HB4818 101ST GENERAL ASSEMBLY

LRB101 16907 KTG 66306 b

101ST GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2019 and 2020
HB4818

Introduced 2/18/2020, by Rep. Sonya M. Harper

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:

320 ILCS 20/3.1 new

Amends the Adult Protective Services Act. Requires the Department on Aging to develop and implement a dementia training program that must include instruction on the identification of people with dementia, risks such as wandering, communication impairments, elder abuse, and the best practices for interacting with people with dementia. Provides that initial training of 4 hours shall be completed at the start of employment with the Adult Protective Services division and shall cover several subjects, including: (i) dementia, psychiatric, and behavioral symptoms; (ii) communication issues, including how to communicate respectfully and effectively; and (iii) protocols for connecting people living with dementia to local care resources and professionals who are skilled in dementia care to encourage cross-referral and reporting regarding incidents of abuse. Provides that annual continuing education shall include 2 hours of dementia training covering the same subjects discussed during initial training. Grants the Department rulemaking authority.

FISCAL NOTE ACT MAY APPLY

A BILL FOR

AN ACT concerning aging.

Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois, represented in the General Assembly:

Section 5. The Adult Protective Services Act is amended by adding Section 3.1 as follows:

(320 ILCS 20/3.1 new)

Sec. 3.1. Adult protective services dementia training.

(a) This Section shall apply to any person who is employed by the Department in the Adult Protective Services division who works on the development and implementation of social services to respond to and prevent adult abuse, neglect, or exploitation.

(b) The Department shall develop and implement a dementia training program that must include instruction on the identification of people with dementia, risks such as wandering, communication impairments, elder abuse, and the best practices for interacting with people with dementia.

(c) Initial training of 4 hours shall be completed at the start of employment with the Adult Protective Services division and shall cover the following:

(1) Dementia, psychiatric, and behavioral symptoms.

(2) Communication issues, including how to communicate respectfully and effectively.

(3) Techniques for understanding and approaching behavioral symptoms.

(4) Information on how to address specific aspects of safety, for example tips to prevent wandering.

(5) When it is necessary to alert law enforcement agencies of potential criminal behavior involving a family member, caretaker, or institutional abuse; neglect or exploitation of a person with dementia; and what types of abuse that are most common to people with dementia.

(6) Identifying incidents of self-neglect for people with dementia who live alone as well as neglect by a caregiver.

(7) Protocols for connecting people living with dementia to local care resources and professionals who are skilled in dementia care to encourage cross-referral and reporting regarding incidents of abuse.

(d) Annual continuing education shall include 2 hours of dementia training covering the subjects described in subsection (c).

(e) This Section is designed to address gaps in current dementia training requirements for Adult Protective Services officials and improve the quality of training. If currently existing law or rules contain more rigorous training requirements for Adult Protective Service officials, those laws or rules shall apply. Where there is overlap between this Section and other laws and rules, the Department shall interpret this Section to avoid duplication of requirements while ensuring that the minimum requirements set in this Section are met.

(f) The Department may adopt rules for the administration of this Section.