Bill Text: IL HB5444 | 2023-2024 | 103rd General Assembly | Engrossed

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Bill Title: Amends the Co-Responder Pilot Program Division of the Illinois Municipal Code. Adds the McHenry County Sheriff's Office to the offices to which the Division is applicable, including that the Office shall establish, subject to appropriation, a co-responder unit no later than 6 months after the effective date of the amendatory Act, including the hiring of personnel as provided in the Division. Makes conforming changes, including in the Counties Code. Provides that, along with the duties described elsewhere in the Division, the unit's social workers are responsible for following up with victims (rather than conducting follow-up visits for victims) who may benefit from mental or behavioral health services.

Spectrum: Moderate Partisan Bill (Democrat 17-5)

Status: (Engrossed) 2024-05-17 - Rule 3-9(a) / Re-referred to Assignments [HB5444 Detail]

Download: Illinois-2023-HB5444-Engrossed.html

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AN ACT concerning local government.
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
represented in the General Assembly:
Section 5. The Counties Code is amended by adding Section
3-6043 as follows:
(55 ILCS 5/3-6043 new)
Sec. 3-6043. Co-responder unit of the McHenry County
Sheriff's Office. The McHenry County Sheriff's Office shall
establish, subject to appropriation, a co-responder unit as
provided in Section 11-1.5-5 of the Illinois Municipal Code.
Section 10. The Illinois Municipal Code is amended by
changing Sections 11-1.5-5, 11-1.5-10, 11-1.5-15, and
11-1.5-20 as follows:
(65 ILCS 5/11-1.5-5)
(Section scheduled to be repealed on January 1, 2029)
Sec. 11-1.5-5. Definitions. As used in this Division:
"Department" means the East St. Louis Police Department,
the Peoria Police Department, the Springfield Police
Department, or the Waukegan Police Department, or the McHenry
County Sheriff's Office.
"Social Worker" means a licensed clinical social worker or

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licensed social worker, as those terms are defined in the
Clinical Social Work and Social Work Practice Act.
"Station adjustment" has the meaning given to that term in
Section 1-3 of the Juvenile Court Act of 1987.
"Unit" means a co-responder unit created under this
Division.
(Source: P.A. 102-756, eff. 5-10-22; 103-154, eff. 6-30-23.)
(65 ILCS 5/11-1.5-10)
(Section scheduled to be repealed on January 1, 2029)
Sec. 11-1.5-10. Establishment; responsibilities; focus.
(a) Each department shall establish, subject to
appropriation, a co-responder unit no later than 6 months
after May 10, 2022 (the effective date of Public Act 102-756)
this amendatory Act of the 102nd General Assembly, including
the hiring of personnel as provided in this Division. The
McHenry County Sheriff's Office shall establish, subject to
appropriation, a co-responder unit no later than 6 months
after the effective date of this amendatory Act of the 103rd
General Assembly, including the hiring of personnel as
provided in this Division
(b) Along with the duties described in Sections 11-1.5-15
and 11-1.5-20, the unit's social workers are responsible for
following up with conducting follow-up visits for victims who
may benefit from mental or behavioral health services. The
unit shall utilize community resources, including services

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provided through the Department of Human Services and social
workers in juvenile and adult investigations, to connect
individuals with appropriate services.
(c) The unit's primary area of focus shall be victim
assistance.
(Source: P.A. 102-756, eff. 5-10-22.)
(65 ILCS 5/11-1.5-15)
(Section scheduled to be repealed on January 1, 2029)
Sec. 11-1.5-15. Duties. The duties of the unit include,
but are not limited to:
(1) Serving as a resource to a department's community
to identify and coordinate the social services available
to residents who are victims of criminal acts.
(2) Networking with area social service agencies to
develop a community-mutual resource system and wrap-around
services (a team-based, collaborative case management
approach) for victims in need of social service
assistance; and fostering relationships with community
organizations not limited to area hospitals, school
districts, juvenile justice system, and various community
groups.
(3) Employing social workers of the unit who shall:
(A) Upon request, provide community presentations
on an array of social service topics.
(B) Assist individuals in diversion from the

