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Public Act 100-0482
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| HB2647 Enrolled | LRB100 08180 MJP 18276 b |
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AN ACT concerning State government.
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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 5. The Department of Veterans Affairs Act is |
amended by adding Section 2h as follows:
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(20 ILCS 2805/2h new) |
Sec. 2h. Task Force on Veterans' Suicide recommendations. |
The provisions of this Section are based on the recommendations |
in the final report of the Task Force on Veterans' Suicide, |
published on December 1, 2016. The Department shall adopt any |
rules necessary to implement this Section. The Department shall |
seek available federal funding, grants, or private funding to |
help fund the requirements of this Section; or the Department |
shall collaborate with other departments, existing veterans' |
organizations, nonprofit organizations, or private |
organizations to implement the requirements of this Section. |
(1) The Department shall reach out and coordinate with |
the United States Department of Veterans' Affairs in order |
to identify veterans returning from service in combat |
units. The Department shall establish a proactive outreach |
program for veterans that served in combat units. |
(2) The Department or the Department in collaboration |
with not-for-profit organizations shall engage in a public |
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awareness campaign concerning the trauma and internal |
injuries suffered by veterans in order to promote |
understanding and acceptance from the general public. The |
public awareness campaign shall work to dispel the myths |
associated with grieving, suicide, and mental health |
healing. The Department shall evaluate existing programs, |
including, but not limited to, the Suicide Prevention |
Alliance under the Suicide Prevention, Education, and |
Treatment Act, and coordinate messaging using messaging |
guidelines that existing programs have found to be |
successful. |
(3) The Department shall provide training to frontline |
employees at veterans service organizations established |
under this Act on mental health services to identify |
veterans who might be at risk of suicidal thoughts. This |
training may include, but not be limited to, mental health |
first aid training and amplified suicide advanced training |
programs. The Department shall provide assistance to |
Veterans Assistance Commissions established under Section |
9 of the Military Veterans Assistance Act and veterans' |
service associations, including, but not limited to, the |
American Legion, Veterans of Foreign Wars, and AMVETS, in |
providing the training under this paragraph to the |
employees of the Veterans Assistance Commissions and |
veterans' service associations that seek participation in |
the Department's training events. |
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The Department shall have priority for hiring combat |
veterans to serve as veteran service officers at veterans |
service organizations established under this Act for the |
purpose of having veteran services officers who are able to |
properly relate to fellow combat veterans. |
(4) The Department shall collaborate with institutions |
of higher education to address environmental factors that |
could negatively impact a veteran's ability to learn in a |
traditional classroom setting. The Department, in |
coordination with institutions of higher education, shall |
provide proactive outreach as part of an educational |
success program for veterans experiencing difficulties in |
higher education. |
(5) The Department shall coordinate with existing |
veterans' associations and military organizations to |
provide a family preparation course concerning the |
emotional cycle of deployment that is designed to help a |
family unit adjust to changes in discharged and returning |
veterans and inform the family members of where to go to |
seek assistance. This course shall be made available to the |
family of a veteran prior to the discharge and homecoming |
of the veteran. |
(6) The Department shall reach out to the United States |
Department of Veterans' Affairs to obtain information on |
returning veterans and develop a transition program for |
returning veterans that reside in the State including |
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information on local organizations that provide resources |
or services for veterans that a veteran can access. |
(7) The Department shall collaborate with non-profits, |
businesses, and employers in the State that focus on the |
needs of employees who are veterans seeking employment and |
that support employees who are veterans. |
(8) The Department, in collaboration with veterans' |
organizations in the State, shall coordinate with the |
United States Department of Veterans' Affairs to promote |
their peer specialist program and collaborate with outside |
programs to establish a peer-to-peer program.
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