320 ILCS 20/9 — Illinois Code / Chapter 320 / Act 20 / Section 9
Section 9
Status: in_force

(320 ILCS 20/9) (from Ch. 23, par. 6609) Sec. 9. Authority to consent to services. (a) If an eligible adult consents to an assessment of a reported incident of suspected abuse, abandonment, neglect, financial exploitation, or eligibility screening for self-neglect and, following the assessment of such report, consents to services being provided according to the case plan, such services shall be arranged to meet the adult's needs, based upon the availability of resources to provide such services. If an adult withdraws his or her consent for an assessment of the reported incident or withdraws his or her consent for services and refuses to accept such services, the services shall not be provided. (b) If it reasonably appears to the Department or other agency designated under this Act that a person is an eligible adult and lacks the capacity to consent to an assessment, or eligibility screen, of a reported incident of suspected abuse, abandonment, neglect, financial exploitation, or self-neglect or to necessary services, the Department or other agency shall take appropriate action necessary to ameliorate risk to the eligible adult if there is a threat of ongoing harm or another emergency exists. Once the emergent risk has been mitigated, the Department or the provider agency shall be authorized to seek the appointment of a temporary guardian as provided in Article XIa of the Probate Act of 1975 or surrogate decision-maker for the purpose of consenting to an assessment or eligibility screen of the reported incident and such services, together with an order for an evaluation of the eligible adult's physical, psychological, and medical condition and decisional capacity. (c) A guardian of the person of an eligible adult may consent to an assessment of the reported incident and to services being provided according to the case plan. If an eligible adult lacks capacity to consent, an agent having authority under a power of attorney may consent to an assessment of the reported incident and to services. If the guardian or agent is the suspected abuser and he or she withdraws consent for the assessment of the reported incident, or refuses to allow services to be provided to the eligible adult, the Department, an agency designated under this Act, or the office of the Attorney General may request a court order seeking appropriate remedies, and may in addition request removal of the guardian and appointment of a successor guardian or request removal of the agent and appointment of a guardian. (d) If an emergency exists and the Department or other agency designated under this Act reasonably believes that a person is an eligible adult and lacks the capacity to consent to necessary services, the Department or other agency may request an ex parte order from the circuit court of the county in which the petitioner or respondent resides or in which the alleged abuse, abandonment, neglect, financial exploitation, or self-neglect occurred, authorizing an assessment of a report of alleged or suspected abuse, abandonment, neglect, financial exploitation, or self-neglect or the provision of necessary services, or both, including relief available under the Illinois Domestic Violence Act of 1986 in accord with established law and Department protocols, procedures, and policies. Petitions filed under this subsection shall be treated as expedited proceedings. When an eligible adult is at risk of serious injury or death and it reasonably appears that the eligible adult lacks capacity to consent to necessary services, the Department or other agency designated under this Act may take action necessary to ameliorate the risk in accordance with administrative rules promulgated by the Department. (d-5) For purposes of this Section, an eligible adult "lacks the capacity to consent" if qualified staff of an agency designated under this Act reasonably determine, in accordance with administrative rules promulgated by the Department, that he or she appears either (i) unable to receive and evaluate information related to the assessment or services or (ii) unable to communicate in any manner decisions related to the assessment of the reported incident or services. (e) Within 15 days after the entry of the ex parte emergency order, the order shall expire, or, if the need for assessment of the reported incident or services continues, the provider agency shall petition for the appointment of a guardian as provided in Article XIa of the Probate Act of 1975 for the purpose of consenting to such assessment or services or to protect the eligible adult from further harm. (f) If the court enters an ex parte order under subsection (d) for an assessment of a reported incident of alleged or suspected abuse, abandonment, neglect, financial exploitation, or self-neglect, or for the provision of necessary services in connection with alleged or suspected self-neglect, or for both, the court, as soon as is practicable thereafter, shall appoint a guardian ad litem for the eligible adult who is the subject of the order, for the purpose of reviewing the reasonableness of the order. The guardian ad litem shall review the order and, if the guardian ad litem reasonably believes that the order is unreasonable, the guardian ad litem shall file a petition with the court stating the guardian ad litem's belief and requesting that the order be vacated. (g) In all cases in which there is a substantiated finding of abuse, abandonment, neglect, or financial exploitation by a guardian, the Department shall, within 30 days after the finding, notify the Probate Court with jurisdiction over the guardianship. (Source: P.A. 102-244, eff. 1-1-22; 103-626, eff. 1-1-25.)