Bill Text: IL SB2185 | 2025-2026 | 104th General Assembly | Introduced

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Bill Title: Amends the Unified Code of Corrections. Provides within 24 hours of admission to a correctional institution or facility of the Department of Corrections, each committed person shall be screened for substance use disorders as part of an initial and ongoing substance use screening and assessment process. Provides that this process includes screening and assessment for opioid use disorders. Provides that if at any time a committed person screens positive as having or being at risk for an opioid use disorder, is diagnosed with an opioid use disorder or is exhibiting symptoms of withdrawal from an opioid use disorder, and medication assisted treatment is clinically indicated by a licensed physician, a licensed physician assistant, or a licensed nurse practitioner, then the individual may consent to commence medications for opioid use disorder, which shall be provided by the Department. Provides that the committed person shall be authorized to receive the medication immediately and for as long as clinically indicated. Provides that upon reentry, the Department shall provide an individual participating in medication assisted treatment with a referral to a community-based provider who may assist the individual with continued medications for opioid use disorder and medication assisted treatment care.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)

Status: (Introduced) 2025-02-25 - Assigned to Criminal Law [SB2185 Detail]

Download: Illinois-2025-SB2185-Introduced.html

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104TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY State of Illinois 2025 and 2026 SB2185 Introduced 2/7/2025, by Sen. Rachel Ventura SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:
730 ILCS 5/3-6-2.1 new
Amends the Unified Code of Corrections. Provides within 24 hours of admission to a correctional institution or facility of the Department of Corrections, each committed person shall be screened for substance use disorders as part of an initial and ongoing substance use screening and assessment process. Provides that this process includes screening and assessment for opioid use disorders. Provides that if at any time a committed person screens positive as having or being at risk for an opioid use disorder, is diagnosed with an opioid use disorder or is exhibiting symptoms of withdrawal from an opioid use disorder, and medication assisted treatment is clinically indicated by a licensed physician, a licensed physician assistant, or a licensed nurse practitioner, then the individual may consent to commence medications for opioid use disorder, which shall be provided by the Department. Provides that the committed person shall be authorized to receive the medication immediately and for as long as clinically indicated. Provides that upon reentry, the Department shall provide an individual participating in medication assisted treatment with a referral to a community-based provider who may assist the individual with continued medications for opioid use disorder and medication assisted treatment care.
LRB104 10818 RLC 20899 b
A BILL FOR
SB2185 LRB104 10818 RLC 20899 b
AN ACT concerning criminal law.
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
represented in the General Assembly:
Section 5. The Unified Code of Corrections is amended by
adding Section 3-6-2.1 as follows:
(730 ILCS 5/3-6-2.1 new)
Sec. 3-6-2.1. Medication for opioid use disorder.
(a) In this Section:
"Clinically indicated" means a medical procedure or
treatment is based upon the treatment provider's medical
judgment in accordance with the current generally accepted
standards of care.
"Medication assisted treatment" means the use of U.S.
Federal Drug Administration-approved medications, in
combination with counseling and behavioral therapies, to
provide a whole patient approach to the treatment of substance
use disorders.
"Medications for opioid use disorder" means the use of
U.S. Federal Drug Administration-approved medications to treat
substance use disorders.
(b) Within 24 hours of admission to a correctional
institution or facility, each committed person shall be
screened for substance use disorders as part of an initial and

SB2185 - 2 - LRB104 10818 RLC 20899 b
ongoing substance use screening and assessment process. This
process includes screening and assessment for opioid use
disorders.
(c) A committed person who is admitted to a correctional
institution or facility while under the medical care of a
licensed physician, a licensed physician assistant, or a
licensed nurse practitioner and who is taking medication at
the time of admission pursuant to a valid prescription as
verified by the individual's pharmacy of record, primary care
provider, other licensed care provider, or a prescription
monitoring or information system, shall have that medication
continued and provided by the Department pending an evaluation
by a licensed physician, a licensed physician assistant, or a
licensed nurse practitioner and subject to the treatment
provider's medical judgment. The Department may defer
provision of a validly prescribed medication in accordance
with this subsection if, in the judgment of a licensed
physician, a licensed physician assistant, or a licensed nurse
practitioner, continuation of the medication is no longer
clinically indicated.
A committed person who is admitted to a correctional
institution or facility while under the medical care of a
licensed physician, a licensed physician assistant, or a
licensed nurse practitioner and who is taking medication for
an opioid use disorder or participating in medication assisted
treatment at the time of admission pursuant to a valid

SB2185 - 3 - LRB104 10818 RLC 20899 b
prescription as verified by the individual's pharmacy of
record, primary care provider, other licensed care provider,
or a prescription monitoring or information system, shall have
the committed person's medication continued and provided by
the Department pending an evaluation by a licensed physician,
a licensed physician assistant, or a licensed nurse
practitioner and subject to the treatment provider's medical
judgment. The Department may defer provision of a validly
prescribed medication in accordance with this subsection if,
in the judgment of a licensed physician, a licensed physician
assistant, or a licensed nurse practitioner, continuation of
the medication is no longer clinically indicated. An
individual participating in a medication assisted treatment
program may have counseling and behavioral therapies continued
to the extent possible.
If at any time a committed person screens positive as
having or being at risk for an opioid use disorder, is
diagnosed with an opioid use disorder or is exhibiting
symptoms of withdrawal from an opioid use disorder, and
medication assisted treatment is clinically indicated by a
licensed physician, a licensed physician assistant, or a
licensed nurse practitioner, then the individual may consent
to commence medications for opioid use disorder, which shall
be provided by the Department. The committed person shall be
authorized to receive the medication immediately and for as
long as clinically indicated.

SB2185 - 4 - LRB104 10818 RLC 20899 b
(d) The licensed practitioner who makes the clinical
judgment to discontinue the use of medication shall enter the
reason for the discontinuance to be entered into the committed
person's medical record, specifically stating the reason for
discontinuance. The individual shall be provided, both orally
and in writing, with a specific explanation of the decision to
discontinue the medication.
(e) As part of the reentry planning, the Department shall
commence medications for opioid use disorder prior to an
individual's release if:
(1) the individual screens positive as having an
opioid use disorder, being at risk for an opioid use
disorder, or exhibiting symptoms of withdrawal from an
opioid use disorder;
(2) medication assisted treatment is clinically
indicated by a licensed physician, a licensed physician
assistant, or a licensed nurse practitioner; and
(3) The individual consents to commence medications
for opioid use disorder.
Upon reentry, the Department shall provide an individual
participating in medication assisted treatment with a referral
to a community-based provider who may assist the individual
with continued medications for opioid use disorder and
medication assisted treatment care.