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Public Act 103-0355
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| HB3698 Enrolled | LRB103 28922 SPS 55308 b |
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AN ACT concerning health.
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Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
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represented in the General Assembly:
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Section 5. The Mental Health and Developmental |
Disabilities Administrative Act is amended by adding Section |
18.9 as follows:
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(20 ILCS 1705/18.9 new) |
Sec. 18.9. Cultural Empowerment Program. |
(a) Subject to appropriation, the Department shall create |
the Cultural Empowerment Program, which shall make |
grants-in-aid to one or more community providers to provide |
outreach, engagement, training, and support to faith-based |
organizations serving communities that are underserved by |
mental and behavioral health resources. The Department shall |
provide a list of ZIP codes identifying the targeted |
communities. |
(b) Grantees under the program shall utilize all available |
resources to provide initial relationship building within |
community areas by delivering training to faith-based |
leadership and providing connection through personal stories |
from persons with lived expertise to the leadership of faith |
communities or their congregations. Grantees shall provide |
information about the Certified Recovery Support Specialist |
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(CRSS) credential to interested individuals. |
(c) Grantees shall build relationships with local |
community mental health centers (CMHCs) and other behavioral |
health providers to help facilitate linkage to mental health |
services for people in targeted communities. Grantees shall |
ensure that consumers in the program experience a warm handoff |
between the grantee and the CMHC or other service provider, |
and to the greatest possible extent, shall assist consumers in |
navigating or bypassing wait lists and other barriers to |
accessing care. Grantees shall use their relationships with |
CMHCs and service providers to support expansion of services |
when needed and where possible. |
(d) Grantees under the program shall utilize their |
expertise to build relationships with faith-based communities |
in the targeted communities and ensure that those |
organizations are aware of the behavioral health resources |
available. Grantees shall support faith-based communities in |
advocating for community members who are affected by |
behavioral health conditions to access mental health treatment |
and recovery services that shall assist them in living healthy |
and productive lives. |
(e) The Department shall prioritize organizations that are |
existing trusted messengers within targeted communities in |
awarding funding under the program. |
(f) The Cultural Empowerment Program established by this |
Section shall begin operations no later than July 1, 2024.
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