2023 Illinois Compiled Statutes › Chapter 20 - EXECUTIVE BRANCH › 20 ILCS 1305/ - Department of Human Services Act. › Article 1 - General Provisions

(20 ILCS 1305/Art. 1 heading)
ARTICLE 1.  
		GENERAL PROVISIONS
(20 ILCS 1305/1-1)
Sec. 1-1. 
		Short title. 
		This Act may be cited as the Department of Human Services Act.
(Source: P.A. 89-507, eff. 7-3-96.)
(20 ILCS 1305/1-5)
Sec. 1-5. 
		Purpose. 
		It is the purpose of this Act to provide for the
creation of the Department of Human Services and to transfer to it certain
rights, powers, duties, and functions currently exercised by various other
agencies of State Government.  This Act consolidates and centralizes certain
human services programs that are now offered to the citizens of this State by
a number of different State agencies; it is intended to make possible the more
effective and efficient operation of the affected programs and services.
(Source: P.A. 89-507, eff. 7-3-96.)
(20 ILCS 1305/1-10)
Sec. 1-10. 
		Definitions. 
		For the purposes of this Act, unless the
context otherwise requires:
"Department" means the Department of Human Services.
"Secretary" means the Secretary of Human Services.  Any reference to the
"director" of the Department of Human Services or of a predecessor department
or agency occurring in any law or instrument shall, beginning July 1, 1997, be
construed to mean the Secretary.
(Source: P.A. 89-507, eff. 7-3-96.)
(20 ILCS 1305/1-15)
Sec. 1-15. 
		Department; Secretary; organization.
(a) The Department of Human Services, created in Section 5-15 of
the Departments of State Government Law (20 ILCS 5/5-15), shall begin operation on July 1, 1997.
(b) The Department shall be under the direction of the Secretary of Human
Services and 2 Assistant Secretaries, as provided in the Civil
Administrative Code of Illinois.
(c) The Governor may appoint up to 7 Associate Secretaries to head the
major programmatic divisions of the Department.  Associate Secretaries shall be
appointed for 2-year terms and shall be subject to confirmation by the Senate
in the same manner as the Assistant Secretaries.  The compensation of Associate
Secretaries shall be determined by the Secretary.
(d) The Secretary shall create divisions and administrative units within the
Department and shall assign functions, powers, duties, and personnel as may now
or in the future be required by federal law.  The Secretary may create other
divisions and administrative units and may assign other functions, powers,
duties, and personnel as may be necessary or desirable to carry out the
functions and responsibilities vested by law in the Department.
(Source: P.A. 91-239, eff. 1-1-00.)
(20 ILCS 1305/1-16)
Sec. 1-16. 
		Initial appointments. 
		The Governor may appoint the initial
Secretary of Human Services before July 1, 1997.  The Senate may take action
on the confirmation of the initial Secretary-designate before July 1, 1997.
In order to assure a smooth transition on July 1, 1997, the initial Secretary
may begin to make official decisions and take official action relating to the
organization of the Department and the implementation of this Act as soon as he
or she is confirmed by the Senate.
(Source: P.A. 89-506, eff. 7-3-96.)
(20 ILCS 1305/1-17)
Sec. 1-17. Inspector General.
(a) Nature and purpose.  It is the express intent of the General Assembly to ensure the health, safety, and financial condition of  individuals receiving services in this State due to mental illness, developmental disability, or both by protecting those persons from acts of abuse, neglect, or both by service providers.  To that end, the Office of the Inspector General for the Department of Human Services is created to investigate and report upon allegations of the abuse, neglect, or financial exploitation of individuals receiving services within mental health facilities, developmental disabilities facilities, and  community agencies operated, licensed, funded, or certified by the Department of Human Services, but not licensed or certified by any other State agency.
(b) Definitions.  The following definitions apply to this Section:
"Agency" or "community agency" means  (i) a community agency licensed, funded, or certified by the Department, but  not licensed or certified by any other human services agency of the State, to provide mental health service or developmental disabilities service, or (ii) a program licensed, funded, or certified by the Department, but  not licensed or certified by any other human services agency of the State, to provide mental health service or developmental disabilities service.
"Aggravating circumstance" means a factor that is attendant to a finding and  that tends to compound or increase the culpability of the accused.
"Allegation" means an assertion, complaint, suspicion, or incident involving any of the following conduct by an employee, facility, or agency against an individual or individuals: mental abuse, physical abuse, sexual abuse, neglect, or financial exploitation.
"Day" means working day, unless otherwise specified.
"Deflection" means a situation in which an individual is presented for admission to a facility or agency, and the facility staff or agency staff do not admit the individual.  "Deflection" includes triage, redirection, and denial of admission.
"Department" means the Department of Human Services.
"Developmental disability" means "developmental disability" as defined in the Mental Health and Developmental Disabilities Code.
"Egregious neglect" means a finding of neglect as determined by the Inspector General that (i) represents a gross failure to adequately provide for, or a callused indifference to, the health, safety, or medical needs of an individual and (ii) results in an individual's death or other serious  deterioration of  an individual's  physical condition or mental condition.
"Employee" means any person who provides services at the facility or agency on-site or off-site.  The service relationship can be with the individual or with the facility or agency.  Also, "employee" includes any employee or contractual agent of the Department of Human Services or the community agency involved in providing or monitoring or administering mental health or developmental disability services. This includes but is not limited to: owners, operators, payroll personnel, contractors, subcontractors, and volunteers.
"Facility" or "State-operated facility" means a mental health facility or developmental disabilities facility operated by the Department.
"Financial exploitation" means taking unjust advantage of an individual's assets, property, or financial resources through deception, intimidation, or conversion for the employee's, facility's, or agency's own advantage or benefit.
