Bill Text: IL SB1377 | 2023-2024 | 103rd General Assembly | Introduced

---

Bill Title: Amends the Department of Veterans' Affairs Act. Provides that a veterans case manager shall be appointed by the Director of Veterans' Affairs, in consultation with the Secretary of Financial and Professional Regulation and the Secretary of Human Services, to assist veterans in obtaining the greatest degree of mental health care and mental health care benefits available and to promote policies that would benefit veterans seeking mental health care. Provides that the case manager shall serve at the pleasure of the Director of Veterans' Affairs. Sets forth the duties of the veterans case manager, including, to: (i) act as an intermediary between health care facilities and veterans health care facilities; (ii) provide information to veterans and health care facilities regarding mental health services available to veterans; (iii) apply for, receive, and administer federal aids, grants, and gifts relating to inpatient mental health services for veterans; (iv) encourage physicians, nurses, and other individuals working in mental health care who have military experience to work in Illinois; and (v) collaborate with health care facilities in identifying, upon a person's admission to a health care facility, the person's eligibility for federal veterans benefits, including prescription drug benefits. Amends the Hospital Licensing Act. Requires the Department of Financial and Professional Regulation to adopt rules requiring hospitals, upon identifying a person requiring mental health services as a veteran, to establish and implement certain protocols including (1) contacting the veterans case manager regarding the veteran's admission, (2) identifying whether the veteran is at risk for causing harm to the veteran's self or others, and (3) preventing the hospital from treating a veteran with less or different care than nonveteran patients solely because of a person's veteran status. Amends the Department of Professional Regulation Law. Requires the Department of Financial and Professional Regulation to establish rules requiring licensed health care professionals, as specified, to receive continuing education credits regarding the treatment of veterans as a condition of license renewal.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 2-0)

Status: (Introduced) 2023-02-23 - Added as Co-Sponsor Sen. Andrew S. Chesney [SB1377 Detail]

Download: Illinois-2023-SB1377-Introduced.html

---

103RD GENERAL ASSEMBLY State of Illinois 2023 and 2024 SB1377 Introduced 2/6/2023, by Sen. Jil Tracy SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:
20 ILCS 2105/2105-370 new
20 ILCS 2805/40 new
210 ILCS 85/6.11a new
Amends the Department of Veterans' Affairs Act. Provides that a veterans case manager shall be appointed by the Director of Veterans' Affairs, in consultation with the Secretary of Financial and Professional Regulation and the Secretary of Human Services, to assist veterans in obtaining the greatest degree of mental health care and mental health care benefits available and to promote policies that would benefit veterans seeking mental health care. Provides that the case manager shall serve at the pleasure of the Director of Veterans' Affairs. Sets forth the duties of the veterans case manager, including, to: (i) act as an intermediary between health care facilities and veterans health care facilities; (ii) provide information to veterans and health care facilities regarding mental health services available to veterans; (iii) apply for, receive, and administer federal aids, grants, and gifts relating to inpatient mental health services for veterans; (iv) encourage physicians, nurses, and other individuals working in mental health care who have military experience to work in Illinois; and (v) collaborate with health care facilities in identifying, upon a person's admission to a health care facility, the person's eligibility for federal veterans benefits, including prescription drug benefits. Amends the Hospital Licensing Act. Requires the Department of Financial and Professional Regulation to adopt rules requiring hospitals, upon identifying a person requiring mental health services as a veteran, to establish and implement certain protocols including (1) contacting the veterans case manager regarding the veteran's admission, (2) identifying whether the veteran is at risk for causing harm to the veteran's self or others, and (3) preventing the hospital from treating a veteran with less or different care than nonveteran patients solely because of a person's veteran status. Amends the Department of Professional Regulation Law. Requires the Department of Financial and Professional Regulation to establish rules requiring licensed health care professionals, as specified, to receive continuing education credits regarding the treatment of veterans as a condition of license renewal.
LRB103 25515 KTG 51864 b
A BILL FOR
SB1377 LRB103 25515 KTG 51864 b
AN ACT concerning veterans.
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
represented in the General Assembly:
Section 5. The Department of Professional Regulation Law
of the Civil Administrative Code of Illinois is amended by
adding Section 2105-370 as follows:
(20 ILCS 2105/2105-370 new)
Sec. 2105-370. Continuing education; treatment of veterans
with a mental health issue.
(a) As used in this Section, "licensed health care
professional" means a person licensed or registered by the
Department under the following Acts: the Medical Practice Act
of 1987, the Illinois Dental Practice Act, the Physician
Assistant Practice Act of 1987, the Podiatric Medical Practice
Act of 1987, and the Nurse Practice Act.
(b) The Department shall establish rules requiring a
licensed health care professional to receive continuing
education credits regarding the treatment of veterans, as
defined in Section 40 of the Department of Veterans' Affairs
Act, as a condition of license renewal. The Department, in
consultation with the veterans case manager established in
Section 40 of the Department of Veterans' Affairs Act, shall
have the authority to determine how often a licensee must

