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91_HB1717eng HB1717 Engrossed LRB9104207WHdv 1 AN ACT in relation to home modifications for older 2 persons and persons with disabilities. 3 Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois, 4 represented in the General Assembly: 5 Section 1. Short title. This Act may be cited as the 6 Home Modification for Prevention of Institutionalization Act. 7 Section 5. Findings. The General Assembly finds that it 8 is far preferable for older persons and adults and children 9 with disabilities to live in their own homes or in the homes 10 of family members in their own communities rather than in 11 more restrictive institutionalized settings removed from 12 their friends and loved ones. The General Assembly further 13 finds that older persons and adults and children with 14 disabilities often are unnecessarily placed or forced to 15 remain in institutionalized settings due to the lack of 16 resources needed to make modifications to their dwellings to 17 enable them to remain in or return to their homes and 18 communities. The General Assembly further finds that it is in 19 the best interests of the State of Illinois to support 20 community-based living for older persons and adults and 21 children with disabilities by implementing a program to 22 enable them to make modifications to their dwellings to avoid 23 unnecessary placement outside of their own homes and 24 communities. 25 Section 10. Purpose. The purpose of this Act is to 26 authorize the Department of Human Services and the Department 27 on Aging to jointly establish a program to provide funding 28 for necessary home modifications and assistive technology to 29 enable older persons and adults and children with 30 disabilities to remain in or return to their homes in order HB1717 Engrossed -2- LRB9104207WHdv 1 to allow them to live as independently as possible for as 2 long as possible. 3 Section 15. Program. Subject to appropriation for these 4 purposes, the Department of Human Services and the Department 5 on Aging shall jointly establish a Home Modification Grant 6 and Loan Program. The Program shall have 2 components. One 7 component shall be administered by the Department of Human 8 Services and the other component shall be administered by the 9 Department on Aging. The Department of Human Services and 10 the Department on Aging shall cooperate in the overall 11 administration of the Program. 12 Section 20. Eligibility. Persons age 60 or over and 13 adults and children with disabilities shall be eligible for 14 grants or loans or both under the Home Modification Grant and 15 Loan Program if they have verifiable functional limitations 16 for which some modification of their dwelling is required and 17 they are unable to afford, because of limited resources, the 18 cost of the modification. Preference shall be given to 19 applicants who: (1) are at imminent risk of 20 institutionalization or who are already in an institutional 21 setting but are ready to return home and who would be able to 22 live at home if a modification or modifications are made, (2) 23 have inadequate resources or no current access to resources 24 as a result of the geographic location of their dwelling, the 25 lack of other available State or federal funds such as the 26 Community Development Block Grant, rural housing assistance 27 programs or income limitations such as the inability to 28 qualify for a low-interest loan, or (3) have access to other 29 resources, but those resources are inadequate to complete the 30 necessary modifications. Adults under 60 years of age with 31 disabilities and children with disabilities shall receive 32 services under the component of the Program administered by HB1717 Engrossed -3- LRB9104207WHdv 1 the Department of Human Services. An adult 60 years of age 2 or older may elect to receive services under the component 3 administered by the Department of Human Services if, at the 4 time he or she reached age 60, he or she was already 5 receiving home services under subsection (f) of Section 3 of 6 the Disabled Persons Rehabilitation Act and he or she was 7 already receiving services under the component of the Program 8 administered by the Department of Human Services. All other 9 adults 60 years of age or older receiving services under the 10 Program shall receive services under the component 11 administered by the Department on Aging. 12 Section 25. Rulemaking. The Department of Human 13 Services and the Department on Aging shall jointly promulgate 14 administrative rules governing the Home Modification Grant 15 and Loan Program consistent with this Act. 16 Section 30. Advisory Committee. The Department of Human 17 Services and the Department on Aging shall jointly establish 18 an Advisory Committee for the Home Modification Grant and 19 Loan Program to advise the Secretary of Human Services and 20 the Director on Aging on policies and procedures under which 21 the Program shall operate. The Advisory Committee shall 22 consist of no fewer than 9 nor more than 15 members and shall 23 include at least one individual with a disability, one 24 individual over the age of 60, the Secretary of Human 25 Services or his or her designee, the Director of Aging or his 26 or her designee, a representative of an Area Agency on Aging, 27 the Executive Director of the Statewide Independent Living 28 Council or his or her designee, a representative from the 29 construction industry who specializes in home modifications 30 for individuals with disabilities and older persons, the 31 Executive Director of the Illinois Assistive Technology 32 Project or his or her designee, and the Executive Director of HB1717 Engrossed -4- LRB9104207WHdv 1 the Coalition of Citizens with Disabilities in Illinois or 2 his or her designee. 3 Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon 4 becoming law.