101ST GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2019 and 2020
SB3860

 

Introduced 2/14/2020, by Sen. Celina Villanueva

 

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:
 
New Act

    Creates the Certified Clinically Integrated Peer Support Specialist Act. Requires the Department of Financial and Professional Regulation to create a registry of certified clinically integrated peer support specialist with the Department. Provides that the Department shall create and periodically update a list of clinically integrated peer support specialist certifications that will be recognized by the Department. Provides that the Department shall create a registry for individuals to be recognized as a clinically integrated peer support specialist. Provides that individuals may apply to be on the registry by offering evidence that they satisfy specified criteria. Provides that he Department of Healthcare and Family Services may use the standards outlined in the Act to support third-party reimbursement for services provided by clinically integrated peer support specialists.


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FISCAL NOTE ACT MAY APPLY

 

 

A BILL FOR

 

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1    AN ACT concerning regulation.
 
2    Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
3represented in the General Assembly:
 
4    Section 1. Short title. This Act may be cited as the
5Certified Clinically Integrated Peer Support Specialist Act.
 
6    Section 5. Definitions. As used in this Act:
7    "Clinically integrated peer support specialist" means an
8individual who has received treatment for a diagnosed mental
9illness as defined in Section 1-129 of the Mental Health and
10Developmental Disabilities Code, is working as part of a
11clinical care team or otherwise coordinates with clinical
12service providers either in a community or health care setting,
13and maintains a peer support specialist certification approved
14by the Department of Financial and Professional Regulation
15under Section 10 of this Act. Nothing in this definition should
16be construed as limiting the definitions, role, or payment of
17other peer support specialists that practice outside of
18integrated clinical care.
19    "Department" means the Department of Financial and
20Professional Regulation.
 
21    Section 10. Recognized certifications. The Department
22shall create and periodically update a list of clinically

 

 

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1integrated peer support specialist certifications that will be
2recognized by the Department. The Department shall recognize
3those certifications that require at least the following:
4        (1) 40 hours of training in providing direct peer
5    support;
6        (2) 3,000 hours of supervised experience providing
7    direct peer support;
8        (3) a letter of recommendation from a mental health
9    professional and a letter of recommendation from a person
10    who has supervised the individual; and
11        (4) passage of an examination that evaluates
12    understanding and proficiency in the core competencies for
13    peer workers in behavioral health services as set forth by
14    the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services
15    Administration.
 
16    Section 15. Certification registry. The Department shall
17create a registry for individuals to be recognized as a
18clinically integrated peer support specialist. Individuals may
19apply to be on the registry by offering evidence that they meet
20the definition of a "clinically integrated peer support
21specialist" under Section 5 of this Act and hold a
22certification in good standing recognized by the Department
23under Section 10 of this Act. The Department may provide by
24rule a schedule of fees to be paid for registration by all
25applicants that is sufficient to cover the cost of evaluating

 

 

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1the applicant's credentials and maintaining the registry.
 
2    Section 20. Authority to practice. For determinations
3related to legal authority to practice and associated
4reimbursements for clinically integrated peer support
5specialist services, the Department shall deem all individuals
6clinically integrated peer support specialists, regardless of
7the state in which they received their training and
8certification, that satisfy the following criteria:
9        (1) meet the definition of "clinically integrated peer
10    support specialist" in Section 5 of this Act;
11        (2) holds a certification in good standing recognized
12    by the Department under Section 10 of this Act; and
13        (3) are currently registered with the Department under
14    Section 15 of this Act.
 
15    Section 25. Reimbursement. The Department of Healthcare
16and Family Services may, at its discretion, use the standards
17outlined in Section 10 of this Act to support third-party
18reimbursement for services provided by clinically integrated
19peer support specialists.
 
20    Section 30. Limitations. Nothing in this Act shall be
21construed as preventing an individual with the lived experience
22of having a mental illness from offering formal or informal
23peer-to-peer support services to any other individual with a

 

 

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1mental illness outside of a clinical care team or a health care
2setting. Nothing in this Act shall be construed as limiting the
3reimbursement under the State medical assistance program under
4Article V of the Illinois Public Aid Code or other authorized
5use of State funds for peer support specialist services that do
6not meet the definition of "clinically integrated peer support
7specialist", do not hold a recognized certification in good
8standing from that entity under Section 10, or are not
9currently registered with the Department under Section 15.