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| Public Act 094-0634 |
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AN ACT in relation to public health.
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Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois, | ||||
represented in the General Assembly:
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Section 1. Short title. This Act may be cited as the | ||||
Arthritis
Prevention, Control, and Cure Act.
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Section 5. Findings and purposes.
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(a) Findings. The legislature hereby finds the following:
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(1) Arthritis encompasses more than 100 diseases and
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conditions that affect joints, the surrounding tissues, | ||||
and other
connective tissues.
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(2) One of the most common family of diseases in the
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United States, arthritis or chronic joint symptoms affect | ||||
nearly one of every 3 Americans.
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(3) Arthritis is the leading cause of disability in the
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United States, limiting daily activities for more than | ||||
7,000,000
citizens.
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(4) Although prevailing myths inaccurately portray
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arthritis as an old person's disease, arthritis is a
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multi-generational disease that has become one of the | ||||
country's most
pressing public health problems.
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(5) This disease has a significant impact on quality of
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life not only for the individual who experiences its | ||||
painful
symptoms and resulting disability, but also for | ||||
family members
and caregivers.
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(6) Compounding this picture are the enormous economic
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and social costs associated with treating arthritis and its
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complications, which are estimated at almost | ||||
$86,000,000,000
annually.
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(7) Currently, the challenge exists to ensure delivery | ||||
of
effective, but often underutilized, interventions that | ||||
are
necessary in the prevention or reduction of | ||||
arthritis-related
pain and disability.
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(8) Although there exists a large quantity of public
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information and programs about arthritis, it remains | ||
inadequately
disseminated and insufficient in addressing | ||
the needs of
specific diverse populations and other | ||
underserved groups.
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(9) The Arthritis Foundation, the Centers for Disease
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Control and Prevention (CDC), and the Association of State | ||
and
Territorial Health Officials have led the development | ||
of
a public health strategy, the National Arthritis Action | ||
Plan, to
respond to this challenge.
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(10) Educating the public and health care community
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throughout the State about this devastating disease is of
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paramount importance and is in every respect in the public
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interest and to the benefit of all residents of this State.
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(b) Purposes. The purposes of this Act are:
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(1) To create and foster a statewide program that
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promotes public awareness and increases knowledge about | ||
the
causes of arthritis, the importance of early diagnosis | ||
and
appropriate management, effective prevention | ||
strategies, and pain
prevention and management.
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(2) To develop knowledge and enhance understanding of
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arthritis by disseminating educational materials and | ||
information on
research results, services provided, and | ||
strategies for
prevention and control to patients, health | ||
professionals, and the
public.
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(3) To establish a solid scientific base of knowledge | ||
on
the prevention of arthritis and related disability | ||
through
surveillance, epidemiology, and prevention | ||
research.
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(4) To utilize educational and training resources and
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services developed by organizations with appropriate | ||
expertise
and knowledge of arthritis and to use available | ||
technical
assistance.
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(5) To evaluate the need for improving the quality and
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accessibility of existing community-based arthritis | ||
services.
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(6) To heighten awareness about the prevention, | ||
detection,
and treatment of arthritis among State and local | ||
health and human
services officials, health professionals | ||
and providers, and
policy makers.
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(7) To implement and coordinate State and local | ||
programs
and services to reduce the public health burden of | ||
arthritis.
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(8) To adequately fund these programs on a State level.
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(9) To provide lasting improvements in the delivery of
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health care for individuals with arthritis and their | ||
families,
thus improving their quality of life while also | ||
containing health
care costs.
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Section 10. Arthritis Prevention, Control, and Cure | ||
Program.
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(a) The Department of Public Health shall establish, | ||
promote,
and maintain an Arthritis Prevention, Control, and | ||
Cure Program to raise
public awareness, educate consumers, and | ||
educate and train health
professionals, teachers, and human | ||
services providers, and for other
purposes. The program shall | ||
include the following components:
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(1) Needs assessment. The Department of Public Health
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shall conduct a needs assessment to identify the following:
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(A) Epidemiological and other public health | ||
research
being conducted within the State.
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(B) Available technical assistance and educational
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materials and programs nationwide and within the | ||
State.
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(C) The level of public and professional arthritis
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awareness.
