of the Task Force shall be deemed present for the purposes of establishing a quorum and voting.

(d) The Department of Healthcare and Family Services, in conjunction with the Department of Children and Family Services, shall provide administrative and other support to the Task Force.

(e) The Task Force shall prepare and submit to the Governor and the General Assembly at the end of each quarter a report that summarizes its work and makes recommendations resulting from its study. The Task Force shall submit its final report to the Governor and the General Assembly no later than December 31, 2024. Upon submission of its final report, the Task Force is dissolved.

(f) This Section is repealed on January 1, 2026.

(Source: P.A. 102-898, eff. 5-25-22; 103-154, eff. 6-30-23.)