HB5597 95TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

LRB095 17918 DRJ 44907 b

95TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2007 and 2008
HB5597

Introduced , by Rep. Elizabeth Coulson

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:

New Act

Creates the Statewide Central Abuse and Neglect Hotline Act. Requires the establishment of a statewide central hotline to receive reports of abuse, neglect, or financial exploitation under the various Acts that require or permit the reporting of abuse, neglect, or financial exploitation. Provides that hotline operators shall immediately connect callers with intake personnel at the appropriate State agency. Designates the Department of Human Services as the lead agency to establish and administer the hotline. Creates a task force composed of the Director of Aging, the Director of Children and Family Services, the Director of Healthcare and Family Services, the Secretary of Human Services, and the Director of Public Health to develop a plan to establish and implement the hotline and to perform other functions. Effective immediately.

FISCAL NOTE ACT MAY APPLY

A BILL FOR

AN ACT concerning State government.

Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois, represented in the General Assembly:

Section 1. Short title. This Act may be cited as the Statewide Central Abuse and Neglect Hotline Act.

Section 5. Central abuse and neglect hotline.

(a) The Department on Aging, the Department of Children and Family Services, the Department of Healthcare and Family Services, the Department of Human Services, and the Department of Public Health shall establish a statewide central hotline to receive reports of abuse, neglect, or financial exploitation under the Department of Human Services Act, the Mental Health and Developmental Disabilities Administrative Act, the Abuse of Adults with Disabilities Intervention Act, the Abused and Neglected Long Term Care Facility Residents Reporting Act, the Illinois Public Aid Code, the Elder Abuse and Neglect Act, the Abused and Neglected Child Reporting Act, or any other Act that requires or permits the reporting of abuse, neglect, or financial exploitation. The Department of Human Services shall serve as the lead agency in establishing the hotline.

(b) Upon receiving a call reporting abuse, neglect, or financial exploitation, a hotline operator shall immediately connect the caller with intake personnel at the State agency that is appropriate to take and investigate the report. The hotline operator shall not take any more information from the caller than is necessary to determine the State agency with which the caller should be connected. That information shall include, but need not be limited to, the age and residential or other setting of the individual who is the subject of the report.

(c) Every hotline operator shall receive appropriate training to enable the operator to identify the appropriate State agency that has jurisdiction over the investigation of a report of abuse, neglect, or financial exploitation.

Section 10. Task force. The Statewide Central Abuse and Neglect Hotline Task Force is created. The task force shall consist of the Director of Aging, the Director of Children and Family Services, the Director of Healthcare and Family Services, the Secretary of Human Services, and the Director of Public Health, or their designees. The Secretary of Human Services, or his or her designee, shall serve as the chairperson of the task force. The task force shall do the following:

(1) Develop the plan to establish and implement the hotline.

(2) Develop a plan to ensure that the hotline is accessible to everyone, including persons with disabilities and persons with limited English proficiency.

(3) Determine the technology (including assistive technology) that will be needed to implement the hotline.

(4) Determine the number and qualifications of staff needed to implement the hotline.

(5) Develop a training curriculum for hotline operators.

(6) Monitor the implementation of the hotline to ensure that callers are connected with the proper State agency.

Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon becoming law.