SPRINGFIELD –State Senator Laura Fine is launching an initiative to review data from the first year of operations and recommend updates for the future in order to make the 988 hotline as effective as possible for hotline operators and people experiencing a mental health crisis.

“The 988 hotline is the most accessible form of mental health care in Illinois and can be lifesaving in times of crisis,” said Fine (D-Glenview). “It is vital that we work to make the operation of care as effective as possible to best support Illinoisans struggling with their mental health.” 

Last year, Illinois launched the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline, a three-digit dialing code for a national suicide prevention and mental health hotline, offering 24/7 access to trained counselors who can help people experiencing mental health-related distress. The hotline has been beneficial to many Illinoisans, but currently there is no method of collecting data on the hotline that may be used to improve the 988 system.

House Bill 1364 would create a task force to review existing information about the first year of the 988 call center operations in Illinois and examine the recommendations and decisions of previous state-led workgroups on transforming the mental health crisis response system. The task force would develop a plan for establishing a network of 988 call centers in Illinois that will best promote connection to care and sustainably funding the 988 call centers in future fiscal years.

“Without any data backing up our current system, we cannot know for sure if the way we are operating the 988 hotline is the most effective way,” said Fine. “The data collected by the 988 task force will inform ways we can improve this form of mental health care treatment so callers can get the best support possible.”

House Bill 1364 passed the Senate Behavioral and Mental Health Committee on Wednesday. It now goes to the Senate floor for further discussion. 

SPRINGFIELD – Navigating the healthcare system can be challenging and time consuming, especially for patients with HMOs.  Currently, to see a specialist, HMO patients first have to visit their primary care doctor to get their specialist appointment covered by their insurance. State Senator Laura Fine has introduced legislation in order to eliminate this hurdle.

“When it comes to your health, getting the right care in a timely manner can make a tremendous difference,” said Fine (D-Glenview). “With this initiative, people will be able to get the specialized care they need as soon as possible.” 

House Bill 1186 would allow HMO patients to have appointments and care with in-network specialists covered by their insurance, eliminating the requirement to get a referral from a general practitioner. This will allow HMO patients to get the care they need in a timely manner.

“Requiring the extra step of visiting a primary care doctor is more often than not a hindrance to getting timely care,” said Fine. “HMO patients will no longer have to take more time out of their busy schedules for extra doctor appointments or risk paying more out of pocket for specialized care.”

House Bill 1186 passed the Senate Insurance committee on Tuesday. It now goes to the Senate floor for further consideration.

SPRINGFIELD – State Senator Laura Fine has passed legislation to ensure reports of abuse or neglect in state-operated developmental centers are thoroughly investigated and addressed. The legislation intends to address allegations of abuse at Choate Mental Health and Developmental Center in Anna, Illinois, where certain staff members have been accused and charged with multiple accounts of abuse to patients.

“Vulnerable residents living in state-run facilities are entitled to the best care possible and deserve to be treated with dignity and respect,” said Fine (D-Glenview). “This initiative will ensure people who take advantage of people in our care will face consequences for their actions.”  

Choate Mental Health and Developmental Center serves patients struggling with mental and behavioral health concerns and/or developmental disabilities. Some employees of Choate have been charged with and found guilty of physically or emotionally abusing patients, as well as obstructing official probes and lying to investigators about wrongdoing. 

Senate Bill 855 would create repercussions for employees who do not report incidents of abuse under the Code of Silence. People who do not report cases of abuse or who actively obstructed investigative reports would be added to the Illinois Department of Public Health’s health care workers registry, letting future employers know their role in silencing survivors of abuse at their job. These additions will hold bad actors accountable and discourage employees from obstructing investigations.

“It is the responsibility of the state to protect our most vulnerable from abuse and neglect,” said Fine. “This legislation will be an important tool to deter further atrocities from taking place.”

Senate Bill 855 passed the Senate on Wednesday, March 29. It now goes to the House for further discussion.

SPRINGFIELD – State Senator Laura Fine’s legislation to require public institutions to provide accommodations for individuals with disabilities if they meet transparent eligibility requirements passed the Senate, making it one step closer to becoming law.

“Destigmatizing disabilities in our society is a multi-step process,” said Fine (D-Glenview). “Ensuring accommodations are easily accessible to university students is a good place to start.”

Currently, federal law only protects students with disabilities seeking public higher education from being discriminated against based on their disability and does not outline the need for reasonable academic accommodations past high school. Senate Bill 99 would establish a process for students with disabilities to receive reasonable accommodations from public universities and colleges.

This measure would define the types of documents that universities must accept as proof of a disability in order for a student to receive the accommodations, including diagnostic testing or other recent documents. From this information, colleges and universities would be required to provide reasonable accommodations that they deem to be appropriate for the student requesting the services. This will ensure that students will receive the supports they need to thrive in higher education.

Additionally, public universities would also be required to adopt transparent policies regarding disability services available and to share the information with students and families so that prospective students with disabilities can make informed decisions about the quality of accessibility services a university can provide them. All of these statutes will help students with disabilities be better supported when pursuing higher education.

“Students should not face barriers to access necessary accommodations for their disabilities,” said Fine. “It is long past time that protections requiring these accommodations are codified so that students with disabilities are granted necessary supports from their college or university.” 

Senate Bill 99 passed the Senate on Wednesday, March 29. It now goes to the House for further discussion.