SJ0065 96TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

SJ0065 LRB096 12590 DRJ 25895 r

SENATE JOINT RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, There is no official statewide data on the health needs of our diverse student populations or the level of services required to meet these needs in this State; and

WHEREAS, Unmet health needs interfere with a student's ability to focus on learning and achieve his or her highest potential; and

WHEREAS, It is our intent to ensure that students are healthy and ready to learn and to provide health service resources to enable all students to access education equally; and

WHEREAS, It is also our intent to support and sustain the healthy development of youth in partnership with parents, schools, health care providers, community organizations, and governmental agencies in keeping with the goals and objectives of Healthy People 2010; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE NINETY-SIXTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES CONCURRING HEREIN, that we respectfully request that the State Board of Education, the Department of Human Services School Health Program, and the Department of Public Health Division of Chronic Disease Prevention and Control establish a task force to study and compile a report on:

(1) Identification of current student health needs and the level of health services required to address such needs;

(2) Regulatory conflicts that limit delivery of school health services to students in need along with possible solutions; and

(3) Needed support for and monitoring of school health services; and be it further

RESOLVED, That the task force shall consist of no more than 15 members appointed jointly by a working group of the three State agencies; the task force shall include one member from each of the agencies as well as additional members that shall be selected by the working group from organizations representing, at a minimum, the following interests: school administrators, school board members, school nurses, nurses, school health advocates, school health centers, physician groups, teacher unions, and parents; additional members may be determined at the discretion of the State agencies; and be it further

RESOLVED, That the task force shall submit its report to the General Assembly by January 1, 2010; and be it further

RESOLVED, That suitable copies of this resolution shall be delivered to the State Superintendent of Education, the Secretary of Human Services, and the Director of Public Health.