SB1377 - 2 - LRB103 25515 KTG 51864 b
receive continuing education credits.
Section 10. The Department of Veterans' Affairs Act is
amended by adding Section 40 as follows:
(20 ILCS 2805/40 new)
Sec. 40. Veterans case manager.
(a) As used in this Section:
"Health care facility" means a hospital as defined in the
Hospital Licensing Act, a hospice program licensed under the
Hospice Program Licensing Act, an assisted living or shared
housing establishment licensed under the Assisted Living and
Shared Housing Act, a facility licensed under the Nursing Home
Care Act, a facility licensed under the ID/DD Community Care
Act, or a facility licensed under the Specialized Mental
Health Rehabilitation Act of 2013.
"Veteran" means an Illinois resident who has served or is
currently serving as a member of the United States Armed
Forces, a member of the Illinois National Guard, or a member of
a Reserve Component of the United States Armed Forces.
"Veterans health care facility" means a facility operated
by the United States of Veterans Affairs, Veterans Health
Administration.
(b) A veterans case manager shall be appointed by the
Director of Veterans' Affairs, in consultation with the
Secretary of Financial and Professional Regulation and the

SB1377 - 3 - LRB103 25515 KTG 51864 b
Secretary of Human Services, to assist veterans in obtaining
the greatest degree of mental health care and mental health
care benefits available and to promote policies that would
benefit veterans seeking mental health care. The case manager
shall serve at the pleasure of, and report directly to, the
Director of Veterans' Affairs.
(c) The veterans case manager shall perform the following
duties:
(1) Act as an intermediary between health care
facilities and veterans health care facilities.
(2) Assist health care facilities in the transfer of
veterans to veterans health care facilities.
(3) Provide information to veterans and health care
facilities regarding mental health services available to
veterans.
(4) Apply for, receive, and administer federal aids,
grants, and gifts relating to inpatient mental health
services for veterans.
(5) Work with veteran service officers to inform
veterans of benefits that may be available to veterans for
mental health services.
(6) Recommend to the Department of Financial and
Professional Regulation standards and courses of study
that fulfill the continuing education requirements under
Section 2105-370 of the Department of Professional
Regulation Law of the Civil Administrative Code.

SB1377 - 4 - LRB103 25515 KTG 51864 b
(7) Ensure that veterans are treated by health care
facilities with at least the same level of care as
nonveterans.
(8) Encourage physicians, nurses, and other
individuals working in mental health care who have
military experience to work in Illinois.
(9) Inform Illinois residents who are veterans or
currently serving in the military about education,
benefits, and support available to obtain a degree or
certification that would allow the person to become a
mental health care worker.
(10) Collaborate with health care facilities in
identifying, upon a person's admission to a health care
facility, the person's eligibility for benefits through
the United States Department of Veterans Affairs,
including prescription drug benefit eligibility, and
programs with a focus on veterans.
(11) Collaborate with the Department of Public Health
to identify any barriers to veterans in accessing
prescription drug benefits designated for veterans.
(12) Assist health care facilities in amending rules
and procedures for medication administration to allow
veterans greater access to prescription drug benefits.
Section 15. The Hospital Licensing Act is amended by
adding Section 6.11a as follows:

SB1377 - 5 - LRB103 25515 KTG 51864 b
(210 ILCS 85/6.11a new)
Sec. 6.11a. Protocols for the treatment of veterans.
(a) As used in this Section:
"Veteran" means an Illinois resident who has served or is
currently serving as a member of the United States Armed
Forces, a member of the Illinois National Guard, or a member of
a Reserve Component of the United States Armed Forces.
"Veterans case manager" means a veterans case manager as
described in Section 40 of the Department of Veterans' Affairs
Act.
(b) The Department shall adopt rules requiring hospitals,
upon identifying a person requiring mental health services as
a veteran, to establish and implement protocols providing for
all of the following:
(1) Contacting the veterans case manager regarding the
veteran's admission.
(2) Identifying whether the veteran is at risk for
causing harm to the veteran's self or others.
(3) Holding a veteran experiencing or at risk of
experiencing a mental health crisis for a period of not
less than 23 hours unless a court order dictates otherwise
or the patient is allowed to transfer to a veterans health
care facility as defined in Section 40 of the Department
of Veterans' Affairs Act.
(4) Requiring the hospital to evaluate the veteran's

SB1377 - 6 - LRB103 25515 KTG 51864 b
mental stability to determine if the veteran is a threat
to the safety of the veteran's self or others prior to the
veteran's discharge.
(5) Preventing the hospital from treating a veteran
with less or different care than nonveteran patients
solely because of a person's veteran status.
(c) The Department, in consultation with the Department of
Veterans' Affairs, shall adopt rules that provide that if a
person is eligible for benefits through the United States
Department of Veterans Affairs or any other third-party payor,
the payor of last resort for reimbursement to a hospital is the
medical assistance program established under Article V of the
Illinois Public Aid Code. The rules shall also require the
hospital to request information from a person or a person's
personal representative regarding the person's veteran status
and to report to the veterans case manager only the names of
persons identified as potential veterans along with the names
of their spouses and any dependents. Information reported by
the hospital shall be verified by the Department. This
subsection shall not apply to the admission of a person for
outpatient mental health services.
(d) The Department shall adopt rules that require
hospitals to collaborate with the veterans case manager to
identify barriers veterans may face in obtaining prescription
drug benefits, and require, upon the admission of a person
eligible for benefits through the United States Department of

SB1377 - 7 - LRB103 25515 KTG 51864 b
Veterans Affairs to a hospital, the hospital to cooperate with
the veterans case manager to assess the extent for which the
person is eligible for prescription drug benefits.