Legislation Will Help Protect Health and Wellness of All Illinois Residents

CHICAGO - Governor Pat Quinn today signed critical legislation to address urban flooding and to help ensure clean drinking water supplies and a cleaner environment. Today's action is part of Governor Quinn's agenda to protect our natural resources and ensure a clean and healthy environment for future generations.

"Water is a tremendous resource except when you have too much of it or it's not fit to drink," Governor Quinn said. "These new laws will help us better control the damaging urban floods we've had recently, and will help maintain our clean drinking water systems."

"These laws continue to support the Governor's work to provide additional protections for the state's cities and our water resources," Illinois Environmental Protection Agency (IEPA) Director Lisa Bonnett said. "They include additional environmental protections that will provide for clean and healthy water for Illinois residents."

"Urban flooding is an equal opportunity problem," Ryan Wilson, Stormwater Program Manager at the Center for Neighborhood Technology, a Chicago-based nonprofit focused on sustainable cities, said. "Our own research shows that urban flooding can happen anywhere, not just in floodplains. The legislation Governor Quinn signed today will help Illinois communities better understand urban flooding, and identify innovative stormwater solutions that can protect our homes, our investments and our environment from the threat of increasingly frequent and severe storms."

Senate Bill 2966, sponsored by State Senator Heather Steans (D-Chicago) and State Representative Kelly Cassidy (D-Chicago), creates the Urban Flooding Awareness Act. The new law forms a working group with representatives from state, federal and local agencies and other interested parties who will review and evaluate the latest research, policies and procedures regarding urban flooding. The group will then submit a report by June 30, 2015 to the Governor and General Assembly with recommendations on how best to prevent and control urban flooding. The law is effective immediately.

"Flooding in urban areas is a growing challenge that demands the combined expertise of local, state and federal agencies," Senator Steans said. "We're taking the problem seriously and making sure we know what's happening and why so we can adopt effective measures that protect lives and property."

"With recent heavy rainfall, our neighborhoods, cities and state saw a dramatic increase in flooding, causing serious damage to property," Representative Cassidy said. "This bill will bring together stakeholders, experts and State agencies to examine the causes of urban flooding and how our infrastructure and technology can mitigate the impacts in the future."

In addition, Senate Bill 2770, sponsored by State Senator Pamela Althoff (R-McHenry) and State Representative Michael Tryon (R-Crystal Lake), requires each community water supply system to designate an operator who will be directly responsible for that system's water supply and distribution. An initiative of the IEPA, it also updates the duties and responsibilities of operators to ensure they hold the proper certification and skills to operate the community water supply. The law is effective immediately.

Governor Quinn also signed Senate Bill 2928, sponsored by State Senator Terry Link (D-Waukegan) and State Representative JoAnn Osmond (R-Antioch), which allows law enforcement agencies to collect pharmaceuticals and other controlled substances from residents and safely store and transport them for disposal at IEPA-approved sites. Increased options for residents to safely and properly dispose of pharmaceuticals and controlled substances will help ensure that fewer unused medications are flushed down the toilet, which has serious negative impacts on water supplies. The law is effective immediately.

Governor Quinn has a long record of support for measures that ensure a clean and healthy environment. On July 23 Governor Quinn signed Senate Bill 2780, which expands the Governor's Clean Water Initiative to include stormwater and green infrastructure projects. In 2013, Governor Quinn signed Senate Bill 1869 which gives Illinois municipalities greater ability to build and invest in innovative stormwater management infrastructure to help mitigate damaging floods such as green roofs, rain gardens, bioswales, tree boxes, porous pavement, native plantings, constructed wetlands and more. The law expanded existing law to include these items, among others.

Davenport, Iowa?Community Health Care, Inc. (CHC) was awarded a $250,000 grant to enhance or expand the behavioral health services being offered in their clinics.

"We know that our patients have a significant need for behavioral health services," Community Health Care, Inc. CEO Tom Bowman said. "To help meet this need, we are taking a successful partnership with Robert Young Center for Community Mental Health and expanding on it for our Iowa patients."

The grant, provided by funding made available by the Department of Health & Human Services through the Affordable Care Act, will add four new staff positions providing integrated primary and behavioral health care.

"This grant will certainly help CHC meet one of our main goals of fully integrating behavioral health services into all of our clinics," Bowman said. "We know the health of a patient is closely tied to their behavioral health and this grant helps us meet the needs of our patients."

According to the 2012 Community Health Assessment, 33.3% of Quad City adults reported some difficulty or delay in obtaining health care services during the past year, particularly in mental health services.

The nation's health center network, which is supported by HRSA's Health Center Program serves nearly 22 million patients who count on their local health center for high quality comprehensive preventive and primary health care, regardless of their ability to pay. Ensuring that patients of health centers have access to mental health is important to improving overall health outcomes.

Community Health Care, Inc. is a patient-centered primary medical and dental health care organization that serves vulnerable populations?and all people in need. CHC is designated as a Federally Qualified Health Center and is accredited by the Joint Commission. CHC is private, nonprofit organization.

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New Steps Will Help Expand Access and Quality of Healthcare

CHICAGO - Governor Pat Quinn today signed a law to expand health and wellness services in communities throughout Illinois. The law provides certification standards for community health workers to help bridge a vital link between healthcare providers and the unique needs of Illinois' communities. Today's action is part of Governor Quinn's agenda to protect and improve the health of the people of Illinois.

