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| Public Act 100-0754 | ||||
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AN ACT concerning regulation.
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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 Mental Health and Developmental | ||||
Disabilities Administrative Act is amended by adding Section | ||||
4.4 as follows: | ||||
(20 ILCS 1705/4.4 new) | ||||
Sec. 4.4. Direct support person credential pilot program. | ||||
(a) In this Section, "direct support person credential" | ||||
means a document issued to an individual by a recognized | ||||
accrediting body attesting that the individual has met the | ||||
professional requirements of the credentialing program by the | ||||
Division of Developmental Disabilities of the Department of | ||||
Human Services. | ||||
(b) The Division shall initiate a program to continue to | ||||
gain the expertise and knowledge of the developmental | ||||
disabilities workforce and of the developmental disabilities | ||||
workforce recruitment and retention needs throughout the | ||||
developmental disabilities field. The Division shall implement | ||||
a direct support person credential pilot program to assist and | ||||
attract persons into the field of direct support, advance | ||||
direct support as a career, and professionalize the field to | ||||
promote workforce recruitment and retention efforts, advanced | ||||
skills and competencies, and further ensure the health, safety, | ||
and well-being of persons being served. | ||
(c) The direct support person credential pilot program is | ||
created within the Division to assist persons in the field of | ||
developmental disabilities obtain a credential in their fields | ||
of expertise. | ||
(d) The pilot program shall be administered by the Division | ||
for 3 years. The pilot program shall include providers, | ||
licensed and certified by the Division or by the Department of | ||
Public Health. The purpose of the pilot program is to assess | ||
how the establishment of a State-accredited direct support | ||
person credential: | ||
(1) promotes recruitment and retention efforts in the | ||
developmental disabilities field, notably the direct | ||
support person position; | ||
(2) enhances competence in the developmental | ||
disabilities field; | ||
(3) yields quality supports and services to persons | ||
with developmental disabilities; and | ||
(4) advances the health and safety requirements set | ||
forth by the State. | ||
(e) The Division, in administering the pilot program, shall | ||
consider, but not be limited to, the following: | ||
(1) best practices learning initiatives, including the | ||
University of Minnesota's college of direct support and all | ||
Illinois Department of Human Services-approved direct | ||
support person competencies; | ||
(2) national direct support professional and person | ||
competencies or credentialing-based standards and | ||
trainings; | ||
(3) facilitating direct support person's portfolio | ||
development; | ||
(4) the role and value of skill mentors; and | ||
(5) creating a career ladder. | ||
(f) The Division shall produce a report detailing the | ||
progress of the pilot program, including, but not limited to: | ||
(1) the rate of recruitment and retention for direct | ||
support persons of providers participating in the pilot | ||
program compared to the rate for non-participating | ||
providers; | ||
(2) the number of direct support persons credentialed; | ||
and | ||
(3) the enhancement of quality supports and services to | ||
persons with developmental disabilities. | ||
Section 10. The MC/DD Act is amended by adding Section | ||
3-206.005 as follows: | ||
(210 ILCS 46/3-206.005 new) | ||
Sec. 3-206.005. Certification status for certified nursing | ||
assistants. A certified nursing assistant shall lose his or her | ||
certification status if he or she goes 24 consecutive months | ||
without performing nursing or nursing-related services for | ||
pay. In this Section, "nursing or nursing-related services for | ||
pay" includes work performed as a direct support professional | ||
as it is defined in the Community Services Act.
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Section 15. The ID/DD Community Care Act is amended by | ||
adding Section 3-206.005 as follows: | ||
(210 ILCS 47/3-206.005 new) | ||
Sec. 3-206.005. Certification status for certified nursing | ||
assistants. A certified nursing assistant shall lose his or her | ||
certification status if he or she goes 24 consecutive months | ||
without performing nursing or nursing-related services for | ||
pay. In this Section, "nursing or nursing-related services for | ||
pay" includes work performed as a direct support professional | ||
as it is defined in the Community Services Act. | ||
Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon | ||
becoming law. | ||