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(D) The needs of people with arthritis and their
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families and caregivers.
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(E) Educational and support service needs of | ||
health
care providers, including physicians, nurses, | ||
managed care
organizations, and other health care | ||
providers.
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(F) The services available to a person with | ||
arthritis.
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(G) The existence of arthritis treatment, | ||
self-management, physical
activity, and other | ||
education programs.
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(H) The existence of rehabilitation services.
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(2) Advisory Council on Arthritis. The Department of
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Public Health shall establish and coordinate an Advisory | ||
Council
on Arthritis to provide non-governmental input | ||
regarding the
Arthritis Prevention, Control, and Cure | ||
Program. Membership of the
Council must include, but need | ||
not be limited to, persons with
arthritis, public health | ||
educators, medical experts on arthritis,
providers of | ||
arthritis health care, persons knowledgeable in
health | ||
promotion and education, and representatives of national
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arthritis organizations and their local chapters.
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(3) Public awareness. The Department of Public Health
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shall use, but is not limited to, strategies consistent | ||
with the
National Arthritis Action Plan and existing State | ||
planning
efforts to raise public awareness and knowledge on | ||
the causes and
nature of arthritis, personal risk factors, | ||
the value of prevention
and early detection, ways to | ||
minimize preventable pain, and
options for diagnosing and | ||
treating the disease.
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(4) Technical assistance. The Department of Public | ||
Health
may replicate and use successful arthritis programs | ||
and enter
into contracts with or purchase materials or | ||
services from
entities with appropriate expertise for | ||
services and materials
that are necessary to carry out the | ||
goals of the Arthritis
Prevention, Control, and Cure | ||
Program. The Department may enter into
agreements with one | ||
or more national organizations with expertise
in arthritis | ||
to implement parts of the Arthritis Prevention,
Control, | ||
and Cure Program.
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(b) In addition to the components described in subsection | ||
(a), the Arthritis Prevention, Control, and Cure Program shall | ||
include a pilot program for the study of arthritis public | ||
health innovation projects. Under the pilot program, the | ||
Department of Public Health may give grants to academic | ||
organizations or to public or community health organizations to | ||
conduct the study or studies. The Department shall review all | ||
grant applications, in collaboration with the Arthritis | ||
Foundation and the Illinois Arthritis Partnership. Under the | ||
pilot program, the Department of Public Health also may fund | ||
community health projects for the following activities: | ||
surveillance, awareness campaigns, public education, | ||
professional education, screenings, and physical activity | ||
programs. The Department of Public Health, in coordination with | ||
selected grantees, shall evaluate the success of the community | ||
health projects and their outcomes. | ||
(c) The Department of Public Health shall do all of the
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following:
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(1) Provide sufficient staff to implement the | ||
Arthritis
Prevention, Control, and Cure Program.
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(2) Provide appropriate training for staff of the
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Arthritis Prevention, Control, and Cure Program.
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(3) Identify the appropriate organizations to carry | ||
out
the program.
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(4) Base the program on the most current scientific
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information and findings.
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(5) Work to increase and improve community-based | ||
services
available to people with arthritis and their | ||
family members.
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(6) Work with governmental offices, national voluntary
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health organizations and their local chapters, community | ||
and
business leaders, community organizations, and health | ||
care and
human services providers to coordinate efforts and | ||
maximize State
resources in the areas of prevention, | ||
education, detection, pain
management, and treatment of | ||
arthritis.
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(7) Identify and, when appropriate, use evidence-based
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arthritis programs and obtain related materials and | ||
services from
organizations with appropriate expertise and | ||
knowledge of
arthritis.
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Section 15. Funding. The Department of Public Health may | ||
accept
grants, services, and property from the federal | ||
government,
foundations, organizations, medical schools, and | ||
other entities that
may be available for the purposes of | ||
fulfilling the obligations of the
Arthritis Prevention, | ||
Control, and Cure Program.
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Section 20. Waivers. The Department of Public Health shall | ||
seek
all waivers of federal law and regulations that may be | ||
necessary to
maximize funds from the federal government to | ||
implement the Arthritis
Prevention, Control, and Cure Program.
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Section 25. Implementation subject to appropriation. | ||
Implementation of this Act is subject to appropriation.
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