SB2809 Engrossed LRB096 17346 KTG 32697 b

1     AN ACT concerning children.
 
2     Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
3 represented in the General Assembly:
 
4     Section 5. The Department of Human Services Act is amended
5 by changing Section 1-17 as follows:
 
6     (20 ILCS 1305/1-17)
7     (Text of Section before amendment by P.A. 96-339)
8     Sec. 1-17. Inspector General.
9     (a) Nature and purpose. It is the express intent of the
10 General Assembly to ensure the health, safety, and financial
11 condition of individuals receiving services in this State due
12 to mental illness, developmental disability, or both by
13 protecting those persons from acts of abuse, neglect, or both
14 by service providers. To that end, the Office of the Inspector
15 General for the Department of Human Services is created to
16 investigate and report upon allegations of the abuse, neglect,
17 or financial exploitation of individuals receiving services
18 within mental health facilities, developmental disabilities
19 facilities, and community agencies operated, licensed, funded
20 or certified by the Department of Human Services, but not
21 licensed or certified by any other State agency. It is also the
22 express intent of the General Assembly to authorize the
23 Inspector General to investigate alleged or suspected cases of

 

 

SB2809 Engrossed - 2 - LRB096 17346 KTG 32697 b

1 abuse, neglect, or financial exploitation of adults with
2 disabilities living in domestic settings in the community under
3 the Abuse of Adults with Disabilities Intervention Act.
4     (b) Definitions. The following definitions apply to this
5 Section:
6     "Agency" or "community agency" means (i) a community agency
7 licensed, funded, or certified by the Department, but not
8 licensed or certified by any other human services agency of the
9 State, to provide mental health service or developmental
10 disabilities service, or (ii) a program licensed, funded, or
11 certified by the Department, but not licensed or certified by
12 any other human services agency of the State, to provide mental
13 health service or developmental disabilities service.
14     "Aggravating circumstance" means a factor that is
15 attendant to a finding and that tends to compound or increase
16 the culpability of the accused.
17     "Allegation" means an assertion, complaint, suspicion, or
18 incident involving any of the following conduct by an employee,
19 facility, or agency against an individual or individuals:
20 mental abuse, physical abuse, sexual abuse, neglect, or
21 financial exploitation.
22     "Day" means working day, unless otherwise specified.
23     "Deflection" means a situation in which an individual is
24 presented for admission to a facility or agency, and the
25 facility staff or agency staff do not admit the individual.
26 "Deflection" includes triage, redirection, and denial of

 

 

SB2809 Engrossed - 3 - LRB096 17346 KTG 32697 b

1 admission.
2     "Department" means the Department of Human Services.
3     "Developmentally disabled" means having a developmental
4 disability.
5     "Developmental disability" means "developmental
6 disability" as defined in the Mental Health and Developmental
7 Disabilities Code.
8     "Egregious neglect" means a finding of neglect as
9 determined by the Inspector General that (i) represents a gross
10 failure to adequately provide for, or a callused indifference
11 to, the health, safety, or medical needs of an individual and
12 (ii) results in an individual's death or other serious
13 deterioration of an individual's physical condition or mental
14 condition.
15     "Employee" means any person who provides services at the
16 facility or agency on-site or off-site. The service
17 relationship can be with the individual or with the facility or
18 agency. Also, "employee" includes any employee or contractual
19 agent of the Department of Human Services or the community
20 agency involved in providing or monitoring or administering
21 mental health or developmental disability services. This
22 includes but is not limited to: owners, operators, payroll
23 personnel, contractors, subcontractors, and volunteers.
24     "Facility" or "State-operated facility" means a mental
25 health facility or developmental disabilities facility
26 operated by the Department.

 

 

SB2809 Engrossed - 4 - LRB096 17346 KTG 32697 b

1     "Financial exploitation" means taking unjust advantage of
2 an individual's assets, property, or financial resources
3 through deception, intimidation, or conversion for the
4 employee's, facility's, or agency's own advantage or benefit.
5     "Finding" means the Office of Inspector General's
6 determination regarding whether an allegation is
7 substantiated, unsubstantiated, or unfounded.
8     "Health care worker registry" or "registry" means the
9 health care worker registry created by the Nursing Home Care
10 Act.
11     "Individual" means any person receiving mental health
12 service, developmental disabilities service, or both from a
13 facility or agency, while either on-site or off-site.
14     "Mental abuse" means the use of demeaning, intimidating, or
15 threatening words, signs, gestures, or other actions by an
16 employee about an individual and in the presence of an
17 individual or individuals that results in emotional distress or
18 maladaptive behavior, or could have resulted in emotional
19 distress or maladaptive behavior, for any individual present.
20     "Mental illness" means "mental illness" as defined in the
21 Mental Health and Developmental Disabilities Code.
22     "Mentally ill" means having a mental illness.
23     "Mitigating circumstance" means a condition that (i) is
24 attendant to a finding, (ii) does not excuse or justify the
25 conduct in question, but (iii) may be considered in evaluating
26 the severity of the conduct, the culpability of the accused, or

 

 

SB2809 Engrossed - 5 - LRB096 17346 KTG 32697 b

1 both the severity of the conduct and the culpability of the
2 accused.
3     "Neglect" means an employee's, agency's, or facility's
4 failure to provide adequate medical care, personal care, or
5 maintenance and that, as a consequence, (i) causes an
6 individual pain, injury, or emotional distress, (ii) results in
7 either an individual's maladaptive behavior or the
8 deterioration of an individual's physical condition or mental
9 condition, or (iii) places the individual's health or safety at
10 substantial risk.
11     "Physical abuse" means an employee's non-accidental and
12 inappropriate contact with an individual that causes bodily
13 harm. "Physical abuse" includes actions that cause bodily harm
14 as a result of an employee directing an individual or person to
15 physically abuse another individual.
16     "Recommendation" means an admonition, separate from a
17 finding, that requires action by the facility, agency, or
18 Department to correct a systemic issue, problem, or deficiency
19 identified during an investigation.
20     "Required reporter" means any employee who suspects,
21 witnesses, or is informed of an allegation of any one or more
22 of the following: mental abuse, physical abuse, sexual abuse,
23 neglect, or financial exploitation.
24     "Secretary" means the Chief Administrative Officer of the
25 Department.
26     "Sexual abuse" means any sexual contact or intimate

 

 

SB2809 Engrossed - 6 - LRB096 17346 KTG 32697 b

1 physical contact between an employee and an individual,
2 including an employee's coercion or encouragement of an
3 individual to engage in sexual behavior that results in sexual
4 contact, intimate physical contact, sexual behavior, or
5 intimate physical behavior.
6     "Substantiated" means there is a preponderance of the
7 evidence to support the allegation.
8     "Unfounded" means there is no credible evidence to support
9 the allegation.
10     "Unsubstantiated" means there is credible evidence, but
11 less than a preponderance of evidence to support the
12 allegation.
13     (c) Appointment. The Governor shall appoint, and the Senate
14 shall confirm, an Inspector General. The Inspector General
15 shall be appointed for a term of 4 years and shall function
16 within the Department of Human Services and report to the
17 Secretary and the Governor.
18     (d) Operation and appropriation. The Inspector General
19 shall function independently within the Department with
20 respect to the operations of the Office, including the
21 performance of investigations and issuance of findings and
22 recommendations. The appropriation for the Office of Inspector
23 General shall be separate from the overall appropriation for
24 the Department.
25     (e) Powers and duties. The Inspector General shall
26 investigate reports of suspected mental abuse, physical abuse,

 

 