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criminal justice system by addressing problems or
concerns through therapeutic intervention.
(C) Facilitate follow-up treatment or referral to
the appropriate community resource organization.
(D) When requested, assist department employees in
securing services for those in need and provide
educational information to help the employee better
understand the circumstances or the community concern.
(E) Meet with walk-ins requesting information or
assistance.
(F) Protect the interest, confidentiality, and
civil rights of the client.
(G) Train social work interns who may be working
within the unit.
(H) Be on-call after regular business hours, as
needed.
(I) Inform clients, prior to providing services
under this Division, what communications are
confidential pursuant to applicable provisions of
State or federal law, rule, or regulation and what may
be shared with the social worker's employer.
(J) Consult on all cases as needed by the
department.
(K) Perform other functions as provided in Section
11-1.5-20 or otherwise needed by a department.
(4) Employing social workers who shall work with

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victims of crimes as follows:
(A) Review police reports to identify known
victims and contact them to offer direct and referred
services.
(B) Assist victims with filing police reports and
victim compensation forms.
(C) Provide safety planning services to victims.
(D) Provide crisis counseling services to victims
and their families.
(E) Conduct home visits with victims in
conjunction with law enforcement police backup, when
needed.
(F) Assist victims in obtaining orders of
protection. A social worker, in the performance of his
or her duties under this subparagraph, is an advocate,
as that term is defined in Section 112A-3 of the Code
of Criminal Procedure of 1963.
(G) Facilitate court advocacy services for
victims, including arranging for transportation to and
from court.
(H) Maintain confidential case files which include
social history, diagnosis, formulation of treatment,
and documentation of services.
(I) Perform miscellaneous personal advocacy tasks
for victims, as needed.
(J) Oversee activities to ensure those victims

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with the most urgent needs are given the highest
priority for services.
(K) Provide status updates on the progress of a
victim's case.
(5) Adhering to and understanding the applicable
policies, procedures, and orders of a department.
(6) Attaining department-established unit goals.
(7) Maintaining a positive relationship with
co-workers, as well as the investigators from area law
enforcement agencies police departments and facilitating
the exchange of information and resources pertaining to
investigations that would not violate confidentiality as
protected pursuant to applicable provisions of State or
federal law, rule, or regulation.
(8) Keeping informed on crime trends within the
department the unit supports City.
(9) Remaining obedient and responsive to all lawful
verbal and written orders issued by superiors.
(10) Completing police reports and other required
documentation.
(11) Performing such other duties as may be required
by State law, city ordinance, and department policy or as
may be assigned by a sworn supervisor.
(Source: P.A. 102-756, eff. 5-10-22.)
(65 ILCS 5/11-1.5-20)

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(Section scheduled to be repealed on January 1, 2029)
Sec. 11-1.5-20. Social workers.
(a) Unit social workers may be referred to as victim
service specialists. Social workers are responsible for
working as a team to provide trauma-informed crisis
intervention, case management, advocacy, and ongoing emotional
support to the victims of all crimes, with extra attention to
crimes that cause a high level of victim trauma.
(b) Unit social workers involved in a case under adult
investigations may perform the following responsibilities:
(1) Working with domestic violence investigators.
(2) Assisting victims with finding safe housing,
transportation, and legal assistance.
(3) Providing other needed resources for victims and
their families, including working with children who
witness or experience domestic violence.
(4) Assisting victims and their children in setting up
counseling.
(5) Helping reduce victims' chances of reentry into
violent situations.
(c) Unit social workers involved in a case under juvenile
investigations may perform the following responsibilities:
(1) Working with families that have habitual runaways
and determining why the juveniles keep running away.
(2) Providing services to families where there have
been domestic disturbances between the juveniles and their

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parents.
(3) Providing resources for parents to help their
children who are struggling in school or need
transportation to school.
(4) Providing guidance and advice to the families of a
juvenile who has been arrested and what the next steps and
options are in the process.
(5) Assisting a juvenile with station adjustments and
creating a station adjustment program in a department.
(6) Providing services to juvenile victims and
families where the Department of Children and Family
Services either did not get involved or did not provide
services.
(7) Assisting with overcoming feuds between groups of
juveniles.
(8) Assisting in instances where the families are not
cooperative with law enforcement police.
(9) Discussing with families and juveniles options and
solutions to prevent future arrest.
(10) Maintaining a list of families in need that the
unit or department have had contact with for department or
city special events.
(11) Helping facilitate or assist a department in
community-oriented events, such as setting up an event
where officers or unit personnel read books with younger
children, talking about cyber crimes and social media, or

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