HJ0105 LRB094 19763 DRJ 56435 r

1
HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION

 
2     WHEREAS, The Older Adult Services Act, which was passed by
3 the General Assembly and approved by the Governor in 2004,
4 provides a planning mechanism for the overhaul of the State's
5 long term care system; and
 
6     WHEREAS, The establishment of a statewide enhanced
7 comprehensive care coordination system is a critical first step
8 in the overhaul of the long term services and care systems as
9 recommended in the Older Adult Services Report submitted in
10 January 2006; and
 
11     WHEREAS, Older adults and their families need the ability
12 to make informed choices about services to meet their needs in
13 the areas of physical health, function, mental health, home
14 environment, finance, and social and informal supports; and
 
15     WHEREAS, Key components are a standardized statewide
16 comprehensive assessment, care coordination, client follow-up,
17 flexible hours, and enhanced training; and
 
18     WHEREAS, Comprehensive assessment and ongoing care
19 coordination assists older adults in identifying these
20 holistic needs, provides them with information on and access to
21 the services to meet those needs, and results in comprehensive
22 care plans for their specific needs, thereby allowing older
23 adults to remain as independent as possible for as long as
24 possible; and
 
25     WHEREAS, The purpose of a comprehensive assessment is to
26 gather a complete picture of the older adult's needs and
27 strengths so that a care plan is developed that helps the older
28 adult and his or her family to problem-solve, make informed
29 choices, and remain as independent as possible; and
 

 

 

HJ0105 - 2 - LRB094 19763 DRJ 56435 r

1     WHEREAS, The comprehensive assessment process will include
2 a face to face interview in the client's home that identifies
3 needs in new areas: physical health, mental health,
4 environment, and social and informal supports, in addition to
5 functional and financial information; and
 
6     WHEREAS, Once fully operational, the comprehensive care
7 coordination system would be backed up by a full array of home
8 and community based services; and
 
9     WHEREAS, The design of the enhanced care coordination
10 system would build upon the strengths and experiences of the
11 different case management structures currently operating in
12 Illinois and promising practices identified in other states;
13 and
 
14     WHEREAS, Unmet service needs would be collected to assist
15 in the identification of priority service areas as defined in
16 the Older Adult Services Act and the development of new
17 services; therefore, be it
 
18     RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE
19 NINETY-FOURTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, THE
20 SENATE CONCURRING HEREIN, that we do declare that it is in the
21 best interest of the older adults of Illinois and their family
22 caregivers that the existing case management system be
23 transformed into an enhanced comprehensive care coordination
24 system; and be it further
 
25     RESOLVED, That such an overhaul shall build on the
26 strengths and experience of the current case management system,
27 transforming the process from simply eligibility determination
28 to one that is holistic, client-focused, and consumer-directed
29 and that produces customized care plans; and be it further
 
30     RESOLVED, That a copy of this resolution be delivered to

 

 

HJ0105 - 3 - LRB094 19763 DRJ 56435 r

1 Governor Rod Blagojevich.