SB2809 Engrossed - 7 - LRB096 17346 KTG 32697 b

1 sexual abuse, neglect, or financial exploitation of
2 individuals in any mental health or developmental disabilities
3 facility or agency and shall have authority to take immediate
4 action to prevent any one or more of the following from
5 happening to individuals under its jurisdiction: mental abuse,
6 physical abuse, sexual abuse, neglect, or financial
7 exploitation. Upon written request of an agency of this State,
8 the Inspector General may assist another agency of the State in
9 investigating reports of the abuse, neglect, or abuse and
10 neglect of persons with mental illness, persons with
11 developmental disabilities, or persons with both. To comply
12 with the requirements of subsection (k) of this Section, the
13 Inspector General shall also review all reportable deaths for
14 which there is no allegation of abuse or neglect. Nothing in
15 this Section shall preempt any duties of the Medical Review
16 Board set forth in the Mental Health and Developmental
17 Disabilities Code. The Inspector General shall have no
18 authority to investigate alleged violations of the State
19 Officials and Employees Ethics Act. Allegations of misconduct
20 under the State Officials and Employees Ethics Act shall be
21 referred to the Office of the Governor's Executive Inspector
22 General for investigation.
23     (f) Limitations. The Inspector General shall not conduct an
24 investigation within an agency or facility if that
25 investigation would be redundant to or interfere with an
26 investigation conducted by another State agency. The Inspector

 

 

SB2809 Engrossed - 8 - LRB096 17346 KTG 32697 b

1 General shall have no supervision over, or involvement in, the
2 routine programmatic, licensing, funding, or certification
3 operations of the Department. Nothing in this subsection limits
4 investigations by the Department that may otherwise be required
5 by law or that may be necessary in the Department's capacity as
6 central administrative authority responsible for the operation
7 of the State's mental health and developmental disabilities
8 facilities.
9     (g) Rulemaking authority. The Inspector General shall
10 promulgate rules establishing minimum requirements for
11 reporting allegations as well as for initiating, conducting,
12 and completing investigations based upon the nature of the
13 allegation or allegations. The rules shall clearly establish
14 that if 2 or more State agencies could investigate an
15 allegation, the Inspector General shall not conduct an
16 investigation that would be redundant to, or interfere with, an
17 investigation conducted by another State agency. The rules
18 shall further clarify the method and circumstances under which
19 the Office of Inspector General may interact with the
20 licensing, funding, or certification units of the Department in
21 preventing further occurrences of mental abuse, physical
22 abuse, sexual abuse, neglect, egregious neglect, and financial
23 exploitation.
24     (h) Training programs. The Inspector General shall (i)
25 establish a comprehensive program to ensure that every person
26 authorized to conduct investigations receives ongoing training

 

 

SB2809 Engrossed - 9 - LRB096 17346 KTG 32697 b

1 relative to investigation techniques, communication skills,
2 and the appropriate means of interacting with persons receiving
3 treatment for mental illness, developmental disability, or
4 both mental illness and developmental disability, and (ii)
5 establish and conduct periodic training programs for facility
6 and agency employees concerning the prevention and reporting of
7 any one or more of the following: mental abuse, physical abuse,
8 sexual abuse, neglect, egregious neglect, or financial
9 exploitation. Nothing in this Section shall be deemed to
10 prevent the Office of Inspector General from conducting any
11 other training as determined by the Inspector General to be
12 necessary or helpful.
13     (i) Duty to cooperate.
14         (1) The Inspector General shall at all times be granted
15     access to any facility or agency for the purpose of
16     investigating any allegation, conducting unannounced site
17     visits, monitoring compliance with a written response, or
18     completing any other statutorily assigned duty. The
19     Inspector General shall conduct unannounced site visits to
20     each facility at least annually for the purpose of
21     reviewing and making recommendations on systemic issues
22     relative to preventing, reporting, investigating, and
23     responding to all of the following: mental abuse, physical
24     abuse, sexual abuse, neglect, egregious neglect, or
25     financial exploitation.
26         (2) Any employee who fails to cooperate with an Office

 

 

SB2809 Engrossed - 10 - LRB096 17346 KTG 32697 b

1     of the Inspector General investigation is in violation of
2     this Act. Failure to cooperate with an investigation
3     includes, but is not limited to, any one or more of the
4     following: (i) creating and transmitting a false report to
5     the Office of the Inspector General hotline, (ii) providing
6     false information to an Office of the Inspector General
7     Investigator during an investigation, (iii) colluding with
8     other employees to cover up evidence, (iv) colluding with
9     other employees to provide false information to an Office
10     of the Inspector General investigator, (v) destroying
11     evidence, (vi) withholding evidence, or (vii) otherwise
12     obstructing an Office of the Inspector General
13     investigation. Additionally, any employee who, during an
14     unannounced site visit or written response compliance
15     check, fails to cooperate with requests from the Office of
16     the Inspector General is in violation of this Act.
17     (j) Subpoena powers. The Inspector General shall have the
18 power to subpoena witnesses and compel the production of all
19 documents and physical evidence relating to his or her
20 investigations and any hearings authorized by this Act. This
21 subpoena power shall not extend to persons or documents of a
22 labor organization or its representatives insofar as the
23 persons are acting in a representative capacity to an employee
24 whose conduct is the subject of an investigation or the
25 documents relate to that representation. Any person who
26 otherwise fails to respond to a subpoena or who knowingly

 

 

SB2809 Engrossed - 11 - LRB096 17346 KTG 32697 b

1 provides false information to the Office of the Inspector
2 General by subpoena during an investigation is guilty of a
3 Class A misdemeanor.
4     (k) Reporting allegations and deaths.
5         (1) Allegations. If an employee witnesses, is told of,
6     or has reason to believe an incident of mental abuse,
7     physical abuse, sexual abuse, neglect, or financial
8     exploitation has occurred, the employee, agency, or
9     facility shall report the allegation by phone to the Office
10     of the Inspector General hotline according to the agency's
11     or facility's procedures, but in no event later than 4
12     hours after the initial discovery of the incident,
13     allegation, or suspicion of any one or more of the
14     following: mental abuse, physical abuse, sexual abuse,
15     neglect, or financial exploitation. A required reporter as
16     defined in subsection (b) of this Section who knowingly or
17     intentionally fails to comply with these reporting
18     requirements is guilty of a Class A misdemeanor.
19         (2) Deaths. Absent an allegation, a required reporter
20     shall, within 24 hours after initial discovery, report by
21     phone to the Office of the Inspector General hotline each
22     of the following:
23             (i) Any death of an individual occurring within 14
24         calendar days after discharge or transfer of the
25         individual from a residential program or facility.
26             (ii) Any death of an individual occurring within 24

 

 

SB2809 Engrossed - 12 - LRB096 17346 KTG 32697 b

1         hours after deflection from a residential program or
2         facility.
3             (iii) Any other death of an individual occurring at
4         an agency or facility or at any Department-funded site.
5         (3) Retaliation. It is a violation of this Act for any
6     employee or administrator of an agency or facility to take
7     retaliatory action against an employee who acts in good
8     faith in conformance with his or her duties as a required
9     reporter.
10     (l) Reporting criminal acts. Within 24 hours after
11 determining that there is credible evidence indicating that a
12 criminal act may have been committed or that special expertise
13 may be required in an investigation, the Inspector General
14 shall notify the Department of State Police or other
15 appropriate law enforcement authority, or ensure that such
16 notification is made. The Department of State Police shall
17 investigate any report from a State-operated facility
18 indicating a possible murder, sexual assault, or other felony
19 by an employee. All investigations conducted by the Inspector
20 General shall be conducted in a manner designed to ensure the
21 preservation of evidence for possible use in a criminal
22 prosecution.
23     (m) Investigative reports. Upon completion of an
24 investigation, the Office of Inspector General shall issue an
25 investigative report identifying whether the allegations are
26 substantiated, unsubstantiated, or unfounded. Within 10

 

 

