Bill Text: IL HR0391 | 2009-2010 | 96th General Assembly | Introduced

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Bill Title: Encourages the members of The National Black Caucus of State Legislators (NBCSL) and other legislators across the country to: partner with the American Heart Association and American Stroke Association to promote the Power to End Stroke program as a precursor to a nationwide movement to address stroke as a serious health disparity in African-Americans; raise awareness that uncontrolled high blood pressure and diabetes in African-Americans raises the risk for stroke; and promote adherence to primary and secondary stroke prevention guidelines by healthcare professionals; and encourages NBCSL members, in collaboration with the American Hearth Association and American Stroke Association, to seek to introduce and enact policy that will create and expand Statewide coordinated systems of care for stroke, with special focus and attention on timely access to care, diagnosis, and the most advanced treatment for those most disproportionately affected by stroke.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)

Status: (Passed) 2009-05-30 - Resolution Adopted 116-001-000 [HR0391 Detail]

Download: Illinois-2009-HR0391-Introduced.html

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HOUSE RESOLUTION
WHEREAS, The National Black Caucus of State Legislators
(NBCSL) recognizes that stroke is the third leading cause of
death in the United States; each year over 160,000 Americans
die from strokes; African-Americans are two times more likely
to suffer a first-ever stroke than Caucasian Americans; and age
adjusted death rates for stroke are also higher among
African-Americans; and
WHEREAS, Stroke is also a leading cause of serious
long-term disability, and more than 1.1 million American adults
yearly experience functional limitations and difficulty with
activities of daily living as a result of a stroke; and
WHEREAS, Despite the fact that Americans are now more aware
of stroke's risk factors and warning signs than in the past,
less than one in five adults can correctly classify all stroke
symptoms and warnings, including:
sudden numbness or weakness of the face, arms, or legs,
especially on one side of the body;
confusion, trouble speaking, or understanding;
trouble seeing in one or both eyes;
trouble walking, dizziness, loss of balance, or
coordination; and
severe headache with no known cause; and

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WHEREAS, There is a need for a coordinated system of care
for stroke that addresses stroke care along a continuum of care
from primary prevention through rehabilitation to greatly
reduce the fragmentation of care and the burden of stroke; and
WHEREAS, Essential components of an effective coordinated
system of care for stroke include patient access to the full
range of services associated with stroke prevention,
treatment, and rehabilitation, including:
primordial and primary prevention;
timely notification of and response by emergency
medical service providers;
acute treatment;
sub-acute care and secondary prevention; and
rehabilitation Continual quality improvement
initiatives; and
WHEREAS, Timely recognition of the symptoms of stroke by
stroke victims, family members, the public, and emergency
medical service providers, including, but not limited to,
emergency medical responders, transport providers, and
hospital emergency room and health clinic personnel, is crucial
because the effects of stroke can be totally reversed if
recognized, diagnosed, and treated within three hours; and

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WHEREAS, These groups can screen for stroke by remembering
the first three letters of the word "STR," and asking the
individual to:
smile;
talk and speak a simple sentence coherently; and
raise both arms; and
WHEREAS, Another sign of stroke is noting whether an
individual's tongue is crooked or goes to one side; and
WHEREAS, A concerted focus on the dissemination of this
type of information is one way to raise awareness about the
power of communities, especially communities of color, to
prevent stroke; therefore, be it
RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE
NINETY-SIXTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we
encourage NBCSL members and other legislators across the
country to: partner with the American Heart Association and
American Stroke Association to promote the Power to End Stroke
program as a precursor to a nationwide movement to address
stroke as a serious health disparity in African-Americans;
raise awareness that uncontrolled high blood pressure and
diabetes in African-Americans raises the risk for stroke; and
promote adherence to primary and secondary stroke prevention
guidelines by healthcare professionals; and be it further

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RESOLVED, That we encourage NBCSL members, in
collaboration with the American Hearth Association and
American Stroke Association, to seek to introduce and enact
policy that will create and expand Statewide coordinated
systems of care for stroke, with special focus and attention on
timely access to care, diagnosis, and the most advanced
treatment for those most disproportionately affected by
stroke.