HB2628eng 102ND GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HB2628 Engrossed LRB102 14022 KTG 19374 b

AN ACT concerning veterans.

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

Section 1. Short title. This Act may be cited as the Veterans Suicide Prevention Commission Act.

Section 5. Findings. The General Assembly finds the following:

(1) One of the highest priorities and moral duties Illinoisans can undertake is to support those Illinois citizens who have served or are serving our country and State in the United States Armed Forces. Their military service is recognized whether they served on active duty, in the reserves, or as a member of the Illinois National Guard, or have retired. The families of service members are equally recognized.

(2) The General Assembly is committed to the members of our military community, and to strengthening their systems of care and supports in a manner that is responsive to their needs by building upon existing collaborations and resources.

(3) There are more than 2,000,000 members of the Illinois military community representing about 16% of the Illinois population.

(4) Illinois ranks high among the states in the nation with over 40,000 military personnel who have been deployed to support recent conflicts and overseas contingency operations.

(5) Illinois service members have given the full measure with the loss of their lives while serving their country and State.

(6) Illinois service members have returned home with battle wounds from serving their country and State that are both external and internal.

(7) Unprecedented numbers of Illinois' service members have or are experiencing multiple deployments to the active theaters of war, separating them from family, community, and traditional supports for extended periods of time.

(8) Service members and their families often endure extended periods of adjustment when faced with physical and psychological disabilities, including post-traumatic stress and traumatic brain injuries, and other debilitating health conditions that pose long-standing challenges for our veterans and their families and for our State.

(9) State and local elected officials, including State agency heads, State legislators, and representatives of federal agencies, have a shared responsibility for providing services and support to our military community.

(10) Meeting the needs of the military community is not the sole responsibility of one agency or entity, but a collective responsibility of the entire State that requires a high level of collaboration and cooperation between key stakeholders.

(11) Other non-government members of our State are integral to the systems of care and supports for the military community, including military and veterans service and advocacy organizations that strive to address the unique challenges faced by this population such as behavioral health issues of mental illness and substance use disorders, serious physical injury, employment, education, and housing.

(12) A unified, seamless, and systematic method of accessing services for those who have served our country and our State is needed, particularly in the areas of behavioral health issues of mental illness and substance use disorders, serious physical injury, employment, education, homelessness and housing, and legal assistance.

(13) The Illinois Joining Forces Foundation was created by Public Act 98-986 to serve and ensure the long-term sustainability of Illinois Joining Forces, a public-private network of military and veteran-serving organizations critically important for the support of the State's military community.

(14) A Veterans Suicide Prevention Commission to plan and coordinate the work of State agencies is needed to develop systems of services and supports that reflect a coordinated collective community approach to serve our military community.

Section 10. Commission; purpose. The Veterans Suicide Prevention Commission is created. The Commission shall drive the State's strategic vision for assessing and achieving the successful transition, adjustment, and reintegration of service members of the armed forces, veterans, and their families through the coordination of the collective efforts of public and private organizations throughout the State. The Commission shall facilitate, collaborate, and coordinate the efforts of these organizations to effectively and responsively meet the needs of the military community. In performing these responsibilities, the Commission shall conduct planning, research, education, training, and evaluation activities to improve the operations and coordination of the systems of care and supports. The Commission shall coordinate its activities with those of Illinois Joining Forces and other advocacy organizations for service members of the armed forces, veterans, and their families for the purpose of preventing veteran suicide.

Section 15. Composition.

(a) The Commission shall consist of the following members:

(1) The Governor or his or her designee, who shall serve as Chairperson.

(2) The Directors of Military Affairs and Veterans' Affairs or their designees, who shall serve as co-vice chairs.

(3) The Lieutenant Governor or his or her designee.

(4) The Deputy Governor of Health and Human Services, or the equivalent position if there is no Deputy Governor, or his or her designee.

(5) One member appointed by the President of the Senate.

(6) One member appointed by the Minority Leader of the Senate.

(7) One member appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives.

(8) One member appointed by the Minority Leader of the House of Representatives.

(9) The Secretary of State or his or her designee.

(10) The Attorney General or his or her designee.

(11) The Treasurer or his or her designee.

(12) The Comptroller or his or her designee.

(13) The State Superintendent of Education or his or her designee.

(14) The Executive Director of the Illinois Board of Higher Education or his or her designee.

(15) The Chief Justice of the Illinois Supreme Court or his or her designee.

(16) The Director of Aging or his or her designee.

(17) The Director of Agriculture or his or her designee.

(18) The Director of Central Management Services or his or her designee.

(19) The Director of Children and Family Services or his or her designee.

(20) The Director of Commerce and Economic Opportunity or his or her designee.

(21) The Director of Corrections or his or her designee.

(22) The Director of Employment Security or his or her designee.

(23) The Director of the Division of Mental Health or his or her designee.

(24) The Secretary of Financial and Professional Regulation or his or her designee.

(25) The Director of Healthcare and Family Services or his or her designee.

