SJ0054 LRB096 12070 GRL 24076 r

1
SENATE JOINT RESOLUTION

 
2     WHEREAS, The overall health and welfare of people with
3 developmental disabilities is of utmost importance; and
 
4     WHEREAS, Like the general population, many individuals
5 with developmental disabilities struggle with obesity,
6 diabetes, and hypertension; and
 
7     WHEREAS, Certain developmental disabilities have been
8 found to predispose individuals to health conditions such as
9 obesity; and
 
10     WHEREAS, A recent randomized study of residents of
11 community-based residential programs in Illinois found that
12 57% of the residents met the classification of overweight or
13 obese; and
 
14     WHEREAS, The United States Department of Health and Human
15 Services' Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has cited
16 the Body Mass Index as a reliable indicator of obesity,
17 calculated from a person's height and weight, and revealed the
18 prevalence of obesity in approximately 34.3% of adults in
19 2005-2006; and
 
20     WHEREAS, The 2002 report of the Surgeon General's

 

 

SJ0054 - 2 - LRB096 12070 GRL 24076 r

1 conference on health disparities and mental retardation,
2 "Closing the Gap: A National Blueprint to Improve the Health of
3 Persons with Mental Retardation", found that the health of
4 approximately one-third of individuals with mental retardation
5 is reported to be fair or poor; and
 
6     WHEREAS, The lack of access to preventative health care and
7 good nutrition can lead to poor quality of life and increases
8 in illness, medication usage, instances of social isolation,
9 and other healthcare issues; and
 
10     WHEREAS, The State of Illinois funds services to persons
11 with developmental disabilities in various residential
12 settings; and
 
13     WHEREAS, Such residential programs strive to provide
14 quality services that promote individuals' general health and
15 well-being; therefore, be it
 
16     RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE NINETY-SIXTH GENERAL
17 ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
18 CONCURRING HEREIN, that we affirm our commitment to the
19 importance of supporting and improving health outcomes for
20 people with developmental disabilities; and be it further
 
21     RESOLVED, That we urge all providers to adopt preventative

 

 

SJ0054 - 3 - LRB096 12070 GRL 24076 r

1 health practices and work with those they serve to ultimately
2 improve health outcomes; and be it further
 
3     RESOLVED, That we encourage the Department of Human
4 Services Division of Developmental Disabilities to develop
5 health related outcomes and standards as part of its quality
6 management and monitoring efforts.