093_SB0237 LRB093 04426 DRJ 04476 b 1 AN ACT in relation to aging. 2 Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois, 3 represented in the General Assembly: 4 Section 5. The Elder Abuse and Neglect Act is amended by 5 changing Section 3 as follows: 6 (320 ILCS 20/3) (from Ch. 23, par. 6603) 7 Sec. 3. Responsibilities. 8 (a) The Department shall establish, design and manage a 9 program of response and services for persons 60 years of age 10 and older who have been, or are alleged to be, victims of 11 abuse, neglect, or financial exploitation. The Department 12 shall contract with or fund or, contract with and fund, 13 regional administrative agencies, provider agencies, or both, 14 for the provision of those functions, and, contingent on 15 adequate funding, with attorneys or legal services provider 16 agencies for the provision of legal assistance pursuant to 17 this Act. 18 (b) Each regional administrative agency shall designate 19 provider agencies within its planning and service area with 20 prior approval by the Department on Aging, monitor the use of 21 services, provide technical assistance to the provider 22 agencies and be involved in program development activities. 23 (c) Provider agencies shall assist, to the extent 24 possible, eligible adults who need agency services to allow 25 them to continue to function independently. Such assistance 26 shall include but not be limited to receiving reports of 27 alleged or suspected abuse, neglect, or financial 28 exploitation, conducting face-to-face assessments of such 29 reported cases, determination of substantiated cases, 30 referral of substantiated cases for necessary support 31 services, referral of criminal conduct to law enforcement in -2- LRB093 04426 DRJ 04476 b 1 accordance with Department guidelines, and provision of case 2 work and follow-up services on substantiated cases. 3 (d) The Department shall establish and maintain a 4 clearinghouse for all reports of elder abuse, neglect, or 5 financial exploitation. Every State agency must report to the 6 clearinghouse all cases of confirmed elder abuse, neglect, or 7 financial exploitation known to the agency. As used in this 8 subsection, "State agency" has the meaning attributed to that 9 term in the Illinois State Auditing Act. 10 (Source: P.A. 90-628, eff. 1-1-99.) 11 Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon 12 becoming law.