SB2809 Engrossed - 13 - LRB096 17346 KTG 32697 b

1 business days after the transmittal of a completed
2 investigative report substantiating an allegation, or if a
3 recommendation is made, the Inspector General shall provide the
4 investigative report on the case to the Secretary and to the
5 director of the facility or agency where any one or more of the
6 following occurred: mental abuse, physical abuse, sexual
7 abuse, neglect, egregious neglect, or financial exploitation.
8 In a substantiated case, the investigative report shall include
9 any mitigating or aggravating circumstances that were
10 identified during the investigation. If the case involves
11 substantiated neglect, the investigative report shall also
12 state whether egregious neglect was found. An investigative
13 report may also set forth recommendations. All investigative
14 reports prepared by the Office of the Inspector General shall
15 be considered confidential and shall not be released except as
16 provided by the law of this State or as required under
17 applicable federal law. Unsubstantiated and unfounded reports
18 shall not be disclosed except as allowed under Section 6 of the
19 Abused and Neglected Long Term Care Facility Residents
20 Reporting Act. Raw data used to compile the investigative
21 report shall not be subject to release unless required by law
22 or a court order. "Raw data used to compile the investigative
23 report" includes, but is not limited to, any one or more of the
24 following: the initial complaint, witness statements,
25 photographs, investigator's notes, police reports, or incident
26 reports. If the allegations are substantiated, the accused

 

 

SB2809 Engrossed - 14 - LRB096 17346 KTG 32697 b

1 shall be provided with a redacted copy of the investigative
2 report. Death reports where there was no allegation of abuse or
3 neglect shall only be released pursuant to applicable State or
4 federal law or a valid court order.
5     (n) Written responses and reconsideration requests.
6         (1) Written responses. Within 30 calendar days from
7     receipt of a substantiated investigative report or an
8     investigative report which contains recommendations,
9     absent a reconsideration request, the facility or agency
10     shall file a written response that addresses, in a concise
11     and reasoned manner, the actions taken to: (i) protect the
12     individual; (ii) prevent recurrences; and (iii) eliminate
13     the problems identified. The response shall include the
14     implementation and completion dates of such actions. If the
15     written response is not filed within the allotted 30
16     calendar day period, the Secretary shall determine the
17     appropriate corrective action to be taken.
18         (2) Reconsideration requests. The facility, agency,
19     victim or guardian, or the subject employee may request
20     that the Office of Inspector General reconsider or clarify
21     its finding based upon additional information.
22     (o) Disclosure of the finding by the Inspector General. The
23 Inspector General shall disclose the finding of an
24 investigation to the following persons: (i) the Governor, (ii)
25 the Secretary, (iii) the director of the facility or agency,
26 (iv) the alleged victims and their guardians, (v) the

 

 

SB2809 Engrossed - 15 - LRB096 17346 KTG 32697 b

1 complainant, and (vi) the accused. This information shall
2 include whether the allegations were deemed substantiated,
3 unsubstantiated, or unfounded.
4     (p) Secretary review. Upon review of the Inspector
5 General's investigative report and any agency's or facility's
6 written response, the Secretary shall accept or reject the
7 written response and notify the Inspector General of that
8 determination. The Secretary may further direct that other
9 administrative action be taken, including, but not limited to,
10 any one or more of the following: (i) additional site visits,
11 (ii) training, (iii) provision of technical assistance
12 relative to administrative needs, licensure or certification,
13 or (iv) the imposition of appropriate sanctions.
14     (q) Action by facility or agency. Within 30 days of the
15 date the Secretary approves the written response or directs
16 that further administrative action be taken, the facility or
17 agency shall provide an implementation report to the Inspector
18 General that provides the status of the action taken. The
19 facility or agency shall be allowed an additional 30 days to
20 send notice of completion of the action or to send an updated
21 implementation report. If the action has not been completed
22 within the additional 30 day period, the facility or agency
23 shall send updated implementation reports every 60 days until
24 completion. The Inspector General shall conduct a review of any
25 implementation plan that takes more than 120 days after
26 approval to complete, and shall monitor compliance through a

 

 

SB2809 Engrossed - 16 - LRB096 17346 KTG 32697 b

1 random review of approved written responses, which may include,
2 but are not limited to: (i) site visits, (ii) telephone
3 contact, and (iii) requests for additional documentation
4 evidencing compliance.
5     (r) Sanctions. Sanctions, if imposed by the Secretary under
6 Subdivision (p)(iv) of this Section, shall be designed to
7 prevent further acts of mental abuse, physical abuse, sexual
8 abuse, neglect, egregious neglect, or financial exploitation
9 or some combination of one or more of those acts at a facility
10 or agency, and may include any one or more of the following:
11         (1) Appointment of on-site monitors.
12         (2) Transfer or relocation of an individual or
13     individuals.
14         (3) Closure of units.
15         (4) Termination of any one or more of the following:
16     (i) Department licensing, (ii) funding, or (iii)
17     certification.
18     The Inspector General may seek the assistance of the
19 Illinois Attorney General or the office of any State's Attorney
20 in implementing sanctions.
21     (s) Health care worker registry.
22         (1) Reporting to the registry. The Inspector General
23     shall report to the Department of Public Health's health
24     care worker registry, a public registry, the identity and
25     finding of each employee of a facility or agency against
26     whom there is a final investigative report containing a

 

 

SB2809 Engrossed - 17 - LRB096 17346 KTG 32697 b

1     substantiated allegation of physical or sexual abuse or
2     egregious neglect of an individual.
3         (2) Notice to employee. Prior to reporting the name of
4     an employee, the employee shall be notified of the
5     Department's obligation to report and shall be granted an
6     opportunity to request an administrative hearing, the sole
7     purpose of which is to determine if the substantiated
8     finding warrants reporting to the registry. Notice to the
9     employee shall contain a clear and concise statement of the
10     grounds on which the report to the registry is based, offer
11     the employee an opportunity for a hearing, and identify the
12     process for requesting such a hearing. Notice is sufficient
13     if provided by certified mail to the employee's last known
14     address. If the employee fails to request a hearing within
15     30 days from the date of the notice, the Inspector General
16     shall report the name of the employee to the registry.
17     Nothing in this subdivision (s)(2) shall diminish or impair
18     the rights of a person who is a member of a collective
19     bargaining unit under the Illinois Public Labor Relations
20     Act or under any other federal labor statute.
21         (3) Registry hearings. If the employee requests an
22     administrative hearing, the employee shall be granted an
23     opportunity to appear before an administrative law judge to
24     present reasons why the employee's name should not be
25     reported to the registry. The Department shall bear the
26     burden of presenting evidence that establishes, by a

 

 

SB2809 Engrossed - 18 - LRB096 17346 KTG 32697 b

1     preponderance of the evidence, that the substantiated
2     finding warrants reporting to the registry. After
3     considering all the evidence presented, the administrative
4     law judge shall make a recommendation to the Secretary as
5     to whether the substantiated finding warrants reporting
6     the name of the employee to the registry. The Secretary
7     shall render the final decision. The Department and the
8     employee shall have the right to request that the
9     administrative law judge consider a stipulated disposition
10     of these proceedings.
11         (4) Testimony at registry hearings. A person who makes
12     a report or who investigates a report under this Act shall
13     testify fully in any judicial proceeding resulting from
14     such a report, as to any evidence of abuse or neglect, or
15     the cause thereof. No evidence shall be excluded by reason
16     of any common law or statutory privilege relating to
17     communications between the alleged perpetrator of abuse or
18     neglect, or the individual alleged as the victim in the
19     report, and the person making or investigating the report.
20     Testimony at hearings is exempt from the confidentiality
21     requirements of subsection (f) of Section 10 of the Mental
22     Health and Developmental Disabilities Confidentiality Act.
23         (5) Employee's rights to collateral action. No
24     reporting to the registry shall occur and no hearing shall
25     be set or proceed if an employee notifies the Inspector
26     General in writing, including any supporting

 

 

SB2809 Engrossed - 19 - LRB096 17346 KTG 32697 b

1     documentation, that he or she is formally contesting an
2     adverse employment action resulting from a substantiated
3     finding by complaint filed with the Illinois Civil Service
4     Commission, or which otherwise seeks to enforce the
5     employee's rights pursuant to any applicable collective
6     bargaining agreement. If an action taken by an employer
7     against an employee as a result of a finding of physical
8     abuse, sexual abuse, or egregious neglect is overturned
9     through an action filed with the Illinois Civil Service
10     Commission or under any applicable collective bargaining
11     agreement and if that employee's name has already been sent
12     to the registry, the employee's name shall be removed from
13     the registry.
14         (6) Removal from registry. At any time after the report
15     to the registry, but no more than once in any 12-month
16     period, an employee may petition the Department in writing
17     to remove his or her name from the registry. Upon receiving
18     notice of such request, the Inspector General shall conduct
19     an investigation into the petition. Upon receipt of such
20     request, an administrative hearing will be set by the
21     Department. At the hearing, the employee shall bear the
22     burden of presenting evidence that establishes, by a
23     preponderance of the evidence, that removal of the name
24     from the registry is in the public interest. The parties
25     may jointly request that the administrative law judge
26     consider a stipulated disposition of these proceedings.

