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| | HB2647 Enrolled | | LRB100 08180 MJP 18276 b |
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| 1 | | AN ACT concerning State government.
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| 2 | | Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
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| 3 | | represented in the General Assembly:
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| 4 | | Section 5. The Department of Veterans Affairs Act is |
| 5 | | amended by adding Section 2h as follows:
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| 6 | | (20 ILCS 2805/2h new) |
| 7 | | Sec. 2h. Task Force on Veterans' Suicide recommendations. |
| 8 | | The provisions of this Section are based on the recommendations |
| 9 | | in the final report of the Task Force on Veterans' Suicide, |
| 10 | | published on December 1, 2016. The Department shall adopt any |
| 11 | | rules necessary to implement this Section. The Department shall |
| 12 | | seek available federal funding, grants, or private funding to |
| 13 | | help fund the requirements of this Section; or the Department |
| 14 | | shall collaborate with other departments, existing veterans' |
| 15 | | organizations, nonprofit organizations, or private |
| 16 | | organizations to implement the requirements of this Section. |
| 17 | | (1) The Department shall reach out and coordinate with |
| 18 | | the United States Department of Veterans' Affairs in order |
| 19 | | to identify veterans returning from service in combat |
| 20 | | units. The Department shall establish a proactive outreach |
| 21 | | program for veterans that served in combat units. |
| 22 | | (2) The Department or the Department in collaboration |
| 23 | | with not-for-profit organizations shall engage in a public |
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| | HB2647 Enrolled | - 2 - | LRB100 08180 MJP 18276 b |
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| 1 | | awareness campaign concerning the trauma and internal |
| 2 | | injuries suffered by veterans in order to promote |
| 3 | | understanding and acceptance from the general public. The |
| 4 | | public awareness campaign shall work to dispel the myths |
| 5 | | associated with grieving, suicide, and mental health |
| 6 | | healing. The Department shall evaluate existing programs, |
| 7 | | including, but not limited to, the Suicide Prevention |
| 8 | | Alliance under the Suicide Prevention, Education, and |
| 9 | | Treatment Act, and coordinate messaging using messaging |
| 10 | | guidelines that existing programs have found to be |
| 11 | | successful. |
| 12 | | (3) The Department shall provide training to frontline |
| 13 | | employees at veterans service organizations established |
| 14 | | under this Act on mental health services to identify |
| 15 | | veterans who might be at risk of suicidal thoughts. This |
| 16 | | training may include, but not be limited to, mental health |
| 17 | | first aid training and amplified suicide advanced training |
| 18 | | programs. The Department shall provide assistance to |
| 19 | | Veterans Assistance Commissions established under Section |
| 20 | | 9 of the Military Veterans Assistance Act and veterans' |
| 21 | | service associations, including, but not limited to, the |
| 22 | | American Legion, Veterans of Foreign Wars, and AMVETS, in |
| 23 | | providing the training under this paragraph to the |
| 24 | | employees of the Veterans Assistance Commissions and |
| 25 | | veterans' service associations that seek participation in |
| 26 | | the Department's training events. |
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| | HB2647 Enrolled | - 3 - | LRB100 08180 MJP 18276 b |
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| 1 | | The Department shall have priority for hiring combat |
| 2 | | veterans to serve as veteran service officers at veterans |
| 3 | | service organizations established under this Act for the |
| 4 | | purpose of having veteran services officers who are able to |
| 5 | | properly relate to fellow combat veterans. |
| 6 | | (4) The Department shall collaborate with institutions |
| 7 | | of higher education to address environmental factors that |
| 8 | | could negatively impact a veteran's ability to learn in a |
| 9 | | traditional classroom setting. The Department, in |
| 10 | | coordination with institutions of higher education, shall |
| 11 | | provide proactive outreach as part of an educational |
| 12 | | success program for veterans experiencing difficulties in |
| 13 | | higher education. |
| 14 | | (5) The Department shall coordinate with existing |
| 15 | | veterans' associations and military organizations to |
| 16 | | provide a family preparation course concerning the |
| 17 | | emotional cycle of deployment that is designed to help a |
| 18 | | family unit adjust to changes in discharged and returning |
| 19 | | veterans and inform the family members of where to go to |
| 20 | | seek assistance. This course shall be made available to the |
| 21 | | family of a veteran prior to the discharge and homecoming |
| 22 | | of the veteran. |
| 23 | | (6) The Department shall reach out to the United States |
| 24 | | Department of Veterans' Affairs to obtain information on |
| 25 | | returning veterans and develop a transition program for |
| 26 | | returning veterans that reside in the State including |
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| | HB2647 Enrolled | - 4 - | LRB100 08180 MJP 18276 b |
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| 1 | | information on local organizations that provide resources |
| 2 | | or services for veterans that a veteran can access. |
| 3 | | (7) The Department shall collaborate with non-profits, |
| 4 | | businesses, and employers in the State that focus on the |
| 5 | | needs of employees who are veterans seeking employment and |
| 6 | | that support employees who are veterans. |
| 7 | | (8) The Department, in collaboration with veterans' |
| 8 | | organizations in the State, shall coordinate with the |
| 9 | | United States Department of Veterans' Affairs to promote |
| 10 | | their peer specialist program and collaborate with outside |
| 11 | | programs to establish a peer-to-peer program.
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