"Finding" means the Office of Inspector General's determination regarding whether an allegation is substantiated, unsubstantiated, or unfounded.
"Health Care Worker Registry" or "Registry" means the Health Care Worker Registry under the Health Care Worker Background Check Act.
"Individual" means any person receiving mental health service,  developmental disabilities service, or both from a facility or agency, while either on-site or off-site.
"Material obstruction of an investigation" means the purposeful interference with an investigation of physical abuse, sexual abuse, mental abuse, neglect, or financial exploitation and includes, but is not limited to, the withholding or altering of documentation or recorded evidence; influencing, threatening, or impeding witness testimony; presenting untruthful information during an interview; failing to cooperate with an investigation conducted by the Office of the Inspector General. If an employee, following a criminal investigation of physical abuse, sexual abuse, mental abuse, neglect, or financial exploitation, is convicted of an offense that is factually predicated on the employee presenting untruthful information during the course of the investigation, that offense constitutes obstruction of an investigation. Obstruction of an investigation does not include: an employee's lawful exercising of his or her constitutional right against self-incrimination, an employee invoking his or her lawful rights to union representation as provided by a collective bargaining agreement or the Illinois Public Labor Relations Act, or a union representative's lawful activities providing representation under a collective bargaining agreement or the Illinois Public Labor Relations Act.  Obstruction of an investigation is considered material when it could significantly impair an investigator's ability to gather all relevant facts. An employee shall not be placed on the Health Care Worker Registry for presenting untruthful information during an interview conducted by the Office of the Inspector General, unless, prior to the interview, the employee was provided with any previous signed statements he or she made during the course of the investigation.
"Mental abuse" means the use of demeaning, intimidating, or threatening words, signs, gestures, or other actions by an employee about an individual and in the presence of an individual or individuals that results in emotional distress or maladaptive behavior, or could have resulted in emotional distress or maladaptive behavior, for any individual present.
"Mental illness"  means "mental illness" as defined in the Mental Health and Developmental Disabilities Code.
"Mentally ill" means having a mental illness.
"Mitigating circumstance" means a condition that (i) is attendant to a finding, (ii) does not excuse or justify the conduct in question, but (iii)  may be considered in evaluating the severity of the conduct, the culpability of the accused, or both the severity of the conduct and the culpability of the accused.
"Neglect" means  an employee's, agency's, or facility's failure to provide adequate medical care,  personal care, or maintenance and that, as a consequence, (i) causes an individual pain, injury, or emotional distress, (ii) results in either an  individual's  maladaptive behavior or  the deterioration of an individual's physical condition or mental condition, or (iii) places the individual's health or safety at substantial risk.
"Person with a developmental disability" means a person having a developmental disability.
"Physical abuse" means an employee's non-accidental and inappropriate contact with an individual that causes bodily harm. "Physical abuse" includes actions that cause bodily harm as a result of an employee directing an individual or person to physically abuse another individual.
"Presenting untruthful information" means making a false statement, material to an investigation of physical abuse, sexual abuse, mental abuse, neglect, or financial exploitation, knowing the statement is false.
"Recommendation" means an admonition, separate from a finding, that requires action  by the facility, agency, or Department to correct a systemic issue, problem, or deficiency identified during an investigation.
"Required reporter" means any employee who suspects, witnesses, or is informed of an allegation of any one or more of the following: mental abuse, physical abuse, sexual abuse, neglect, or financial exploitation.
"Secretary" means the Chief Administrative Officer of the Department.
"Sexual abuse" means  any sexual contact or intimate physical contact between an employee and an individual, including an employee's coercion or encouragement of an individual to engage in sexual behavior that results in sexual contact, intimate physical contact, sexual behavior, or intimate physical behavior. Sexual abuse also includes (i) an employee's actions that result in the sending or showing of sexually explicit images to an individual via computer, cellular phone, electronic mail, portable electronic device, or other media with or without contact with the individual or (ii) an employee's posting of sexually explicit images of an individual online or elsewhere whether or not there is contact with the individual.
"Sexually explicit images" includes, but is not limited to, any material which depicts nudity, sexual conduct, or sado-masochistic abuse, or which contains explicit and detailed verbal descriptions or narrative accounts of sexual excitement, sexual conduct, or sado-masochistic abuse.
"Substantiated" means  there is a preponderance of the evidence to support the allegation.
"Unfounded" means  there is no credible evidence to support the allegation.
"Unsubstantiated" means there is credible evidence, but less than a preponderance of evidence to support the allegation.
(c)  Appointment. The Governor shall appoint, and the Senate shall confirm, an Inspector General.  The Inspector General shall be appointed for a term of 4 years and shall function within the Department of Human Services and report to the Secretary and the Governor.
(d) Operation and appropriation. The Inspector General shall function independently within the Department with respect to the operations of the Office, including the performance of investigations and issuance of findings and recommendations.  The appropriation for the Office of Inspector General shall be separate from the overall appropriation for the Department.
(e) Powers and duties.  The Inspector General shall investigate reports of suspected mental abuse, physical abuse, sexual abuse, neglect, or financial exploitation of individuals in any mental health or developmental disabilities facility or agency and shall have authority to take immediate action to prevent any one or more of the following from happening to individuals under its jurisdiction: mental abuse, physical abuse, sexual abuse, neglect, or financial exploitation.  Upon written request of an agency of this State, the Inspector General may assist another agency of the State in investigating reports of the abuse, neglect, or abuse and neglect of persons with mental illness, persons with developmental disabilities, or persons with both. To comply with the requirements of subsection (k) of this Section, the Inspector General shall also review all reportable deaths for which there is no allegation of abuse or neglect. Nothing in this Section shall preempt any duties of the Medical Review Board set forth in  the Mental Health and Developmental Disabilities Code. The Inspector General shall have no authority to investigate alleged violations of the State Officials and Employees Ethics Act.   Allegations of misconduct under the State Officials and Employees Ethics Act shall be referred to the Office of the Governor's Executive Inspector General for investigation.
