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SENATE RESOLUTION


 
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    WHEREAS, The General Assembly has created a number of 
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programs that provide benefits and services to low-income 
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people and families designed to encourage, support, and sustain 
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their efforts to improve their economic status through 
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employment, including cash assistance, food stamps, and 
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medical assistance; and

 
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    WHEREAS, These programs are administered by either the 
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Department of Human Services or the Department of Healthcare 
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and Family Services; and
 
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    WHEREAS, A significant number of low-income people and 
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families who are eligible for these benefits and services are 
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served by both the Department of Human Services and the 
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Department of Healthcare and Family Services; and
 
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    WHEREAS, Many eligible people and families may not access 
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these benefits and services in a timely way because of 
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disparate federal requirements, complex program rules, agency 
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staffing challenges, and other administrative infrastructure 
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issues; therefore, be it

 
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    RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE NINETY-FOURTH GENERAL 
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ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that there is hereby 
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established a Task Force on Access to Benefits and Services to 
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thoroughly review and analyze policies and procedures 
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concerning applications and determinations of eligibility for 
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cash assistance, food stamps, and medical assistance provided 
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under the Illinois Public Aid Code and the Children's Health 
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Insurance Program Act; and be it further

 
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    RESOLVED, That the Task Force shall be jointly appointed 
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and convened by the Secretary of Human Services and the 
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Director of Healthcare and Family Services no later than 
 


 






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October, 1, 2005, shall meet at least 4 times during each State 
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fiscal year, and may be comprised of members of existing 
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advisory bodies and other appropriate individuals; and be it 
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further
 
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    RESOLVED, That at a minimum, the review and analysis 
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conducted by the Task Force shall encompass (1) barriers 
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encountered by applicants, (2) requirements for face-to-face 
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interviews, (3) locations where applications may be made, (4) 
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locations where open cases may be maintained, (5) methodologies 
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for counting income, (6) requirements for documenting or 
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otherwise verifying eligibility criteria, (7) establishing the 
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earliest possible date of application, (8) coordination of 
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redeterminations of eligibility, including the frequency of 
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redeterminations, and (9) acceptable methods for submitting 
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information and required documentation whether in person or by 
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phone, facsimile, or electronic transmission; and be it further
 
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    RESOLVED, That (i) the Task Force and the departments, 
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based on the review and analysis, shall collaboratively develop 
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recommendations for appropriate changes in law, rules, policy, 
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or process that will simplify, make uniform, or otherwise ease 
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the processes by which potentially eligible persons may apply 
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for and be found eligible for benefits and services and (ii) 
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such recommendations shall include proposed timelines and 
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priorities for implementation; and be it further


 
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    RESOLVED, That in making recommendations, the Task Force 
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and the departments shall take into account and balance the 
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following factors:  (1) the need to comply with federal law and 
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regulations to maximize federal financial participation; (2) 
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the need to minimize administrative tasks for applicants, 
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recipients, employees, medical providers, and authorized 
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agents of the departments while maintaining program integrity; 
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(3) the costs and potential savings associated with proposed 
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changes; (4) the preservation of existing benefit levels for 
 


 






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the substantial majority of recipients; and (5) the 
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appropriateness and feasibility of obtaining waivers of 
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federal law and regulations to maximize the goals of 
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simplification and uniformity without the loss of federal 
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financial participation; and be it further


 
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    RESOLVED, That the departments shall work in good faith to 
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implement the recommendations to the extent they are 
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appropriate and feasible given available time and resources; 
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and be it further


 
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    RESOLVED, That the departments (i) shall jointly prepare a 
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written report of the review, analysis, and recommendations of 
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the Task Force and the departments and any administrative 
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changes developed by the departments as a result of the work of 
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the Task Force, (ii) shall make a draft of the report available 
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to the Task Force for review and comment, and (iii) shall 
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prepare a final report to be submitted jointly by the 
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departments to the General Assembly and to the Governor no 
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later than January 1, 2007; and be it further

 
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    RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution shall be delivered 
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to the Secretary of Human Services and the Director of 
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Healthcare and Family Services.