 

 

SB2809 Engrossed - 20 - LRB096 17346 KTG 32697 b

1     (t) Review of Administrative Decisions. The Department
2 shall preserve a record of all proceedings at any formal
3 hearing conducted by the Department involving health care
4 worker registry hearings. Final administrative decisions of
5 the Department are subject to judicial review pursuant to
6 provisions of the Administrative Review Law.
7     (u) Quality Care Board. There is created, within the Office
8 of the Inspector General, a Quality Care Board to be composed
9 of 7 members appointed by the Governor with the advice and
10 consent of the Senate. One of the members shall be designated
11 as chairman by the Governor. Of the initial appointments made
12 by the Governor, 4 Board members shall each be appointed for a
13 term of 4 years and 3 members shall each be appointed for a
14 term of 2 years. Upon the expiration of each member's term, a
15 successor shall be appointed for a term of 4 years. In the case
16 of a vacancy in the office of any member, the Governor shall
17 appoint a successor for the remainder of the unexpired term.
18     Members appointed by the Governor shall be qualified by
19 professional knowledge or experience in the area of law,
20 investigatory techniques, or in the area of care of the
21 mentally ill or developmentally disabled. Two members
22 appointed by the Governor shall be persons with a disability or
23 a parent of a person with a disability. Members shall serve
24 without compensation, but shall be reimbursed for expenses
25 incurred in connection with the performance of their duties as
26 members.

 

 

SB2809 Engrossed - 21 - LRB096 17346 KTG 32697 b

1     The Board shall meet quarterly, and may hold other meetings
2 on the call of the chairman. Four members shall constitute a
3 quorum allowing the Board to conduct its business. The Board
4 may adopt rules and regulations it deems necessary to govern
5 its own procedures.
6     The Board shall monitor and oversee the operations,
7 policies, and procedures of the Inspector General to ensure the
8 prompt and thorough investigation of allegations of neglect and
9 abuse. In fulfilling these responsibilities, the Board may do
10 the following:
11         (1) Provide independent, expert consultation to the
12     Inspector General on policies and protocols for
13     investigations of alleged abuse, neglect, or both abuse and
14     neglect.
15         (2) Review existing regulations relating to the
16     operation of facilities.
17         (3) Advise the Inspector General as to the content of
18     training activities authorized under this Section.
19         (4) Recommend policies concerning methods for
20     improving the intergovernmental relationships between the
21     Office of the Inspector General and other State or federal
22     offices.
23     (v) Annual report. The Inspector General shall provide to
24 the General Assembly and the Governor, no later than January 1
25 of each year, a summary of reports and investigations made
26 under this Act for the prior fiscal year with respect to

 

 

SB2809 Engrossed - 22 - LRB096 17346 KTG 32697 b

1 individuals receiving mental health or developmental
2 disabilities services. The report shall detail the imposition
3 of sanctions, if any, and the final disposition of any
4 corrective or administrative action directed by the Secretary.
5 The summaries shall not contain any confidential or identifying
6 information of any individual, but shall include objective data
7 identifying any trends in the number of reported allegations,
8 the timeliness of the Office of the Inspector General's
9 investigations, and their disposition, for each facility and
10 Department-wide, for the most recent 3-year time period. The
11 report shall also identify, by facility, the staff-to-patient
12 ratios taking account of direct care staff only. The report
13 shall also include detailed recommended administrative actions
14 and matters for consideration by the General Assembly.
15     (w) Program audit. The Auditor General shall conduct a
16 program audit of the Office of the Inspector General on an
17 as-needed basis, as determined by the Auditor General. The
18 audit shall specifically include the Inspector General's
19 compliance with the Act and effectiveness in investigating
20 reports of allegations occurring in any facility or agency. The
21 Auditor General shall conduct the program audit according to
22 the provisions of the Illinois State Auditing Act and shall
23 report its findings to the General Assembly no later than
24 January 1 following the audit period.
25     (x) Nothing in this Section shall be construed to mean that
26 a patient is a victim of abuse or neglect because of health

 

 

SB2809 Engrossed - 23 - LRB096 17346 KTG 32697 b

1 care services appropriately provided or not provided by health
2 care professionals.
3     (y) Nothing in this Section shall require a facility,
4 including its employees, agents, medical staff members, and
5 health care professionals, to provide a service to a patient in
6 contravention of that patient's stated or implied objection to
7 the provision of that service on the ground that that service
8 conflicts with the patient's religious beliefs or practices,
9 nor shall the failure to provide a service to a patient be
10 considered abuse under this Section if the patient has objected
11 to the provision of that service based on his or her religious
12 beliefs or practices.
13 (Source: P.A. 95-545, eff. 8-28-07; 96-407, eff. 8-13-09;
14 96-555, eff. 8-18-09; revised 9-25-09.)
 
15     (Text of Section after amendment by P.A. 96-339)
16     Sec. 1-17. Inspector General.
17     (a) Nature and purpose. It is the express intent of the
18 General Assembly to ensure the health, safety, and financial
19 condition of individuals receiving services in this State due
20 to mental illness, developmental disability, or both by
21 protecting those persons from acts of abuse, neglect, or both
22 by service providers. To that end, the Office of the Inspector
23 General for the Department of Human Services is created to
24 investigate and report upon allegations of the abuse, neglect,
25 or financial exploitation of individuals receiving services

 

 

SB2809 Engrossed - 24 - LRB096 17346 KTG 32697 b

1 within mental health facilities, developmental disabilities
2 facilities, and community agencies operated, licensed, funded,
3 or certified by the Department of Human Services or , but not
4 licensed or certified by any other State agency. It is also the
5 express intent of the General Assembly to authorize the
6 Inspector General to investigate alleged or suspected cases of
7 abuse, neglect, or financial exploitation of adults with
8 disabilities living in domestic settings in the community under
9 the Abuse of Adults with Disabilities Intervention Act.
10     (b) Definitions. The following definitions apply to this
11 Section:
12     "Agency" or "community agency" means (i) a community agency
13 licensed, funded, or certified by the Department or , but not
14 licensed or certified by any other human services agency of the
15 State, to provide mental health service or developmental
16 disabilities service, or (ii) a program licensed, funded, or
17 certified by the Department or , but not licensed or certified
18 by any other human services agency of the State, to provide
19 mental health service or developmental disabilities service.
20     "Aggravating circumstance" means a factor that is
21 attendant to a finding and that tends to compound or increase
22 the culpability of the accused.
23     "Allegation" means an assertion, complaint, suspicion, or
24 incident involving any of the following conduct by an employee,
25 facility, or agency against an individual or individuals:
26 mental abuse, physical abuse, sexual abuse, neglect, or

 

 

SB2809 Engrossed - 25 - LRB096 17346 KTG 32697 b

1 financial exploitation.
2     "Day" means working day, unless otherwise specified.
3     "Deflection" means a situation in which an individual is
4 presented for admission to a facility or agency, and the
5 facility staff or agency staff do not admit the individual.
6 "Deflection" includes triage, redirection, and denial of
7 admission.
8     "Department" means the Department of Human Services.
9     "Developmentally disabled" means having a developmental
10 disability.
11     "Developmental disability" means "developmental
12 disability" as defined in the Mental Health and Developmental
13 Disabilities Code.
14     "Egregious neglect" means a finding of neglect as
15 determined by the Inspector General that (i) represents a gross
16 failure to adequately provide for, or a callused indifference
17 to, the health, safety, or medical needs of an individual and
18 (ii) results in an individual's death or other serious
19 deterioration of an individual's physical condition or mental
20 condition.
21     "Employee" means any person who provides services at the
22 facility or agency on-site or off-site. The service
23 relationship can be with the individual or with the facility or
24 agency. Also, "employee" includes any employee or contractual
25 agent of the Department of Human Services or the community
26 agency involved in providing or monitoring or administering