(f) Limitations. The Inspector General shall not conduct an investigation within an agency or facility if that investigation would be redundant to or interfere with an investigation conducted by another State agency.  The Inspector General shall have no supervision over, or involvement in, the routine programmatic, licensing, funding, or certification operations of the Department.  Nothing in this subsection limits investigations by the Department that may otherwise be required by law or that may be necessary in the Department's capacity as central administrative authority responsible for the operation of the State's mental health and developmental disabilities facilities.
(g) Rulemaking authority. The Inspector General shall promulgate rules establishing minimum requirements for reporting allegations as well as for initiating, conducting, and completing investigations based upon the nature of the allegation or allegations. The rules shall clearly establish that if 2 or more State agencies could investigate an allegation, the Inspector General shall not conduct an investigation that would be redundant to, or interfere with, an investigation conducted by another State agency. The rules shall further clarify the method and circumstances under which the Office of Inspector General may interact with the licensing, funding, or certification units of the Department in preventing further occurrences of mental abuse, physical abuse, sexual abuse,  neglect, egregious neglect, and financial exploitation.
(h)  Training programs. The Inspector General shall (i) establish a comprehensive program to ensure that every person authorized to conduct investigations receives ongoing training relative to investigation techniques, communication skills, and the appropriate means of interacting with persons receiving treatment for mental illness,  developmental disability, or both mental illness and developmental disability, and (ii) establish and conduct periodic training programs for facility and agency employees concerning the prevention and reporting of any one or more of the following: mental abuse, physical abuse, sexual abuse, neglect, egregious neglect, or financial exploitation. The Inspector General shall further ensure (i) every person authorized to conduct investigations at community agencies receives ongoing training in Title 59, Parts 115, 116, and 119 of the Illinois Administrative Code, and (ii) every person authorized to conduct investigations shall receive ongoing training in Title 59, Part 50 of the Illinois Administrative Code. Nothing in this Section shall be deemed to prevent the Office of Inspector General from conducting any other training as determined by the Inspector General to be necessary or helpful.
(i) Duty to cooperate.
(1) The Inspector General shall at all times be     granted access to any facility or agency for the purpose of investigating any allegation, conducting unannounced site visits, monitoring compliance with a written response, or completing any other statutorily assigned duty. The Inspector General shall conduct unannounced site visits to each facility at least annually for the purpose of reviewing and making recommendations on systemic issues relative to preventing, reporting, investigating, and responding to all of the following: mental abuse, physical abuse, sexual abuse, neglect, egregious neglect, or financial exploitation.
(2)  Any employee who fails to cooperate with an     Office of the Inspector General investigation is in violation of this Act.  Failure to cooperate with an investigation includes, but is not limited to, any one or more of the following: (i) creating and transmitting a false report to the Office of the Inspector General hotline, (ii) providing false information to an Office of the Inspector General Investigator during an investigation, (iii) colluding with other employees to cover up evidence,  (iv) colluding with other employees to provide false information to an Office of the Inspector General investigator, (v) destroying evidence, (vi) withholding evidence, or (vii) otherwise obstructing an Office of the Inspector General investigation.  Additionally, any employee who, during an unannounced site visit or written response compliance check, fails to cooperate with requests from the Office of the Inspector General is in violation of this Act.
(j) Subpoena powers. The Inspector General shall have the power to subpoena witnesses and compel the production of all documents and physical evidence relating to his or her investigations and any hearings authorized by this Act.  This subpoena power shall not extend to persons or documents of a labor organization or its representatives insofar as the persons are acting in a representative capacity to an employee whose conduct is the subject of an investigation or the documents relate to that representation.  Any person who otherwise fails to respond to a subpoena or who knowingly provides false information to the Office of the Inspector General by subpoena during an investigation is guilty of a Class A misdemeanor.
(k) Reporting allegations and deaths.
(1) Allegations.  If an employee witnesses, is told     of, or has reason to believe an incident of mental abuse, physical abuse, sexual abuse, neglect, or financial exploitation has occurred, the employee, agency, or facility shall report the allegation by phone to the Office of the Inspector General hotline according to the agency's or facility's procedures, but in no event later than 4 hours after the initial discovery of the incident, allegation, or suspicion of any one or more of the following: mental abuse, physical abuse, sexual abuse, neglect, or financial exploitation.  A required reporter as defined in subsection (b) of this Section who knowingly or intentionally  fails to comply with these reporting requirements is guilty of a Class A misdemeanor.
(2) Deaths.  Absent an allegation,  a required     reporter shall, within 24 hours after initial discovery, report by phone to the Office of the Inspector General hotline each of the following:
(i)  Any death of an individual occurring within         14 calendar days after discharge or transfer of the individual from a residential program or facility.
(ii)  Any death of an individual  occurring         within 24 hours after deflection from a residential program or facility.
(iii) Any other death of an individual occurring         at an agency or facility or at any Department-funded site.
(3) Retaliation.  It is a violation of this Act for     any employee or administrator of an agency or facility to take retaliatory action against an employee who acts in good faith in conformance with his or her duties as a required reporter.
(l) Reporting to law enforcement. Reporting criminal acts.   Within 24 hours after determining that there is credible evidence indicating that a criminal act may have been committed or that special expertise may be required in an investigation, the Inspector General shall notify the Illinois State Police or other appropriate law enforcement authority, or ensure that such notification is made.  The Illinois State Police shall investigate any report from a State-operated facility indicating a possible murder, sexual assault, or other felony by an employee.  All investigations conducted by the Inspector General shall be conducted in a manner designed to ensure the preservation of evidence for possible use in a criminal prosecution.
