Public Act 095-0900
 
SB2012 Enrolled LRB095 17642 JAM 43716 b

    AN ACT concerning public health.
 
    Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
represented in the General Assembly:
 
    Section 5. The Department of Public Health Powers and
Duties Law of the Civil Administrative Code of Illinois is
amended by adding Section 2310-76 as follows:
 
    (20 ILCS 2310/2310-76 new)
    Sec. 2310-76. Chronic Disease Prevention and Health
Promotion Task Force.
    (a) In Illinois, as well as in other parts of the United
States, chronic diseases are a significant health and economic
problem for our citizens and State government. Chronic diseases
such as cancer, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and
arthritis are largely preventable non-communicable conditions
associated with risk factors such as poor nutrition, physical
inactivity, tobacco or alcohol abuse, as well as other social
determinants of chronic illness. It is fully documented by
national and State data that significant disparity exists
between racial, ethnic, and socioeconomic groups and that the
incidence and impact of many of these conditions
disproportionately affect these populations.
    Chronic diseases can take away a person's quality of life
or his or her ability to work. The Centers for Disease Control
and Prevention reports that 7 out of 10 Americans who die each
year, or more than 1.7 million people, die of a chronic
disease. In Illinois, studies have indicated that during the
study period the State has spent more than $12.5 billion in
health care dollars to treat chronic diseases in our State. The
financial burden for Illinois from the impact of lost work days
and lower employee productivity during the same time period
related to chronic diseases resulted in an annual economic loss
of $43.6 billion. These same studies have concluded that
improvements in preventing and managing chronic diseases could
drastically reduce future costs associated with chronic
disease in Illinois and that the most effective way to trim
healthcare spending in Illinois and across the U.S. is to take
measures aimed at preventing diseases before we have to treat
them. Furthermore, by addressing health disparities and by
targeting chronic disease prevention and health promotion
services toward the highest risk groups, especially in
communities where racial, ethnic, and socioeconomic factors
indicate high rates of these diseases, the goals of improving
the overall health status for all Illinois residents can be
achieved. Health promotion and prevention programs and
activities are scattered throughout a number of State agencies
with various streams of funding and little coordination. While
the State has been looking at making significant changes to
healthcare coverage for a portion of the population, in order
to have the most effective impact, any changes to the
healthcare delivery system in Illinois should take into
consideration and integrate the role of prevention and health
promotion in that system.
    (b) Subject to appropriation, within 6 months after the
effective date of this amendatory Act of the 95th General
Assembly, a Task Force on Chronic Disease Prevention and Health
Promotion shall be convened to study and make recommendations
regarding the structure of the chronic disease prevention and
health promotion system in Illinois, as well as changes that
should be made to the system in order to integrate and
coordinate efforts in the State and ensure continuity and
consistency of purpose and the elimination of disparity in the
delivery of this care in Illinois.
    (c) The Department of Public Health shall have primary
responsibility for, and shall provide staffing and technical
and administrative support for the Task Force in its efforts.
The other State agencies represented on the Task Force shall
work cooperatively with the Department of Public Health to
provide administrative and technical support to the Task Force
in its efforts. Membership of the Task Force shall consist of
18 members as follows: the Director of Public Health, who shall
serve as Chair; the Secretary of Human Services or his or her
designee; the Director of Aging or his or her designee; the
Director of Healthcare and Family Services or his designee; 4
members of the General Assembly, one from the State Senate
appointed by the President of the Senate, one from the State
Senate appointed by the Minority Leader of the Senate, one from
the House of Representatives appointed by the Speaker of the
House, and one from the House of Representatives appointed by
the Minority Leader of the House; and 10 members appointed by
the Director of Public Health and who shall be representative
of State associations and advocacy organizations with a primary
focus that includes chronic disease prevention, public health
delivery, medicine, health care and disease management, or
community health.
    (d) The Task Force shall seek input from interested parties
and shall hold a minimum of 3 public hearings across the State,
including one in northern Illinois, one in central Illinois,
and one in southern Illinois.
    (e) On or before July 1, 2010, the Task Force shall, at a
minimum, make recommendations to the Director of Public Health
on the following: reforming the delivery system for chronic
disease prevention and health promotion in Illinois; ensuring
adequate funding for infrastructure and delivery of programs;
addressing health disparity; and the role of health promotion
and chronic disease prevention in support of State spending on
health care.
 
    Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon
becoming law.