Bill Text: IL SJR0023 | 2021-2022 | 102nd General Assembly | Introduced

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Bill Title: States that policy decisions enacted by the Illinois State Legislature should acknowledge and take into account the principles of trauma, whenever possible, and consider the concepts of toxic stress, early adversity, and buffering relationships and note the role of early intervention and investment in trauma-informed policies leading to a healing-centered environment. States that Illinois should invest in technological connectivity that includes detailed information and resources on trauma-informed care, standards for providing evidence-based trauma informed treatment, peer to peer networking, and creation of belonging through narrative expression. States that Illinois should move from a siloed, individual approach to a collaborative, person-centered healing approach to identify, strengthen, and empower individuals and communities to craft a future positive history of Illinois.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2021-03-16 - Referred to Assignments [SJR0023 Detail]

Download: Illinois-2021-SJR0023-Introduced.html

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SENATE JOINT RESOLUTION
WHEREAS, Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19), a novel,
severe, acute illness, has rapidly spread throughout Illinois,
resulting in unnecessary loss of life, loss of economic
stability, increasing behavioral health struggles, and new
trauma exposure for every race, age, gender, and ethnicity;
this has resulted in an increasing public health disaster and
acceleration of the current legal, educational, health, and
social systems volatility, which brings the need for
healthcare and human services transformation for every
individual in Illinois; and
WHEREAS, Dysfunction of neurological, endocrine, and other
polyvagal mechanisms in the body can lead to chronic and
severe physical and mental illness with severe associated
cost; the effects of trauma exposures on humans are detailed
in research over the last two decades from the evolving
sciences of neuroscience, molecular biology, public health,
genomics, and epigenetics, revealing that experiences such as
a community trauma, individual trauma, and pandemic trauma
result in significant impacts at the micro, meso, and macro
health system levels; and
WHEREAS, The vast short term impact of COVID-19 has led to
a surge in suicides, overdoses on drugs and alcohol, abuse,

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neglect, and general anxiety and depression; the collateral
damage will continue to impact the daily living and
functionality of individuals due to the increasing isolation
and loneliness being experienced; beyond facing the barriers
present pre-pandemic, individuals are now facing magnified
obstacles related to access to care and unprecedented
interruptions to existing care for existing mental illness; it
is now vital for mental health and wellness to be viewed as a
political priority due to its direct link to social injustice,
poverty, systemic discrimination, and racism; and
WHEREAS, The continued short-term impact of COVID-19 has
been well discussed; the long-term impact, while it may be
able to be predicted, is still not fully known and
comprehended; by proactively anticipating, applying
evidence-based knowledge, and listening closely to the stories
of every individual in Illinois, we understand that public
health must take a capacity building and foundational approach
to the development, dissemination, and support of programs
that have been demonstrated or can lead the way to addressing
these long-term impacts, including addressing the growing
mental and physical health needs and epigenetic impact; and
WHEREAS, Covid-19 not only effects society at a cellular
level but also leads to social and economic devastation,
including the impact it has had on the basic safety and

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security needs of Illinois families and also the ability to
achieve adequate food, water, warmth, and rest, as well as
inequality in meeting children's individual educational needs
for building the hope and strength of our future; at a time
when the struggles for individuals in Illinois are escalating
from the loss of power and ability to care for themselves and
their families, it is essential to address the social, mental,
physical, financial, and educational, short-term and long-term
costs of this pandemic, with special attention paid to trauma
caused on micro, meso, and macro level systems; it is no longer
acceptable to only embrace resilience but defeat the
malignancy of history and man-made odds; and
WHEREAS, It is necessary, now more than ever, that every
individual in Illinois has a fair and just opportunity to be
healthy, not only physically but also mentally and
emotionally; it is vital to recognize the overwhelming impact
of the current pandemic situation and the resulting overall
trauma on our communities, families, State, economy, and
health and mental well-being; healing in all policies and
community healing will only occur when we acknowledge the
harms done to individuals in Illinois, especially those of
color; understanding, supporting, and recognizing that the
siloed approach to policy and support of the past no longer
fits into our present and that committing to further health
equality, social justice, and sustainable strengthening of the

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public health system is imperative for healing of every
individual in Illinois and our State as a whole; and
WHEREAS, Other states, such as Wisconsin, California,
Massachusetts, Missouri, Oregon, Pennsylvania, and Washington,
have focused on bipartisan efforts to build trauma-informed
states; Illinois has taken steps to begin to establish racial,
justice, and children healing initiatives; the future of
healing in Illinois must now shift from trauma-informed care
to a healing-centered engagement, which is more effective and
less costly, to quickly respond and facilitate the development
of a neighborhood-by-neighborhood evidence-based direction;
therefore, be it
RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE ONE HUNDRED SECOND GENERAL
ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, THE HOUSE OF
REPRESENTATIVES CONCURRING HEREIN, that policy decisions
enacted by the Illinois State Legislature should acknowledge
and take into account the principles of trauma whenever
possible and consider the concepts of toxic stress, early
adversity, and buffering relationships and note the role of
early intervention and investment in trauma-informed policies
leading to a healing-centered environment; Illinois will join
the ranks of a national movement currently led by 13 states to
be trauma-informed and will transform to become the first
declared Healing Centered State to close the empathy gap as

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important strategies to achieve a lasting foundation for a
more prosperous and sustainable State through investing in
human capital; and be it further
RESOLVED, That Illinois should invest in technological
connectivity that includes detailed information and resources
on trauma-informed care, standards for providing
evidence-based trauma-informed treatment, peer to peer
networking, and creation of belonging through narrative
expression; this will happen by development of a
bi-directional communication tool that is accessible to
communities through all of Illinois; and be it further
RESOLVED, That Illinois should move from a siloed,
individual approach to a collaborative, person-centered
healing approach, to identify, strengthen, and empower
individuals and communities to craft a future positive history
of Illinois; Illinois will light the way by creating a Healing
Capacity Building Center housed at a public health association
in Illinois to provide consultation to educational, legal,
health, and other institutions and agencies including but not
limited to needs assessments, observation, individual and
group debriefing, and ongoing coaching and mentoring; the goal
is not to recreate but to act as a catalyst for supporting
existing services and programming to eliminate the currently
accepted policy of violence in our State; and be it further

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RESOLVED, That by providing financial backing to a renewed
focus on rebuilding healthcare and human services systems
further damaged by COVID-19 in such a way that will meet and
surpass national standards of trauma-informed systems, the
State of Illinois will be able to move to a focus on healing.