HB4747 EngrossedLRB104 19080 KTG 32525 b

1    AN ACT concerning State government.
 
2    Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois, 
3represented in the General Assembly:
 
4    Section 5. The Mental Health and Developmental 
5Disabilities Administrative Act is amended by changing Section 
64.4 as follows:
 
7    (20 ILCS 1705/4.4)
8    Sec. 4.4. Direct support professional credential pilot 
9program.
10    (a) In this Section, "direct support professional person 
11credential" means a document issued to an individual by a 
12recognized accrediting body attesting that the individual has 
13met the professional requirements of the credentialing program 
14by the Division of Developmental Disabilities of the 
15Department of Human Services.
16    (b) The Division or a Division partner shall initiate a 
17program to continue to gain the expertise and knowledge of the 
18developmental disabilities workforce and of the developmental 
19disabilities workforce recruitment and retention needs 
20throughout the developmental disabilities field. The Division 
21shall implement a direct support professional credential pilot 
22program to assist and attract persons into the field of direct 
23support, advance direct support as a career, and 
 
 
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1professionalize the field to promote workforce recruitment and 
2retention efforts, advanced skills and competencies, and 
3further ensure the health, safety, and well-being of persons 
4being served.
5    (c) The direct support professional credential pilot 
6program is created within the Division to assist persons in 
7the field of developmental disabilities in obtaining a 
8credential in their fields of expertise.
9    (d) The pilot program shall be administered by the 
10Division for 3 years, beginning in Fiscal Year 2028 2025. The 
11pilot program shall include providers licensed and certified 
12by the Division or by the Department of Public Health. The 
13purpose of the pilot program is to assess how the 
14establishment of a State-administered direct support 
15professional credential:
16        (1) promotes recruitment and retention efforts in the 
17    developmental disabilities field, notably the direct 
18    support professional position;
19        (2) enhances competence in the developmental 
20    disabilities field;
21        (3) yields quality supports and services to persons 
22    with developmental disabilities; and
23        (4) advances the health and safety requirements set 
24    forth by the State.
25    (e) The Division or a Division partner, in administering 
26the pilot program, shall consider, but not be limited to, the 
 
 
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1following:
2        (1) best practices learning initiatives, including the 
3    University of Minnesota's college of direct support and 
4    all Illinois Department of Human Services-approved direct 
5    support professional competencies;
6        (2) national direct support professional competencies 
7    or credentialing-based standards and trainings;
8        (3) facilitating direct support professional's 
9    portfolio development;
10        (4) the role and value of skill mentors; and
11        (5) creating a career ladder.
12    (f) The Division shall produce a report detailing the 
13progress of the pilot program, including, but not limited to:
14        (1) the rate of recruitment and retention for direct 
15    support professionals of providers participating in the 
16    pilot program compared to the rate for non-participating 
17    providers;
18        (2) the number of direct support professional 
19    credentialed; and
20        (3) the enhancement of quality supports and services 
21    to persons with developmental disabilities.
22(Source: P.A. 102-830, eff. 1-1-23; 103-998, eff. 8-9-24; 
23revised 6-26-25.)
 
24    Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon 
25becoming law.