 

 

SB2809 Engrossed - 26 - LRB096 17346 KTG 32697 b

1 mental health or developmental disability services. This
2 includes but is not limited to: owners, operators, payroll
3 personnel, contractors, subcontractors, and volunteers.
4     "Facility" or "State-operated facility" means a mental
5 health facility or developmental disabilities facility
6 operated by the Department or certified or licensed by any
7 other State agency.
8     "Financial exploitation" means taking unjust advantage of
9 an individual's assets, property, or financial resources
10 through deception, intimidation, or conversion for the
11 employee's, facility's, or agency's own advantage or benefit.
12     "Finding" means the Office of Inspector General's
13 determination regarding whether an allegation is
14 substantiated, unsubstantiated, or unfounded.
15     "Health care worker registry" or "registry" means the
16 health care worker registry created by the Nursing Home Care
17 Act.
18     "Individual" means any person receiving mental health
19 service, developmental disabilities service, or both from a
20 facility or agency, while either on-site or off-site.
21     "Mental abuse" means the use of demeaning, intimidating, or
22 threatening words, signs, gestures, or other actions by an
23 employee about an individual and in the presence of an
24 individual or individuals that results in emotional distress or
25 maladaptive behavior, or could have resulted in emotional
26 distress or maladaptive behavior, for any individual present.

 

 

SB2809 Engrossed - 27 - LRB096 17346 KTG 32697 b

1     "Mental illness" means "mental illness" as defined in the
2 Mental Health and Developmental Disabilities Code.
3     "Mentally ill" means having a mental illness.
4     "Mitigating circumstance" means a condition that (i) is
5 attendant to a finding, (ii) does not excuse or justify the
6 conduct in question, but (iii) may be considered in evaluating
7 the severity of the conduct, the culpability of the accused, or
8 both the severity of the conduct and the culpability of the
9 accused.
10     "Neglect" means an employee's, agency's, or facility's
11 failure to provide adequate medical care, personal care, or
12 maintenance and that, as a consequence, (i) causes an
13 individual pain, injury, or emotional distress, (ii) results in
14 either an individual's maladaptive behavior or the
15 deterioration of an individual's physical condition or mental
16 condition, or (iii) places the individual's health or safety at
17 substantial risk.
18     "Physical abuse" means an employee's non-accidental and
19 inappropriate contact with an individual that causes bodily
20 harm. "Physical abuse" includes actions that cause bodily harm
21 as a result of an employee directing an individual or person to
22 physically abuse another individual.
23     "Recommendation" means an admonition, separate from a
24 finding, that requires action by the facility, agency, or
25 Department to correct a systemic issue, problem, or deficiency
26 identified during an investigation.

 

 

SB2809 Engrossed - 28 - LRB096 17346 KTG 32697 b

1     "Required reporter" means any employee who suspects,
2 witnesses, or is informed of an allegation of any one or more
3 of the following: mental abuse, physical abuse, sexual abuse,
4 neglect, or financial exploitation.
5     "Secretary" means the Chief Administrative Officer of the
6 Department.
7     "Sexual abuse" means any sexual contact or intimate
8 physical contact between an employee and an individual,
9 including an employee's coercion or encouragement of an
10 individual to engage in sexual behavior that results in sexual
11 contact, intimate physical contact, sexual behavior, or
12 intimate physical behavior.
13     "Substantiated" means there is a preponderance of the
14 evidence to support the allegation.
15     "Unfounded" means there is no credible evidence to support
16 the allegation.
17     "Unsubstantiated" means there is credible evidence, but
18 less than a preponderance of evidence to support the
19 allegation.
20     (c) Appointment. The Governor shall appoint, and the Senate
21 shall confirm, an Inspector General. The Inspector General
22 shall be appointed for a term of 4 years and shall function
23 within the Department of Human Services and report to the
24 Secretary and the Governor.
25     (d) Operation and appropriation. The Inspector General
26 shall function independently within the Department with

 

 

SB2809 Engrossed - 29 - LRB096 17346 KTG 32697 b

1 respect to the operations of the Office, including the
2 performance of investigations and issuance of findings and
3 recommendations. The appropriation for the Office of Inspector
4 General shall be separate from the overall appropriation for
5 the Department.
6     (e) Powers and duties. The Inspector General shall
7 investigate reports of suspected mental abuse, physical abuse,
8 sexual abuse, neglect, or financial exploitation of
9 individuals in any mental health or developmental disabilities
10 facility or agency and shall have authority to take immediate
11 action to prevent any one or more of the following from
12 happening to individuals under its jurisdiction: mental abuse,
13 physical abuse, sexual abuse, neglect, or financial
14 exploitation. Investigations shall be commenced no later than
15 24 hours after the report is received by the Inspector General.
16 Upon written request of an agency of this State, the Inspector
17 General may assist another agency of the State in investigating
18 reports of the abuse, neglect, or abuse and neglect of persons
19 with mental illness, persons with developmental disabilities,
20 or persons with both. To comply with the requirements of
21 subsection (k) of this Section, the Inspector General shall
22 also review all reportable deaths for which there is no
23 allegation of abuse or neglect. Nothing in this Section shall
24 preempt any duties of the Medical Review Board set forth in the
25 Mental Health and Developmental Disabilities Code. The
26 Inspector General shall have no authority to investigate

 

 

SB2809 Engrossed - 30 - LRB096 17346 KTG 32697 b

1 alleged violations of the State Officials and Employees Ethics
2 Act. Allegations of misconduct under the State Officials and
3 Employees Ethics Act shall be referred to the Office of the
4 Governor's Executive Inspector General for investigation.
5     (f) Limitations. The Inspector General shall not conduct an
6 investigation within an agency or facility if that
7 investigation would be redundant to or interfere with an
8 investigation conducted by another State agency. The Inspector
9 General shall have no supervision over, or involvement in, the
10 routine programmatic, licensing, funding, or certification
11 operations of the Department, or the functions of any other
12 State agency. Nothing in this subsection limits investigations
13 by the Department that may otherwise be required by law or that
14 may be necessary in the Department's capacity as central
15 administrative authority responsible for the operation of the
16 State's mental health and developmental disabilities
17 facilities.
18     (g) Rulemaking authority. The Inspector General shall
19 promulgate rules establishing minimum requirements for
20 reporting allegations as well as for initiating, conducting,
21 and completing investigations based upon the nature of the
22 allegation or allegations. The rules shall clearly establish
23 that if 2 or more State agencies could investigate an
24 allegation, the Inspector General shall not conduct an
25 investigation that would be redundant to, or interfere with, an
26 investigation conducted by another State agency. The rules

 

 

SB2809 Engrossed - 31 - LRB096 17346 KTG 32697 b

1 shall further clarify the method and circumstances under which
2 the Office of Inspector General may interact with the
3 licensing, funding, or certification units of the Department in
4 preventing further occurrences of mental abuse, physical
5 abuse, sexual abuse, neglect, egregious neglect, and financial
6 exploitation.
7     (h) Training programs. The Inspector General shall (i)
8 establish a comprehensive program to ensure that every person
9 authorized to conduct investigations receives ongoing training
10 relative to investigation techniques, communication skills,
11 and the appropriate means of interacting with persons receiving
12 treatment for mental illness, developmental disability, or
13 both mental illness and developmental disability, and (ii)
14 establish and conduct periodic training programs for facility
15 and agency employees concerning the prevention and reporting of
16 any one or more of the following: mental abuse, physical abuse,
17 sexual abuse, neglect, egregious neglect, or financial
18 exploitation. Nothing in this Section shall be deemed to
19 prevent the Office of Inspector General from conducting any
20 other training as determined by the Inspector General to be
21 necessary or helpful.
22     (i) Duty to cooperate.
23         (1) The Inspector General shall at all times be granted
24     access to any facility or agency for the purpose of
25     investigating any allegation, conducting unannounced site
26     visits, monitoring compliance with a written response, or

