HB2915ham001 101ST GENERAL ASSEMBLY

Rep. Michelle Mussman

Filed: 3/25/2019

10100HB2915ham001 LRB101 09445 RLC 58414 a

AMENDMENT TO HOUSE BILL 2915

AMENDMENT NO. ______. Amend House Bill 2915 by replacing everything after the enacting clause with the following:

"Section 1. Public policy. The adoption and use of technology is critical to the field of disabilities. The benefits of incorporating newer and emerging technologies are innumerable. And, for Illinois' citizens with disabilities, the successful implementation of technology will result in an enhanced quality of life and increased independence. The immeasurable benefits will be felt statewide and may include:

(1) more persons with disabilities being able to live in their own homes with fewer roommates and less dependence on physical staff presence;

(2) mainstream technologies that incorporate accessibility features into devices as a standard practice and allow persons with disabilities to effectively use the same devices as everyone else, allowing them to blend into the fabric of the community;

(3) commercially available, off-the-shelf solutions becoming increasingly affordable, more so than products traditionally designed specifically for persons with disabilities;

(4) many products designed to be mobile so that the technology can go with a person from home to work to the community, which will allow a level of flexibility that is rare with older technologies; and

(5) providers being able to reallocate staffing resources as the work force crisis is able to be addressed through the implementation of technology.

Section 5. The Mental Health and Developmental Disabilities Administrative Act is amended by adding Section 4.5 as follows:

(20 ILCS 1705/4.5 new)

Sec. 4.5. Assistive Technology for Persons with Developmental Disabilities Pilot Program.

(a) Subject to appropriation, the Department shall establish the Assistive Technology for Persons with Developmental Disabilities Pilot Program hereinafter referred to as the Pilot Program. The Pilot Program shall:

(1) serve persons with intellectual and developmental disabilities currently receiving Home and Community-Based Services in this State;

(2) fund only newer and emerging technologies not covered under the existing Home and Community-Based Services waiver;

(3) not affect existing funding of technologies that are covered under the existing Home and Community-Based Services waiver;

(4) include technology supports for a person in his or her residence, day program, or community;

(5) assist persons with intellectual and developmental disabilities to live person-centered lives of their own choosing;

(6) examine the use and impact of technology supports on the participating individuals' quality of life, personal growth, and personal satisfaction with the supports;

(7) examine the use and impact of the technology supports on members of the greater intellectual and developmental disabilities community as they live, work, and play in their communities; and

(8) be administered via agreement between provider agencies and the Department.

(b) The Department shall create a Request for Proposals (RFP) for the Pilot Program and distribute it to all community-based programs and organizations. Interested programs and organizations must submit a completed RFP in order to have their proposal considered for this Pilot Program. As part of the RFP, organizations must:

(1) provide a general explanation of the type of technology being proposed for the Pilot Program;

(2) describe the outcomes expected from the implementation of the proposed technology;

(3) provide the name and qualifications of proposed external vendors, if applicable; and

(4) estimate the anticipated annual expense of the proposal and provide a breakdown of which expenses are covered by the program or organization and which expenses are covered by the Department under the Pilot Program.

(c) The Department shall select the proposals for the Pilot Program.

(d) The Department shall notify the programs and organizations that submitted proposals of its decision. The programs and organizations selected for the Pilot Program shall:

(1) identify the individuals who will be participating in the approved projects;

(2) describe the expected outcomes for each individual participating in the approved projects;

(3) incorporate the use of the technology in the person's service plan and monitor progress quarterly;

(4) provide documentation of team agreement to implement the technology;

(5) complete a technology assessment for each person who is participating in the Pilot Program with the assessment reflecting the appropriateness of the technology being implemented; and

(6) provide training to participants and their support staff on the technology being implemented. The training shall include general information, expected outcomes, use of devices, and maintenance, and repair of any equipment.

(e) If the selected proposals include remote support technologies, programs and organizations shall:

(1) furnish informed consent documents signed by the participant or his or her legal representative;

(2) describe the supervision requirements for each participant and explain how the technology will meet those requirements;

(3) provide a back-up plan for participants that addresses system failures, inclement weather, and emergency response; and

(4) develop and provide an individualized support protocol with the remote support provider.

(f) The Pilot Program shall be established no later than July 1, 2019, and projects shall begin no later than January 1, 2020. The duration of the Pilot Program shall be 2 years unless recommended changes are made to the Home and Community-Based Services waiver before that time in which case the technologies shall continue to be funded under the parameters of the revised waiver.

Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon becoming law.".