(m)  Investigative reports.  Upon completion of an investigation, the Office of Inspector General shall issue an investigative report identifying whether the allegations  are substantiated, unsubstantiated, or unfounded.  Within 10 business days after the transmittal of a completed investigative report substantiating an allegation, finding an allegation is unsubstantiated, or if a recommendation is made, the Inspector General shall provide the investigative report on the case to the Secretary and to the director of the facility or agency where any one or more of the following occurred:  mental abuse, physical abuse, sexual abuse,  neglect, egregious neglect, financial exploitation, or material obstruction of an investigation.  The director of the facility or agency shall be responsible for maintaining the confidentiality of the investigative report consistent with State and federal law. In a substantiated case, the investigative report shall include any mitigating or aggravating circumstances that were identified during the investigation.  If the case involves substantiated neglect, the investigative report shall also state whether egregious neglect was found.  An investigative report may also set forth recommendations.  All investigative reports prepared by the Office of the Inspector General shall be considered confidential and shall not be released except as provided by the law of this State or as required under applicable federal law.  Unsubstantiated and unfounded reports shall not be disclosed except as allowed under Section 6 of the Abused and Neglected Long Term Care Facility Residents Reporting Act. Raw data used to compile the investigative report shall not be subject to release unless required by law or a court order.  "Raw data used to compile the investigative report" includes, but is not limited to, any one or more of the following: the initial complaint, witness statements, photographs, investigator's notes, police reports, or incident reports. If the allegations are substantiated, the victim, the victim's guardian, and the accused shall be provided with a redacted copy of the investigative report.  Death reports where there was no allegation of abuse or neglect shall only be released pursuant to applicable State or federal law or a valid court order. Unredacted investigative reports, as well as raw data, may be shared with a local law enforcement entity, a State's Attorney's office, or a  county coroner's office upon written request.
(n) Written responses, clarification requests, and reconsideration requests.
(1)  Written responses.  Within 30 calendar days from     receipt of a substantiated  investigative report or an investigative report which contains recommendations, absent a reconsideration request, the facility or agency shall file a written response that addresses, in a concise and reasoned manner, the actions taken to: (i) protect the individual; (ii) prevent recurrences; and (iii) eliminate the problems identified. The response  shall include the implementation and completion dates of such actions.  If the written response is not filed within the allotted 30 calendar day period, the Secretary shall determine the appropriate corrective action to be taken.
(2) Requests for clarification.  The facility,     agency, victim or guardian, or the subject employee may request that the Office of Inspector General clarify the finding or findings for which clarification is sought.
(3) Requests for reconsideration. The facility,     agency, victim or guardian, or the subject employee may request that the Office of the Inspector General reconsider the finding or findings or the recommendations. A request for reconsideration shall be subject to a multi-layer review and shall include at least one reviewer who did not participate in the investigation or approval of the original investigative report. After the multi-layer review process has been completed, the Inspector General shall make the final determination on the reconsideration request. The investigation shall be reopened if the reconsideration determination finds that additional information is needed to complete the investigative record.
(o) Disclosure of the finding by the Inspector General.  The Inspector General shall disclose the finding of an investigation to the following persons:  (i) the Governor, (ii) the Secretary, (iii) the director of the facility or agency, (iv) the alleged victims and their guardians, (v) the complainant, and (vi) the accused.  This information shall include whether the allegations were deemed substantiated, unsubstantiated, or unfounded.
(p) Secretary review.  Upon review of the Inspector General's investigative report and any agency's or facility's written response, the Secretary shall accept or reject the written response and notify the Inspector General of that determination.  The Secretary may further direct that other administrative action be taken, including, but not limited to, any one or more of the following: (i) additional site visits, (ii) training, (iii) provision of technical assistance relative to administrative needs, licensure, or certification, or (iv) the imposition of appropriate sanctions.
(q) Action by facility or agency.  Within 30 days of the date the Secretary approves the written response or directs that further administrative action be taken, the facility or agency shall provide an implementation report to the Inspector General that provides the status of the action taken.  The facility or agency shall be allowed an additional 30 days to send notice of completion of the action or to send an updated implementation report.   If the action has not been completed within the additional 30-day period, the facility or agency shall send updated implementation reports every 60 days until completion.  The Inspector General shall conduct a review of any implementation plan that takes more than 120 days after approval to complete, and shall monitor compliance through a random review of approved written responses, which may include, but are not limited to: (i) site visits, (ii) telephone contact, and (iii) requests for additional documentation evidencing compliance.
(r) Sanctions.  Sanctions, if imposed by the Secretary under Subdivision (p)(iv) of this Section, shall be designed to prevent further acts of mental abuse, physical abuse, sexual abuse, neglect, egregious neglect,  or financial exploitation or some combination of one or more of those acts at a facility or agency, and may include any one or more of the following:
(1) Appointment of on-site monitors.
(2) Transfer or relocation of an individual or     individuals.
(3) Closure of units.
(4) Termination of any one or more of the following:     (i) Department licensing, (ii) funding, or (iii) certification.
The Inspector General may seek the assistance of the Illinois Attorney General or the office of any State's Attorney in implementing sanctions.
(s)  Health Care Worker Registry.
(1) Reporting to the Registry. The Inspector General     shall report to the Department of Public Health's Health Care Worker Registry, a public registry, the identity and finding of each employee of a facility or agency against whom there is a final investigative report prepared by the Office of the Inspector General containing a substantiated allegation of physical or sexual abuse, financial exploitation, egregious neglect of an individual, or material obstruction of an investigation, unless the Inspector General requests a stipulated disposition of the investigative report that does not include the reporting of the employee's name to the Health Care Worker Registry and the Secretary of Human Services agrees with the requested stipulated disposition.
