102ND GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2021 and 2022
HB4624

 

Introduced 1/21/2022, by Rep. Michelle Mussman

 

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:
 
20 ILCS 1305/10-26

    Amends the Department of Human Services Act. Makes a technical change in a Section concerning the Prioritization of Urgency of Need for Services (PUNS) database.


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A BILL FOR

 

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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 Department of Human Services Act is amended
5by changing Section 10-26 as follows:
 
6    (20 ILCS 1305/10-26)
7    Sec. 10-26. The PUNS database.
8    (a) The Department of Human Services shall compile and
9maintain a database of Illinois residents with an intellectual
10disability or a developmental disability, including an autism
11spectrum disorder, and Illinois residents with an intellectual
12disability or a developmental disability who are also
13diagnosed with a physical disability or mental illness and are
14in need of developmental disability services funded by the the
15Department. The database shall be referred to as the
16Prioritization of Urgency of Need for Services (PUNS) and
17shall include, but not be limited to, children and youth,
18individuals transitioning from special education to
19post-secondary activities, individuals living at home or in
20the community, individuals in private nursing and residential
21facilities, and individuals in intermediate care facilities
22for persons with developmental disabilities. Individuals who
23are receiving services under any home and community-based

 

 

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1services waiver program authorized under Section 1915(c) of
2the Social Security Act may remain on the PUNS database until
3they are offered services through a PUNS selection or
4demonstrate the need for and are awarded alternative services.
5    (b) The PUNS database shall be used to foster a fair and
6orderly process for processing applications for developmental
7disabilities services funded by the Department, verifying
8information, keeping individuals and families who have applied
9for services informed of available services and anticipated
10wait times, determining unmet need, and informing the General
11Assembly and the Governor of unmet need statewide and within
12each representative district.
13    (c) Independent service coordination agencies shall be the
14points of entry for individuals and families applying for
15developmental disability services funded by the Department.
16The information collected and maintained for PUNS shall
17include, but is not limited to, the following: (i) the types of
18services of which the individual is potentially in need; (ii)
19demographic and identifying information about the individual;
20(iii) factors indicating need, including diagnoses, assessment
21information, ages of primary caregivers, and current living
22situation; (iv) the date information about the individual is
23submitted for inclusion in PUNS, and the types of services
24sought by the individual; and (v) the representative district
25in which the individual resides. In collecting and maintaining
26information under this Section, the Department shall give

 

 

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1consideration to cost-effective appropriate services for
2individuals.
3    (d) The Department shall respond to inquiries about
4anticipated PUNS selection dates and make available a
5Department e-mail address for such inquiries. Subject to
6appropriation, the Department shall offer a web-based
7verification and information-update application. The
8Department shall make all reasonable efforts to contact
9individuals on the PUNS database at least 2 times each year and
10provide information about the PUNS process, information
11regarding services that may be available to them prior to the
12time they are selected from PUNS, and advice on preparing for
13and seeking developmental disability services. At least one of
14the contacts must be from an independent service coordination
15agency. The Department may contact individuals on the PUNS
16database through a newsletter prepared by the Division of
17Developmental Disabilities. The Department shall provide
18information about PUNS to the general public on its website.
19    (e) This amendatory Act of the 101st General Assembly does
20not create any new entitlement to a service, program, or
21benefit but shall not affect any entitlement to a service,
22program, or benefit created by any other law. Except for a
23service, program, or benefit that is an entitlement, a
24service, program, or benefit provided as a result of the
25collection and maintenance of PUNS shall be subject to
26appropriations made by the General Assembly.

 

 

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1    (f) The Department, consistent with applicable federal and
2State law, shall make general information about PUNS available
3to the public such as: (i) the number of individuals
4potentially in need of each type of service, program, or
5benefit; and (ii) the general characteristics of those
6individuals. The Department shall protect the confidentiality
7of each individual in PUNS when releasing database information
8by not disclosing any personally identifying information.
9    (g) The Department shall allow an individual who is:
10        (1) a legal resident;
11        (2) a dependent of a military service member; and
12        (3) absent from the State due to the member's military
13    service;
14to be added to PUNS to indicate the need for services upon
15return to the State. If the individual is selected from PUNS to
16receive services, the individual shall have 6 months from the
17date of the selection notification to apply for services and
18another 6 months to commence using the services. If an
19individual is receiving services funded by the Department and
20the services are disrupted due to the military service
21member's need for the individual to leave the State because of
22the member's military service, the services shall be resumed
23upon the individual's return to the State if the individual is
24otherwise eligible. No payment made in accordance with this
25Section or Section 12-4.47 of the Illinois Public Aid Code
26shall be made for home and community based services provided

 

 

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1outside the State of Illinois. The individual is required to
2provide the following to the Department:
3        (i) a copy of the military service member's DD-214 or
4    other equivalent discharge paperwork; and
5        (ii) proof of the military service member's legal
6    residence in the State, as prescribed by the Department.
7(Source: P.A. 101-284, eff. 8-9-19.)