 

 

SB2809 Engrossed - 32 - LRB096 17346 KTG 32697 b

1     completing any other statutorily assigned duty. The
2     Inspector General shall conduct unannounced site visits to
3     each facility at least annually for the purpose of
4     reviewing and making recommendations on systemic issues
5     relative to preventing, reporting, investigating, and
6     responding to all of the following: mental abuse, physical
7     abuse, sexual abuse, neglect, egregious neglect, or
8     financial exploitation.
9         (2) Any employee who fails to cooperate with an Office
10     of the Inspector General investigation is in violation of
11     this Act. Failure to cooperate with an investigation
12     includes, but is not limited to, any one or more of the
13     following: (i) creating and transmitting a false report to
14     the Office of the Inspector General hotline, (ii) providing
15     false information to an Office of the Inspector General
16     Investigator during an investigation, (iii) colluding with
17     other employees to cover up evidence, (iv) colluding with
18     other employees to provide false information to an Office
19     of the Inspector General investigator, (v) destroying
20     evidence, (vi) withholding evidence, or (vii) otherwise
21     obstructing an Office of the Inspector General
22     investigation. Additionally, any employee who, during an
23     unannounced site visit or written response compliance
24     check, fails to cooperate with requests from the Office of
25     the Inspector General is in violation of this Act.
26     (j) Subpoena powers. The Inspector General shall have the

 

 

SB2809 Engrossed - 33 - LRB096 17346 KTG 32697 b

1 power to subpoena witnesses and compel the production of all
2 documents and physical evidence relating to his or her
3 investigations and any hearings authorized by this Act. This
4 subpoena power shall not extend to persons or documents of a
5 labor organization or its representatives insofar as the
6 persons are acting in a representative capacity to an employee
7 whose conduct is the subject of an investigation or the
8 documents relate to that representation. Any person who
9 otherwise fails to respond to a subpoena or who knowingly
10 provides false information to the Office of the Inspector
11 General by subpoena during an investigation is guilty of a
12 Class A misdemeanor.
13     (k) Reporting allegations and deaths.
14         (1) Allegations. If an employee witnesses, is told of,
15     or has reason to believe an incident of mental abuse,
16     physical abuse, sexual abuse, neglect, or financial
17     exploitation has occurred, the employee, agency, or
18     facility shall report the allegation by phone to the Office
19     of the Inspector General hotline according to the agency's
20     or facility's procedures, but in no event later than 4
21     hours after the initial discovery of the incident,
22     allegation, or suspicion of any one or more of the
23     following: mental abuse, physical abuse, sexual abuse,
24     neglect, or financial exploitation. A required reporter as
25     defined in subsection (b) of this Section who knowingly or
26     intentionally fails to comply with these reporting

 

 

SB2809 Engrossed - 34 - LRB096 17346 KTG 32697 b

1     requirements is guilty of a Class A misdemeanor.
2         (2) Deaths. Absent an allegation, a required reporter
3     shall, within 24 hours after initial discovery, report by
4     phone to the Office of the Inspector General hotline each
5     of the following:
6             (i) Any death of an individual occurring within 14
7         calendar days after discharge or transfer of the
8         individual from a residential program or facility.
9             (ii) Any death of an individual occurring within 24
10         hours after deflection from a residential program or
11         facility.
12             (iii) Any other death of an individual occurring at
13         an agency or facility or at any Department-funded site.
14         (3) Retaliation. It is a violation of this Act for any
15     employee or administrator of an agency or facility to take
16     retaliatory action against an employee who acts in good
17     faith in conformance with his or her duties as a required
18     reporter.
19     (l) Reporting criminal acts. Within 24 hours after
20 determining that there is credible evidence indicating that a
21 criminal act may have been committed or that special expertise
22 may be required in an investigation, the Inspector General
23 shall notify the Department of State Police or other
24 appropriate law enforcement authority, or ensure that such
25 notification is made. The Department of State Police shall
26 investigate any report from a State-operated facility

 

 

SB2809 Engrossed - 35 - LRB096 17346 KTG 32697 b

1 indicating a possible murder, sexual assault, or other felony
2 by an employee. All investigations conducted by the Inspector
3 General shall be conducted in a manner designed to ensure the
4 preservation of evidence for possible use in a criminal
5 prosecution.
6     (m) Investigative reports. Upon completion of an
7 investigation, the Office of Inspector General shall issue an
8 investigative report identifying whether the allegations are
9 substantiated, unsubstantiated, or unfounded. Within 10
10 business days after the transmittal of a completed
11 investigative report substantiating an allegation, or if a
12 recommendation is made, the Inspector General shall provide the
13 investigative report on the case to the Secretary and to the
14 director of the facility or agency where any one or more of the
15 following occurred: mental abuse, physical abuse, sexual
16 abuse, neglect, egregious neglect, or financial exploitation.
17 In a substantiated case, the investigative report shall include
18 any mitigating or aggravating circumstances that were
19 identified during the investigation. If the case involves
20 substantiated neglect, the investigative report shall also
21 state whether egregious neglect was found. An investigative
22 report may also set forth recommendations. All investigative
23 reports prepared by the Office of the Inspector General shall
24 be considered confidential and shall not be released except as
25 provided by the law of this State or as required under
26 applicable federal law. Unsubstantiated and unfounded reports

 

 

SB2809 Engrossed - 36 - LRB096 17346 KTG 32697 b

1 shall not be disclosed except as allowed under Section 6 of the
2 Abused and Neglected Long Term Care Facility Residents
3 Reporting Act. Raw data used to compile the investigative
4 report shall not be subject to release unless required by law
5 or a court order. "Raw data used to compile the investigative
6 report" includes, but is not limited to, any one or more of the
7 following: the initial complaint, witness statements,
8 photographs, investigator's notes, police reports, or incident
9 reports. If the allegations are substantiated, the accused
10 shall be provided with a redacted copy of the investigative
11 report. Death reports where there was no allegation of abuse or
12 neglect shall only be released pursuant to applicable State or
13 federal law or a valid court order.
14     (n) Written responses and reconsideration requests.
15         (1) Written responses. Within 30 calendar days from
16     receipt of a substantiated investigative report or an
17     investigative report which contains recommendations,
18     absent a reconsideration request, the facility or agency
19     shall file a written response that addresses, in a concise
20     and reasoned manner, the actions taken to: (i) protect the
21     individual; (ii) prevent recurrences; and (iii) eliminate
22     the problems identified. The response shall include the
23     implementation and completion dates of such actions. If the
24     written response is not filed within the allotted 30
25     calendar day period, the Secretary shall determine the
26     appropriate corrective action to be taken.