(2) Notice to employee.  Prior to reporting the name     of an employee, the employee shall be notified of the Department's obligation to report and shall be granted an opportunity to request an administrative hearing, the sole purpose of which is to determine if the substantiated finding warrants reporting to the Registry. Notice to the employee shall contain a clear and concise statement of the grounds on which the report to the Registry is based, offer the employee an opportunity for a hearing, and identify the process for requesting such a hearing. Notice is sufficient if provided by certified mail to the employee's last known address. If the employee fails to request a hearing within 30 days from the date of the notice, the Inspector General shall report the name of the employee to the Registry. Nothing in this subdivision (s)(2) shall diminish or impair the rights of a person who is a member of a collective bargaining unit under the Illinois Public Labor Relations Act or under any other federal labor statute.
(3) Registry hearings.  If the employee requests an     administrative hearing, the employee shall be granted an opportunity to appear before an administrative law judge to present reasons why the employee's name should not be reported to the Registry.  The Department shall bear the burden of presenting evidence that establishes, by a preponderance of the evidence, that the substantiated finding warrants reporting to the Registry.  After considering all the evidence presented, the administrative law judge shall make a recommendation to the Secretary as to whether the substantiated finding warrants reporting the name of the employee to the Registry.  The Secretary shall render the final decision.  The Department and the employee shall have the right to request that the administrative law judge consider a stipulated disposition of these proceedings.
(4) Testimony at Registry hearings.  A person who     makes a report or who investigates a report under this Act shall testify fully in any judicial proceeding resulting from such a report, as to any evidence of abuse or neglect, or the cause thereof.  No evidence shall be excluded by reason of any common law or statutory privilege relating to communications between the alleged perpetrator of abuse or neglect, or the individual alleged as the victim in the report, and the person making or investigating the report.  Testimony at hearings is exempt from the confidentiality requirements of subsection (f) of Section 10 of the Mental Health and Developmental Disabilities Confidentiality Act.
(5) Employee's rights to collateral action.  No     reporting to the Registry shall occur and no hearing shall be set or proceed if an employee notifies the Inspector General in writing, including any supporting documentation, that he or she is formally contesting an adverse employment action resulting from a substantiated finding by complaint filed with the Illinois Civil Service Commission, or which otherwise  seeks to enforce the employee's rights pursuant to any applicable collective bargaining agreement. If an action taken by an employer against an employee as a result of a finding of physical abuse, sexual abuse, or egregious neglect is overturned through an action filed with the Illinois Civil Service Commission or under any applicable collective bargaining agreement and if that employee's name has already been sent to the Registry, the employee's name shall be removed from the Registry.
(6) Removal from Registry. At any time after the     report to the Registry, but no more than once in any 12-month period, an employee may petition the Department in writing to remove his or her name from the Registry. Upon receiving notice of such request, the Inspector General shall conduct an investigation into the petition.  Upon receipt of such request, an administrative hearing will be set by the Department.  At the hearing, the employee shall bear the burden of presenting evidence that establishes, by a preponderance of the evidence, that removal of the name from the Registry is in the public interest. The parties may jointly request that the administrative law judge consider a stipulated disposition of these proceedings.
(t) Review of Administrative Decisions. The Department shall preserve a record of all proceedings at any formal hearing conducted by the Department involving Health Care Worker Registry hearings.  Final administrative decisions of the Department are subject to judicial review pursuant to provisions of the Administrative Review Law.
(u)  Quality Care Board. There is created, within the Office of the Inspector General, a Quality Care Board to be composed of 7 members appointed by the Governor with the advice and consent of the Senate. One of the members shall be designated as chairman by the Governor. Of the initial appointments made by the Governor, 4 Board members shall each be appointed for a term of 4 years and 3 members shall each be appointed for a term of 2 years. Upon the expiration of each member's term, a successor shall be appointed for a term of 4 years. In the case of a vacancy in the office of any member, the Governor shall appoint a successor for the remainder of the unexpired term.
Members appointed by the Governor shall be qualified by professional knowledge or experience in the area of law, investigatory techniques, or in the area of care of the mentally ill or care of persons with developmental disabilities. Two members appointed by the Governor shall be persons with a disability or parents of persons with a disability. Members shall serve without compensation, but shall be reimbursed for expenses incurred in connection with the performance of their duties as members.
The Board shall meet quarterly, and may hold other meetings on the call of the chairman. Four members shall constitute a quorum allowing the Board to conduct its business. The Board may adopt rules and regulations it deems necessary to govern its own procedures.
The Board shall monitor and oversee the operations, policies, and procedures of the Inspector General to ensure the prompt and thorough investigation of allegations of neglect and abuse. In fulfilling these responsibilities, the Board may do the following:
(1)  Provide independent, expert consultation to the     Inspector General on policies and protocols for investigations of alleged abuse, neglect, or both abuse and neglect.
(2)  Review existing regulations relating to the     operation of facilities.
(3)  Advise the Inspector General as to the content     of training activities authorized under this Section.
(4)  Recommend policies concerning methods for     improving the intergovernmental relationships between the Office of the Inspector General and other State or federal offices.
(v)  Annual report. The Inspector General shall provide to the General Assembly and the Governor, no later than January 1 of each year, a summary of reports and investigations made under this Act for the prior fiscal year with respect  to individuals receiving mental health or developmental disabilities services. The report shall detail the imposition of sanctions, if any, and the final disposition of any corrective or administrative action directed by the Secretary. The summaries shall not contain any confidential or identifying information of any individual, but shall include objective data identifying any trends in the number of reported allegations, the timeliness of the Office of the Inspector General's investigations, and their disposition, for each facility and Department-wide, for the most recent 3-year time period. The report shall also identify, by facility, the staff-to-patient ratios taking account of direct care staff only. The report shall also include detailed recommended administrative actions and matters for consideration by the General Assembly.
