320 ILCS 20/2 — Illinois Code / Chapter 320 / Act 20 / Section 2
Section 2
Status: in_force

(320 ILCS 20/2) (from Ch. 23, par. 6602) Sec. 2. Definitions. As used in this Act, unless the context requires otherwise: (a) "Abandonment" means the desertion or willful forsaking of an eligible adult by an individual responsible for the care and custody of that eligible adult under circumstances in which a reasonable person would continue to provide care and custody. Nothing in this Act shall be construed to mean that an eligible adult is a victim of abandonment because of health care services provided or not provided by licensed health care professionals. (a-1) "Abuse" means causing any physical, mental or sexual injury to an eligible adult, including exploitation of such adult's financial resources, and abandonment or subjecting an eligible adult to an environment which creates a likelihood of harm to the eligible adult's health, physical and emotional well-being, or welfare. Nothing in this Act shall be construed to mean that an eligible adult is a victim of abuse, abandonment, neglect, or self-neglect for the sole reason that he or she is being furnished with or relies upon treatment by spiritual means through prayer alone, in accordance with the tenets and practices of a recognized church or religious denomination. Nothing in this Act shall be construed to mean that an eligible adult is a victim of abuse because of health care services provided or not provided by licensed health care professionals. Nothing in this Act shall be construed to mean that an eligible adult is a victim of abuse in cases of criminal activity by strangers, telemarketing scams, consumer fraud, internet fraud, home repair disputes, complaints against a homeowners' association, or complaints between landlords and tenants. (a-5) "Abuser" means a person who is a family member, caregiver, or another person who has a continuing relationship with the eligible adult and abuses, abandons, neglects, or financially exploits an eligible adult. (a-6) "Adult with disabilities" means a person aged 18 through 59 who resides in a domestic living situation and whose disability as defined in subsection (c-5) impairs his or her ability to seek or obtain protection from abuse, abandonment, neglect, or exploitation. (a-7) "Caregiver" means a person who either as a result of a family relationship, voluntarily, or in exchange for compensation has assumed responsibility for all or a portion of the care of an eligible adult who needs assistance with activities of daily living or instrumental activities of daily living. (b) "Department" means the Department on Aging of the State of Illinois. (c) "Director" means the Director of the Department. (c-5) "Disability" means a physical or mental disability, including, but not limited to, a developmental disability, an intellectual disability, a mental illness as defined under the Mental Health and Developmental Disabilities Code, or dementia as defined under the Alzheimer's Disease Assistance Act. (d) "Domestic living situation" means a residence where the eligible adult at the time of the report lives alone or with his or her family or a caregiver, or others, or other community-based unlicensed facility, but is not: (1) A licensed facility as defined in Section 1-113 of the Nursing Home Care Act; (1.5) A facility licensed under the ID/DD Community Care Act; (1.6) A facility licensed under the MC/DD Act; (1.7) A facility licensed under the Specialized Mental Health Rehabilitation Act of