"Community health workers are trusted frontline public health professionals who have a close understanding of their communities' needs," Governor Quinn said. "This new law recognizes the vital role these professionals play in the health care system, and helps ensure the best possible delivery and quality of services in neighborhoods across our state."

"With more people now able to access healthcare under the Affordable Care Act, if workforce shortages are not addressed, it could limit access to services and quality healthcare for all Illinoisans," Illinois Department of Public Health Director Dr. LaMar Hasbrouck said. "Illinois is already experiencing workforce shortages with many safety net and rural health providers being challenged to deliver adequate care for those in their communities. Community health workers can help fill this void, connect people to services and higher-level health providers, which can ultimately increase the health of the state."

House Bill 5412, sponsored by State Representative Robyn Gabel (D-Evanston) and State Senator David Koehler (D-Peoria), defines "community health worker" and creates the Illinois Community Health Worker Advisory Board to recommend certification requirements for these healthcare professionals to ensure quality care for Illinois' residents. This 15-member volunteer board comprised of current community health workers, physicians, nurses and other healthcare professionals will recommend rules to standardize the criteria and process to become a certified community health worker. These workers do not provide any direct care or treatment that requires a license, but can be invaluable for linking specific health and wellness services to residents of individual communities.

The legislation was recommended in the Illinois Alliance for Health Innovation Plan in January. The Alliance was a state-led group of health policy leaders, providers, insurers and stakeholders assembled by the administration of Governor Quinn. The plan recognized the important contribution community health workers make to our healthcare system and recommended the legislation to ensure these workers all meet the same standards to provide the best services to Illinois residents. The law is effective immediately.

"This new law will help people in the community by creating a path for these workers to become respected members of the healthcare team," Representative Gabel said. "Their role is critical because they help implement the patient's healthcare plan, and help patients better understand their conditions to achieve a path of good health."

"Community health workers have become an increasingly important part of our healthcare system," Senator Koehler said. "It will help both the people working in these important jobs and the public to give community health workers legal recognition and to establish training requirements."

Governor Quinn is committed to helping to ensure all people have access to quality healthcare in Illinois, especially those in underserved communities.

In May Governor Quinn announced a $14.5 million investment to build and renovate community health centers to help meet the healthcare demand in underserved communities throughout Illinois. A total of $30.5 million in funding from Governor Quinn's Illinois Jobs Now! program has been distributed since 2011 to community health centers. These centers fill a void by providing care for those whom other providers often do not serve, including the low income, uninsured or homeless; or those with HIV/AIDS, substance abuse problems or special medical needs.

The Governor also signed The Community Health Center Construction Act in 2009 to provide funding to repair outdated buildings, convert vacant commercial space, build new health center facilities and purchase new equipment for additional healthcare services.

Expands Epinephrine Law to Protect Illinois' Students in Life-Threatening Emergencies

CHICAGO - Governor Pat Quinn today was joined by Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan to sign legislation that will help protect Illinois' students in life-threatening situations. The new law allows specially-trained school personnel to administer potentially life-saving epinephrine injections to help against serious allergic reactions. Today's action is part of Governor Quinn's agenda to protect and improve the health and well-being of people across Illinois.

"We want our schools in Illinois to be high-quality places of learning and that includes making sure our students are safe," Governor Quinn said. "In cases of severe allergic reactions, there is precious time to act and potentially save a life. This new law will provide more life-saving tools to protect all who attend, work in or visit Illinois' schools."

"Increasing access to life-saving allergy medication in schools is a simple yet critical safety measure to better protect our children's health and safety, particularly at a time when dangerous food allergies are on the rise," Attorney General Madigan said. "This law will allow trained school personnel to act quickly in the case of an unforeseen medical emergency."

House Bill 5892 was an initiative of Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan and was sponsored by State Representative Michelle Mussman (D-Schaumburg) and State Senator Andy Manar (D-Bunker Hill). The legislation allows properly-trained school personnel to administer an epinephrine injection, commonly known as epi-pen, when they believe a student, employee or school visitor is having an anaphylactic reaction. Previously, only school nurses could administer these injections to students. The law sets curriculum requirements to train school personnel and allows students to carry and administer their own epinephrine injections as well as their asthma medication with parental consent. The law is effective Aug. 1, 2014.

"Protecting our children both at school and their associated activities is a top priority," Representative Michelle Mussman said. "This legislation provides our teachers, school nurses, volunteers and students with the tools and resources they need to provide for the safety of every child and adult in our school buildings."

"More and more children are being diagnosed with food allergies, with peanuts, eggs, milk, soy and wheat as the most common culprits," Senator Andy Manar said. "Ensuring timely access to this life-saving medication can mean the difference between life and death for a child."

Governor Quinn is committed to bringing life-saving measures into Illinois schools. In 2013, Governor Quinn convened a School Safety Summit that included more than 50 top experts from across the state to develop short- and long-term actions to further safeguard Illinois schools. In June he signed a law that requires CPR and automated external defibrillator (AED) training for students in all Illinois high schools.

Governor Quinn also signed more school safety legislation, making safety drills mandatory at private schools, increasing school safety improvement funds and allowing public school districts to make updated emergency and crisis plans available to first responders, teachers, and administrators through electronic devices such as smart phones, tablets and laptops.