(w)  Program audit. The Auditor General shall conduct a program audit of the Office of the Inspector General on an as-needed basis, as determined by the Auditor General. The audit shall specifically include the Inspector General's compliance with the Act and effectiveness in investigating reports of allegations occurring in any facility or agency. The Auditor General shall conduct the program audit according to the provisions of the Illinois State Auditing Act and shall report its findings to the General Assembly no later than January 1 following the audit period.
(x) Nothing in this Section shall be construed to mean that an individual is a victim of abuse or neglect because of health care services appropriately provided or not provided by health care professionals.
(y) Nothing in this Section shall require a facility, including its employees, agents, medical staff  members, and health care professionals, to provide a service to an individual in contravention of that individual's stated or implied objection to the provision of that service  on the ground that that service conflicts with the individual's religious beliefs or practices, nor shall the failure to provide a service to an individual be considered abuse under this Section  if the individual has objected to the provision of that service based on his or her religious beliefs or practices.
(Source: P.A. 102-538, eff. 8-20-21; 102-883, eff. 5-13-22; 102-1071, eff. 6-10-22; 103-76, eff. 6-9-23; 103-154, eff. 6-30-23.)
(20 ILCS 1305/1-20)
Sec. 1-20. General powers and duties.
(a) The Department shall exercise the rights, powers, duties, and functions
provided by law, including (but not limited to) the rights, powers, duties, and
functions transferred to the Department under Article 80 and Article 90 of this
Act.
(b) The Department may employ personnel (in accordance with the Personnel
Code), provide facilities, contract for goods and services, and adopt rules as
necessary to carry out its functions and purposes, all in accordance with
applicable State and federal law.
(c) On and after the date 6 months after the effective date of this amendatory Act of the 98th General Assembly, as provided in the Executive Order 1 (2012) Implementation Act, all of the powers, duties, rights, and responsibilities related to State healthcare purchasing under this Act that were transferred from the Department to the Department of Healthcare and Family Services by Executive Order 3 (2005) are transferred back to the Department.
(d) The Department may utilize the services of, and enter into necessary agreements with, outside entities for the purpose of evaluating grant applications and administration of or monitoring compliance with grant agreements. Contracts pursuant to this subsection shall not exceed 2 years in length.
(Source: P.A. 102-699, eff. 4-19-22.)
(20 ILCS 1305/1-25)
Sec. 1-25. Unified electronic management and intake information and
reporting system.
(a) The Department of Human Services shall implement and use a unified
electronic management and intake information and reporting system.  The
Department may own and operate the system itself or use equipment, services, or
facilities provided by private or other governmental entities under contract or
agreement.  The system shall be implemented as expeditiously as may be
practical and, as originally implemented, shall comply as closely as possible
with the plan approved by the Task Force on Human Services Consolidation under
this Section.
(b) The Director of the Bureau of the Budget
(now Governor's Office of Management and Budget),
in consultation with the
Task Force on Human Services Consolidation and the directors of the departments
reorganized under this Act, shall prepare and submit to the Task Force by
January 1, 1997 a plan for the development and implementation of the unified
electronic management and intake information and reporting system.
The Task Force shall review the plan and, by February 1, 1997, shall either
approve the plan in accordance with subsection (c) or return it to the Director
of the Bureau of the Budget
(now Governor's Office of Management and Budget)
						with the Task Force's recommendations for change.
If the plan is returned for change, the Director of the Bureau of the Budget
(now Governor's Office of Management and Budget)
shall revise the plan and, by March 1, 1997, shall submit the revised plan to
the Task Force for review and approval.  If the Task Force does not approve the
revised plan as submitted by the Director of the Bureau of the Budget
(now Governor's Office of Management and Budget),
it may
continue to work with the Director on a further revision of the plan or it may
adopt and approve a plan of its own.
(c) To approve a plan under this Section, the Task Force shall file with
the Secretary of State a certified copy of the plan and a certified copy of a
resolution approving the plan, adopted with the affirmative vote of at least 4
of the voting members of the Task Force.
(d) Until the Task Force on Human Services Consolidation approves a plan for
the development and implementation of the unified electronic management and
intake information and reporting system, no additional powers or duties
(other than those provided in House Bill 2632 of the 89th General Assembly or
this amendatory Act of 1996) shall be statutorily transferred from any
agency to the Department.
(Source: P.A. 94-793, eff. 5-19-06.)
(20 ILCS 1305/1-30)
Sec. 1-30. 
		Badges. 
		The Secretary must authorize to each employee of the
Department
exercising the powers of a peace officer a distinct badge that, on its face,
(i) clearly
states that the
badge is authorized by the Department and (ii) contains a unique identifying
number.
No other badge shall be authorized by
the Department.
Nothing in this Section prohibits the Secretary from issuing shields or other
distinctive
identification to employees not exercising the powers of a peace officer if the
Secretary
determines that a shield or distinctive identification is needed by the
employee to carry out his or
her responsibilities.
(Source: P.A. 93-423, eff. 8-5-03.)
(20 ILCS 1305/1-35)
Sec. 1-35. Families of incarcerated parents.  The Department of Human Services and the Illinois Department of Corrections shall work cooperatively with community organizations and service providers to identify local providers of services and to develop informational materials for families and children of incarcerated parents.