 

 

SB2809 Engrossed - 37 - LRB096 17346 KTG 32697 b

1         (2) Reconsideration requests. The facility, agency,
2     victim or guardian, or the subject employee may request
3     that the Office of Inspector General reconsider or clarify
4     its finding based upon additional information.
5     (o) Disclosure of the finding by the Inspector General. The
6 Inspector General shall disclose the finding of an
7 investigation to the following persons and entities: (i) the
8 Governor, (ii) the Secretary, (iii) the director of the
9 facility or agency, (iv) the licensing entity of the facility,
10 if any, (v) the alleged victims and their guardians, (vi) the
11 complainant, and (vii) the accused (iv) the alleged victims and
12 their guardians, (v) the complainant, and (vi) the accused.
13 This information shall include whether the allegations were
14 deemed substantiated, unsubstantiated, or unfounded.
15     (p) Secretary review. Upon review of the Inspector
16 General's investigative report and any agency's or facility's
17 written response, the Secretary shall accept or reject the
18 written response and notify the Inspector General of that
19 determination. The Secretary may further direct that other
20 administrative action be taken, including, but not limited to,
21 any one or more of the following: (i) additional site visits,
22 (ii) training, (iii) provision of technical assistance
23 relative to administrative needs, licensure or certification,
24 or (iv) the imposition of appropriate sanctions.
25     (q) Action by facility or agency. Within 30 days of the
26 date the Secretary approves the written response or directs

 

 

SB2809 Engrossed - 38 - LRB096 17346 KTG 32697 b

1 that further administrative action be taken, the facility or
2 agency shall provide an implementation report to the Inspector
3 General and the licensing entity of the facility, if any, that
4 provides the status of the action taken. The facility or agency
5 shall be allowed an additional 30 days to send notice of
6 completion of the action or to send an updated implementation
7 report. If the action has not been completed within the
8 additional 30 day period, the facility or agency shall send
9 updated implementation reports every 60 days until completion.
10 The Inspector General shall conduct a review of any
11 implementation plan that takes more than 120 days after
12 approval to complete, and shall monitor compliance through a
13 random review of approved written responses, which may include,
14 but are not limited to: (i) site visits, (ii) telephone
15 contact, and (iii) requests for additional documentation
16 evidencing compliance.
17     (r) Sanctions. Sanctions, if imposed by the Secretary under
18 Subdivision (p)(iv) of this Section, shall be designed to
19 prevent further acts of mental abuse, physical abuse, sexual
20 abuse, neglect, egregious neglect, or financial exploitation
21 or some combination of one or more of those acts at a facility
22 or agency, and may include any one or more of the following:
23         (1) Appointment of on-site monitors.
24         (2) Transfer or relocation of an individual or
25     individuals.
26         (3) Closure of units.

 

 

SB2809 Engrossed - 39 - LRB096 17346 KTG 32697 b

1         (4) Termination of any one or more of the following:
2     (i) Department licensing, (ii) funding, or (iii)
3     certification, or (iv) licensing enforcement by the
4     licensing entity of the facility, if any, up to and
5     including revocation of licensure or an administrative
6     order of closure, or both.
7     The Inspector General may seek the assistance of the
8 Illinois Attorney General or the office of any State's Attorney
9 in implementing sanctions.
10     (s) Health care worker registry.
11         (1) Reporting to the registry. The Inspector General
12     shall report to the Department of Public Health's health
13     care worker registry, a public registry, MR/DD Community
14     Care Act the identity and finding of each employee of a
15     facility or agency against whom there is a final
16     investigative report containing a substantiated allegation
17     of physical or sexual abuse or egregious neglect of an
18     individual. MR/DD Community Care Act
19         (2) Notice to employee. Prior to reporting the name of
20     an employee, the employee shall be notified of the
21     Department's obligation to report and shall be granted an
22     opportunity to request an administrative hearing, the sole
23     purpose of which is to determine if the substantiated
24     finding warrants reporting to the registry. Notice to the
25     employee shall contain a clear and concise statement of the
26     grounds on which the report to the registry is based, offer

 

 

SB2809 Engrossed - 40 - LRB096 17346 KTG 32697 b

1     the employee an opportunity for a hearing, and identify the
2     process for requesting such a hearing. Notice is sufficient
3     if provided by certified mail to the employee's last known
4     address. If the employee fails to request a hearing within
5     30 days from the date of the notice, the Inspector General
6     shall report the name of the employee to the registry.
7     Nothing in this subdivision (s)(2) shall diminish or impair
8     the rights of a person who is a member of a collective
9     bargaining unit under the Illinois Public Labor Relations
10     Act or under any other federal labor statute.
11         (3) Registry hearings. If the employee requests an
12     administrative hearing, the employee shall be granted an
13     opportunity to appear before an administrative law judge to
14     present reasons why the employee's name should not be
15     reported to the registry. The Department shall bear the
16     burden of presenting evidence that establishes, by a
17     preponderance of the evidence, that the substantiated
18     finding warrants reporting to the registry. After
19     considering all the evidence presented, the administrative
20     law judge shall make a recommendation to the Secretary as
21     to whether the substantiated finding warrants reporting
22     the name of the employee to the registry. The Secretary
23     shall render the final decision. The Department and the
24     employee shall have the right to request that the
25     administrative law judge consider a stipulated disposition
26     of these proceedings.

 

 

SB2809 Engrossed - 41 - LRB096 17346 KTG 32697 b

1         (4) Testimony at registry hearings. A person who makes
2     a report or who investigates a report under this Act shall
3     testify fully in any judicial proceeding resulting from
4     such a report, as to any evidence of abuse or neglect, or
5     the cause thereof. No evidence shall be excluded by reason
6     of any common law or statutory privilege relating to
7     communications between the alleged perpetrator of abuse or
8     neglect, or the individual alleged as the victim in the
9     report, and the person making or investigating the report.
10     Testimony at hearings is exempt from the confidentiality
11     requirements of subsection (f) of Section 10 of the Mental
12     Health and Developmental Disabilities Confidentiality Act.
13         (5) Employee's rights to collateral action. No
14     reporting to the registry shall occur and no hearing shall
15     be set or proceed if an employee notifies the Inspector
16     General in writing, including any supporting
17     documentation, that he or she is formally contesting an
18     adverse employment action resulting from a substantiated
19     finding by complaint filed with the Illinois Civil Service
20     Commission, or which otherwise seeks to enforce the
21     employee's rights pursuant to any applicable collective
22     bargaining agreement. If an action taken by an employer
23     against an employee as a result of a finding of physical
24     abuse, sexual abuse, or egregious neglect is overturned
25     through an action filed with the Illinois Civil Service
26     Commission or under any applicable collective bargaining

 

 

SB2809 Engrossed - 42 - LRB096 17346 KTG 32697 b

1     agreement and if that employee's name has already been sent
2     to the registry, the employee's name shall be removed from
3     the registry.
4         (6) Removal from registry. At any time after the report
5     to the registry, but no more than once in any 12-month
6     period, an employee may petition the Department in writing
7     to remove his or her name from the registry. Upon receiving
8     notice of such request, the Inspector General shall conduct
9     an investigation into the petition. Upon receipt of such
10     request, an administrative hearing will be set by the
11     Department. At the hearing, the employee shall bear the
12     burden of presenting evidence that establishes, by a
13     preponderance of the evidence, that removal of the name
14     from the registry is in the public interest. The parties
15     may jointly request that the administrative law judge
16     consider a stipulated disposition of these proceedings.
17     (t) Review of Administrative Decisions. The Department
18 shall preserve a record of all proceedings at any formal
19 hearing conducted by the Department involving health care
20 worker registry hearings. Final administrative decisions of
21 the Department are subject to judicial review pursuant to
22 provisions of the Administrative Review Law.
23     (u) Quality Care Board. There is created, within the Office
24 of the Inspector General, a Quality Care Board to be composed
25 of 7 members appointed by the Governor with the advice and
26 consent of the Senate. One of the members shall be designated

 

 

SB2809 Engrossed - 43 - LRB096 17346 KTG 32697 b

1 as chairman by the Governor. Of the initial appointments made
2 by the Governor, 4 Board members shall each be appointed for a
3 term of 4 years and 3 members shall each be appointed for a
4 term of 2 years. Upon the expiration of each member's term, a
5 successor shall be appointed for a term of 4 years. In the case
6 of a vacancy in the office of any member, the Governor shall
7 appoint a successor for the remainder of the unexpired term.
8     Members appointed by the Governor shall be qualified by
9 professional knowledge or experience in the area of law,
10 investigatory techniques, or in the area of care of the
11 mentally ill or developmentally disabled. Two members
12 appointed by the Governor shall be persons with a disability or
13 a parent of a person with a disability. Members shall serve
14 without compensation, but shall be reimbursed for expenses
15 incurred in connection with the performance of their duties as
16 members.
17     The Board shall meet quarterly, and may hold other meetings
18 on the call of the chairman. Four members shall constitute a
19 quorum allowing the Board to conduct its business. The Board
20 may adopt rules and regulations it deems necessary to govern
21 its own procedures.
22     The Board shall monitor and oversee the operations,
23 policies, and procedures of the Inspector General to ensure the
24 prompt and thorough investigation of allegations of neglect and
25 abuse. In fulfilling these responsibilities, the Board may do
26 the following:

 

 

SB2809 Engrossed - 44 - LRB096 17346 KTG 32697 b

1         (1) Provide independent, expert consultation to the
2     Inspector General on policies and protocols for
3     investigations of alleged abuse, neglect, or both abuse and
4     neglect.
5         (2) Review existing regulations relating to the
6     operation of facilities.
7         (3) Advise the Inspector General as to the content of
8     training activities authorized under this Section.
9         (4) Recommend policies concerning methods for
10     improving the intergovernmental relationships between the
11     Office of the Inspector General and other State or federal
12     offices.
13     (v) Annual report. The Inspector General shall provide to
14 the General Assembly and the Governor, no later than January 1
15 of each year, a summary of reports and investigations made
16 under this Act for the prior fiscal year with respect to
17 individuals receiving mental health or developmental
18 disabilities services. The report shall detail the imposition
19 of sanctions, if any, and the final disposition of any
20 corrective or administrative action directed by the Secretary.
21 The summaries shall not contain any confidential or identifying
22 information of any individual, but shall include objective data
23 identifying any trends in the number of reported allegations,
24 the timeliness of the Office of the Inspector General's
25 investigations, and their disposition, for each facility and
26 Department-wide, for the most recent 3-year time period. The

 

 

SB2809 Engrossed - 45 - LRB096 17346 KTG 32697 b

1 report shall also identify, by facility, the staff-to-patient
2 ratios taking account of direct care staff only. The report
3 shall also include detailed recommended administrative actions
4 and matters for consideration by the General Assembly.
5     (w) Program audit. The Auditor General shall conduct a
6 program audit of the Office of the Inspector General on an
7 as-needed basis, as determined by the Auditor General. The
8 audit shall specifically include the Inspector General's
9 compliance with the Act and effectiveness in investigating
10 reports of allegations occurring in any facility or agency. The
11 Auditor General shall conduct the program audit according to
12 the provisions of the Illinois State Auditing Act and shall
13 report its findings to the General Assembly no later than
14 January 1 following the audit period.
15     (x) Nothing in this Section shall be construed to mean that
16 a patient is a victim of abuse or neglect because of health
17 care services appropriately provided or not provided by health
18 care professionals.
19     (y) Nothing in this Section shall require a facility,
20 including its employees, agents, medical staff members, and
21 health care professionals, to provide a service to a patient in
22 contravention of that patient's stated or implied objection to
23 the provision of that service on the ground that that service
24 conflicts with the patient's religious beliefs or practices,
25 nor shall the failure to provide a service to a patient be
26 considered abuse under this Section if the patient has objected

 

 

SB2809 Engrossed - 46 - LRB096 17346 KTG 32697 b

1 to the provision of that service based on his or her religious
2 beliefs or practices.
3 (Source: P.A. 95-545, eff. 8-28-07; 96-339, eff. 7-1-10;
4 96-407, eff. 8-13-09; 96-555, eff. 8-18-09; revised 9-25-09.)
 
5     Section 10. The Abuse of Adults with Disabilities
6 Intervention Act is amended by changing Section 35 as follows:
 
7     (20 ILCS 2435/35)  (from Ch. 23, par. 3395-35)
8     Sec. 35. Assessment of reports.
9     (a) The Adults with Disabilities Abuse Project shall, upon
10 receiving a report of alleged or suspected abuse, neglect, or
11 exploitation obtain the consent of the subject of the report to
12 conduct an assessment with respect to the report. The
13 assessment shall include, but not be limited to, a face-to-face
14 interview with the adult with disabilities who is the subject
15 of the report and may include a visit to the residence of the
16 adult with disabilities, and interviews or consultations with
17 service agencies or individuals who may have knowledge of the
18 circumstances of the adult with disabilities. A determination
19 shall be made whether each report is substantiated. If the
20 Office of Inspector General determines that there is clear and
21 substantial risk of death or great bodily harm, it shall
22 immediately secure or provide emergency protective services
23 for purposes of preventing further abuse, neglect, or
24 exploitation, and for safeguarding the welfare of the person.

 

 

SB2809 Engrossed - 47 - LRB096 17346 KTG 32697 b

1 Such services must be provided in the least restrictive
2 environment commensurate with the adult with disabilities'
3 needs.
4     (a-1) The Adults with Disabilities Abuse Project shall,
5 upon receiving a report of alleged or suspected abuse, neglect,
6 or financial exploitation, initiate the investigation within
7 24 hours of receiving the report.
8     (a-5) The Adults with Disabilities Abuse Project shall
9 initiate an assessment of all reports of alleged or suspected
10 abuse or neglect within 7 days after receipt of the report,
11 except reports of abuse or neglect that indicate that the life
12 or safety of an adult with disabilities is in imminent danger
13 shall be assessed within 24 hours after receipt of the report.
14 Reports of exploitation shall be assessed within 30 days after
15 the receipt of the report.
16     (b) (Blank).
17     (c) The Department shall effect written interagency
18 agreements with other State departments and any other public
19 and private agencies to coordinate and cooperate in the
20 handling of substantiated cases; to accept and manage
21 substantiated cases on a priority basis; and to waive
22 eligibility requirements for the adult with disabilities in an
23 emergency.
24     (d) Every effort shall be made by the Adults with
25 Disabilities Abuse Project to coordinate and cooperate with
26 public and private agencies to ensure the provision of services

 

 

SB2809 Engrossed - 48 - LRB096 17346 KTG 32697 b

1 necessary to eliminate further abuse, neglect, and
2 exploitation of the adult with disabilities who is the subject
3 of the report.
4     The Office of Inspector General shall promulgate rules and
5 regulations to ensure the effective implementation of the
6 Adults with Disabilities Abuse Project statewide.
7     (e) When the Adults with Disabilities Abuse Project
8 determines that a case is substantiated, it shall refer the
9 case to the appropriate office within the Department of Human
10 Services to develop, with the consent of and in consultation
11 with the adult with disabilities, a service plan for the adult
12 with disabilities.
13     (f) The Adults with Disabilities Abuse Project shall refer
14 reports of alleged or suspected abuse, neglect, or exploitation
15 to another State agency when that agency has a statutory
16 obligation to investigate such reports.
17     (g) If the Adults with Disabilities Abuse Project has
18 reason to believe that a crime has been committed, the incident
19 shall be reported to the appropriate law enforcement agency.
20 (Source: P.A. 91-671, eff. 7-1-00.)
 
21     Section 15. The Abused and Neglected Child Reporting Act is
22 amended by adding Section 4.4a as follows:
 
23     (325 ILCS 5/4.4a new)
24     Sec. 4.4a. DCFS duty to report to DHS' Office of Inspector

 

 

SB2809 Engrossed - 49 - LRB096 17346 KTG 32697 b

1 General. Whenever the Department receives, by means of its
2 statewide toll-free telephone number established under Section
3 7.6 for the purpose of reporting suspected child abuse or
4 neglect or by any other means or from any mandated reporter
5 under Section 4, a report of suspected abuse, neglect, or
6 financial exploitation of a disabled adult person between the
7 ages of 18 and 59, the Department shall instruct the reporter
8 to contact the Department of Human Services' Office of the
9 Inspector General and shall provide the reporter with the
10 statewide, 24-hour toll-free telephone number established and
11 maintained by the Department of Human Services' Office of the
12 Inspector General.
 
13     Section 95. No acceleration or delay. Where this Act makes
14 changes in a statute that is represented in this Act by text
15 that is not yet or no longer in effect (for example, a Section
16 represented by multiple versions), the use of that text does
17 not accelerate or delay the taking effect of (i) the changes
18 made by this Act or (ii) provisions derived from any other
19 Public Act.