(26) The Director of Human Rights or his or her designee.

(27) The Secretary of Human Services or his or her designee.

(28) The Secretary of Innovation and Technology or his or her designee.

(29) The Director of Insurance or his or her designee.

(30) The Director of Labor or his or her designee.

(31) The Director of Natural Resources or his or her designee.

(32) The Director of Public Health or his or her designee.

(33) The Director of Revenue or his or her designee.

(34) The Chairperson of the Illinois Joining Forces Board or his or her designee.

(35) One member designated by Illinois Joining Forces.

(b) As necessary, the Commission may appoint by majority vote individuals representing the following:

(1) The Illinois Army National Guard.

(2) The Illinois Air National Guard.

(3) The United States Army or United States Army Reserve.

(4) The United States Air Force or United States Air Force Reserve.

(5) The United States Navy or United States Navy Reserve.

(6) The United States Marine Corps or United States Marine Corps Reserve.

(7) The United States Coast Guard or United States Coast Guard Reserve.

(8) The Veterans of Foreign Wars, the American Legion, the Daughters of the American Revolution, the Disabled Veterans of America, or any other non-profit organization that solely serves veterans and qualifies for an exemption under 501(c)(3) or 501(c)(19) of the Internal Revenue Code.

(9) Military spouses.

(10) The brain injury services community that serves veterans.

(11) The substance abuse services community that serves veterans.

(12) The community-based mental health counseling service community that serves veterans or has significant expertise in the treatment of veterans.

(13) Military and military family advocacy networks.

(14) Practicing behavioral healthcare specialists that serve veterans or have significant expertise in the treatment of veterans.

(15) Community faith-based and spiritual leaders who have experience working with service members, veterans, and their families.

(c) The Commission may invite federal agencies such as the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, the U.S. Department of Labor, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, and military services agencies to participate on the Commission.

(d) The Departments of Military Affairs and Veterans' Affairs shall provide administrative support to the Commission. The Governor's Office shall provide additional support with respect to compliance with State ethics laws, the Open Meetings Act, and the Freedom of Information Act.

(e) A simple majority of the members of the Commission shall constitute a quorum.

(f) All recommendations made by the Commission shall require approval of a majority of the total membership of the Commission.

(g) The Commission shall hold at least 4 meetings each year, but otherwise shall meet at the call of the Chairperson or co-vice chairs. Meetings of the Commission may be conducted in person or via telephone or video conference and shall be open to the public.

(h) The Commission may adopt policies, procedures, and whatever additional rules for an organizational structure, and policies and procedures for the Commission's internal operations as are necessary to carry out its function and responsibilities.

(i) Members of the Commission shall be appointed for a term of 4 years. Upon expiration of the initial terms, each member shall be reappointed for a term of 4 additional years whereupon their terms will expire requiring the appointment of new members. Members shall serve at the pleasure of the Governor. Vacancies resulting for reasons other than the expiration of a term shall be filled by the Governor for the remainder of the term.

(j) Members shall receive no compensation for their services.

(k) Service members, veterans, and their families shall be given priority for seats on the Commission, if possible.

(l) All departments, agencies, boards, and commissions of the executive branch shall fully cooperate with the Commission in carrying out the purposes of this Act and shall provide staff support and other assistance as requested.

Section 20. Duties.

(a) The primary focus of the Commission shall be on improving the efficiency and effectiveness of those State programs and services related to the military community. The Commission shall review the activities related to the military community of each State agency to ensure there is efficient and effective coordination and alignment with the needs of the military community. Accountability shall be promoted by tracking the progress of initiatives and programs and services; developing strategic collaboration among public (primarily the Department of Public Health, the Department of Human Services' Division of Mental Health, and the Department of Veterans' Affairs) and private partners (primarily Illinois Joining Forces); and increasing public awareness of the issues relating to the services and support of the military community to prevent veteran suicide.

(b) The Commission shall promote coordination and efficiency among State, county, and local units of government and municipalities through knowledge sharing, mobilization of resources, and an aligned approach to serving the military community to prevent veteran suicide.

(c) The Commission shall issue periodic reports on, without limitation, its establishment of strategic goals, its public research agenda, and its performance and progress in meeting its goals.

(d) The Commission shall monitor the progress of the implementation of the Strategic Action Plan on Homelessness developed by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration's (SAMHSA) Service Members, Veterans, and their Families Technical Assistance Center, SAMHSA's Policy Academies, and SAMHSA's Implementation Academies as they address the needs of the service members and veterans community, and their families, to prevent veteran suicide.

(e) Each member agency on the Commission must designate a member of its management staff as its Ombudsman for the military community. The Ombudsman shall be that agency's primary point of contact for military community issues. Each member agency shall also designate one full-time employee to provide staff assistance to the Commission.

Section 25. Transparency. In addition to whatever policies or procedures it may adopt, the Commission shall be subject to the provisions of the Freedom of Information Act and the Open Meetings Act.

Section 30. Severability. The provisions of this Act are severable under Section 1.31 of the Statute on Statutes.