The Department of Human Services shall develop informational materials for families and children of incarcerated parents.  The materials shall be designed to inform children and families of incarcerated parents about the social services that are available to them, including visitation programs, family counseling, mentoring, school-based programs, and other programs identified by community organizations that work with families of prisoners.  The materials shall be designed to reduce stigma and to provide support for children of incarcerated parents.  The materials shall (i) provide telephone and Internet contacts for the children's caregivers with further information and (ii) assist the children's caregivers in locating and accessing services for the children.  The Department shall make this information available through its website and through its existing toll-free telephone numbers.
The Department of Corrections shall provide the materials to inmates during orientation. The Department of Corrections shall provide one sealed envelope containing the public information to the inmate so that the inmate may address it to the inmate's children's caregiver. The Department of Corrections shall mail that envelope to the address provided by the inmate.  The cost of postage will be charged to the inmate's trust account.  If the inmate is indigent, the Department of Corrections shall pay the postage fees for mailing the informational material to the inmate's children's caregiver.  The informational materials shall also be made available within the Department of Corrections' facility visiting rooms and waiting areas.
(Source: P.A. 96-68, eff. 7-23-09.)
(20 ILCS 1305/1-37)
Sec. 1-37. Streamlined auditing and accreditation system.
(a) As used in this Section, "State human services agency" means the Department of Children and Family Services, the Department of Human Services, the Department of Healthcare and Family Services, and the Department of Public Health.
(b) Each State human services agency shall conduct an internal review and coordinate with other State human services agencies to file a unified report with the General Assembly summarizing the provider contracts issued by the agencies; auditing requirements related to these contracts; licensing and training requirements subject to audits; mandated reporting requirements for grant recipients and contractual providers; the extent to which audits or rules are redundant or result in duplication; and proposed actions to address the redundancy or duplication.  The proposed actions shall seek to accomplish the development of a streamlined auditing and accreditation system and the streamlining of agency rules to reduce administrative costs associated with multiple and duplicative program and accreditation audits and duplication in agency oversight.  To the extent feasible, the report shall include (i) necessary statutory changes and (ii) proposed rule changes needed to implement the proposed actions.  The Department of Human Services shall serve as the lead agency in the development of the unified report.
(c) In addition to the information required by subsection (b), the portion of the report related to the Department of Human Services shall also include recommendations on how to address potential inefficiencies in the current oversight of agency providers and the potential outcomes from implementing system changes related to the following:
(1) Addressing redundant checks of policies and     procedures which have already been reviewed for a particular provider, with the focus of the review instead on any changes which may have been made to policies or procedures.
(2) The use of consumer rights statements with     terminology that is not consumer friendly and the need for a statewide, standardized consumer rights statement.
(3) Streamlining of review of individualized service     plan requirements to ensure that sufficient review of plans occurs while eliminating the need for redundant reviews.
(4) The need for flexibility in scheduling service     plan meetings to allow for time extensions in circumstances where a guardian may not be able to attend due to illness or other temporary reasons.
(5) Standardization of staff training curriculum to     expedite the review of curriculum and training previously approved by the Department of Human Services.
(6) The current use of random review of staff     training documents instead of focusing reviews on newly hired individuals, which results in multiple reviews of the same file year after year.
(7) The use of redundant surveys for providers who     consistently demonstrate compliance in previous surveys instead of focusing survey efforts on agencies with on-going compliance issues.
(d) Recommendations in the report shall include a primary focus on developing a coordinated, non-redundant process for providing quality, effective, and efficient oversight of grant recipients and contractual providers in a manner which ensures patient safety, the provision of quality treatment, and the limitation of fraud and abuse.
(e) The final unified report shall be filed with the General Assembly by January 1, 2011.
(Source: P.A. 96-1141, eff. 7-21-10.)
(20 ILCS 1305/1-37a)
Sec. 1-37a. (Repealed).
(Source: P.A. 97-813, eff. 7-13-12. Repealed by P.A. 100-955, eff. 8-19-18.)
(20 ILCS 1305/1-37b)
Sec. 1-37b. (Repealed).
(Source: P.A. 97-813, eff. 7-13-12. Repealed internally, eff. 12-31-14.)
(20 ILCS 1305/1-40)
Sec. 1-40. Substance use disorders; mental health; provider payments. For authorized Medicaid services to enrolled individuals, Division of Substance Use Prevention and Recovery and Division of Mental Health providers shall receive payment for such authorized services, with payment occurring no later than in the next fiscal year.
(Source: P.A. 100-759, eff. 1-1-19.)
(20 ILCS 1305/1-42)
Sec. 1-42. Department Ambassador.  Subject to appropriation, as part of a pilot program, the Department shall designate one or more officials or employees to serve as Department Ambassadors.  Department Ambassadors shall serve as a liaison between the Department and the public and shall have the following duties:  (i)  to inform the public about services available through the Department, (ii) to assist the public in accessing those services,  (iii) to review the Department's methods of disseminating information, and (iv) to recommend and implement more efficient practices of providing services and information to the public where possible.
(Source: P.A. 98-1065, eff. 8-26-14; 99-642, eff. 7-28-16.)
(20 ILCS 1305/1-50)
Sec. 1-50. Department of Human Services Community Services Fund.
(a) The Department of Human Services Community Services Fund is created in the State treasury as a special fund.
(b) The Fund is created for the purpose of receiving and disbursing moneys in accordance with this Section.  Disbursements from the Fund shall be made, subject to appropriation, for payment of expenses incurred by the Department of Human Services in support of the Department's rebalancing services, mental health services, and substance abuse and prevention services.
(c) The Fund shall consist of the following:
(1) Moneys transferred from another State fund.
(2) All federal moneys received as a result of     expenditures that are attributable to moneys deposited in the Fund.
(3) All other moneys received for the Fund from any     other source.
(4) Interest earned upon moneys in the Fund.
(Source: P.A. 101-10, eff. 6-5-19.)
