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| Public Act 095-0488 |
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AN ACT concerning health.
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Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
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represented in the General Assembly:
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Section 1. Short title. This Act may be cited as the School | ||||
Health Center Act. | ||||
Section 5. Legislative findings. The General Assembly | ||||
finds as follows: | ||||
(1) Asthma and oral health problems are 2 of the | ||||
leading causes of absenteeism among Illinois elementary | ||||
and secondary school students. | ||||
(2) Illinois youth must deal with increasing obesity, | ||||
poor nutrition, substance abuse, and mental health crises. | ||||
(3) Many Illinois families lack adequate health | ||||
insurance or access to health care facilities. | ||||
(4) Improving the physical and mental health of | ||||
Illinois' youth is vital to building an educated workforce | ||||
for Illinois' future. | ||||
(5) School health centers provide quality health care | ||||
services like immunizations, physical exams, asthma care, | ||||
mental health counseling, and health in schools, and
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national and local evaluations have found that school | ||||
health centers increase access to health care, reduce | ||||
absenteeism, reduce health care access disparities, and | ||||
reduce unhealthy behaviors that compromise health and | ||
education success. | ||
(6) Illinois school health centers were found to save | ||
the State an estimated $2,500,000 each year by reducing | ||
emergency room visits, $2,720,000 a year by providing | ||
immunizations, and $233,000-$342,000 a year by reducing | ||
asthma-related hospitalizations. | ||
Section 10. Eligibility. All students in the school under | ||
the age of 18 are eligible for services if they have obtained | ||
written parental consent or if they are otherwise permitted | ||
under Illinois law to consent on their own behalf to such care. | ||
All students 18 years of age or older are eligible for the | ||
services. | ||
Section 15. Consent. The school health center shall provide | ||
a list of the health care services available. The form shall | ||
enumerate the provided services using either a check off or | ||
other means. The consent form shall state that a parent, legal | ||
guardian, or student who is permitted under Illinois law to | ||
consent on his or her own behalf has a right to refuse any | ||
health care services. | ||
Section 20. Department of Human Services to initiate school | ||
health centers. Subject to appropriation, the Illinois | ||
Department of Human Services shall initiate 20 new school | ||
health centers over a 5-year period beginning July 1, 2007, and | ||
shall build capacity with existing school health centers in the | ||
State of Illinois.
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Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon | ||
becoming law.
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