(20 ILCS 1305/1-60)
Sec. 1-60. Pilot study.   The Department of Human Services shall prepare 2 reports on the impact of the provisions of subsection (c) of  Section 104-18 of the Code of Criminal Procedure of 1963.  A preliminary report shall be prepared and submitted to the Governor and the General Assembly by November 1, 2012.  A final report shall be prepared and submitted to the Governor and the General Assembly by October 1, 2013.  The Department of Human Services shall prepare a report on the impact, after January 1, 2014, of the provisions of subsection (c) of Section 104-18 of the Code of Criminal Procedure of 1963. The report shall be prepared and submitted to the Governor and the General Assembly on or before January 2, 2016. Each report shall be posted on the Department's website within a week of its submission.  Each report shall discuss the number of admissions during the reporting period, any delay in admissions, the number of persons returned to the county under the provisions of subsection (c) of  Section 104-18 of the Code of Criminal Procedure of 1963, and any issues the county sheriffs or other county officials are having with the returns.   Each report shall include a recommendation from the Department of Human Services and one from an association representing Illinois sheriffs whether to continue the pilot study.   If either report indicates that there are serious deleterious effects from the provisions of subsection (c) of  Section 104-18 of the Code of Criminal Procedure of 1963 or that the provisions of  subsection (c) of  Section 104-18 of the Code of Criminal Procedure of 1963 are not producing  adequate results, the General Assembly may take necessary steps to eliminate the provisions of subsection (c) of  Section 104-18 of the Code of Criminal Procedure of 1963 prior to January 1, 2014.
(Source: P.A. 97-1020, eff. 8-17-12; 98-944, eff. 8-15-14.)
(20 ILCS 1305/1-65)
Sec. 1-65. (Repealed).
(Source: P.A. 100-863, eff. 8-14-18. Repealed internally, eff. 7-1-19.)
(20 ILCS 1305/1-70)
Sec. 1-70. (Repealed).
(Source: P.A. 100-863, eff. 8-14-18. Repealed by P.A. 102-877, eff. 1-1-23.)
(20 ILCS 1305/1-75)
Sec. 1-75. Off-Hours Child Care Program.
(a) Legislative intent. The General Assembly finds that:
(1) Finding child care can be a challenge for     firefighters, paramedics, police officers, nurses, and other third shift workers across the State who often work non-typical work hours. This can impact home life, school, bedtime routines, job safety, and the mental health of some of our most critical front line workers and their families.
(2) There is a need for increased options for     off-hours child care in the State. A majority of the State's child care facilities do not provide care outside of normal work hours, with just 3,251 day care homes and 435 group day care homes that provide night care.
(3) Illinois has a vested interest in ensuring that     our first responders and working families can provide their children with appropriate care during off hours to improve the morale of existing first responders and to improve recruitment into the future.
(b) As used in this Section, "first responders" means emergency medical services personnel as defined in the   Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Systems Act, firefighters, law enforcement officers, and, as determined by the Department, any other workers who, on account of their work schedule, need child care outside of the hours when licensed child care
facilities typically operate.
(c) Subject to appropriation, the Department of Human Services shall establish and administer an Off-Hours Child Care Program to help first responders and other workers identify and access off-hours, night, or sleep time child care. Services funded under the program must address  the child care needs of first responders. Funding provided under the program may also be used to cover any capital and operating expenses related to the provision of off-hours, night, or sleep time child care for first responders. Funding awarded under this Section shall be funded through appropriations from the Off-Hours Child Care Program Fund created under subsection (d). The Department shall implement the program by July 1, 2023. The Department may adopt any
rules necessary to implement the program.
(d) The Off-Hours Child Care Program Fund is created as a special fund in the State treasury. The Fund shall consist of any moneys appropriated to the Department of Human Services for the Off-Hours Child Care Program. Moneys in the Fund shall be expended for the Off-Hours Child Care Program and for no other purpose. All interest earned on moneys in the Fund shall be deposited into the Fund.
(Source: P.A. 102-912, eff. 5-27-22; 103-154, eff. 6-30-23.)
(20 ILCS 1305/1-80)
Sec. 1-80. Homeless services and supportive housing; veterans data. The Department's Bureau of Homeless Services and Supportive Housing within the Office of Family Support Services shall  annually review and collect data on the number of military veterans receiving services or benefits under the Emergency and Transitional Housing Program, the Emergency Food Program, the Homeless Prevention Program, the Supporting
Housing Program, and the Prince Home at Manteno administered by the Department of Veterans' Affairs. The Bureau may request and receive the
cooperation of the Department of Veterans' Affairs and any other State agency that is relevant to the
collection of the data required under this Section. The Bureau shall annually submit to the General Assembly a written report that details the number of military veterans served under each program no later than December 31, 2023 and every December 31 thereafter.
(Source: P.A. 102-961, eff. 1-1-23; 103-154, eff. 6-30-23.)
(20 ILCS 1305/1-85)
Sec. 1-85. Home Illinois Program. Subject to appropriation, the Department of Human Services shall establish the Home Illinois Program. The Home Illinois Program shall focus on preventing and ending homelessness in Illinois and may include, but not be limited to, homeless prevention, emergency and transitional housing, rapid rehousing, outreach, capital investment, and related services and supports for individuals at risk or experiencing homelessness. The Department may establish program eligibility criteria and other program requirements by rule. The Department of Human Services may consult with the Capital Development Board, the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity, and the Illinois Housing Development Authority in the management and disbursement of funds for capital related projects. The Capital Development Board, the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity, and the Illinois Housing Development Authority shall act in a consulting role only for the evaluation of applicants, scoring of applicants, or administration of the grant program.
(Source: P.A. 103-8, eff. 6-7-23.)