Bill Text: IL SJR0024 | 2023-2024 | 103rd General Assembly | Introduced

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Bill Title: Creates the SASS Program Task Force to evaluate the SASS program by county and to analyze whether the current funding is sufficient to meet the needs of the program.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 3-0)

Status: (Engrossed) 2023-05-23 - Referred to Rules Committee [SJR0024 Detail]

Download: Illinois-2023-SJR0024-Introduced.html

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SENATE JOINT RESOLUTION
WHEREAS, The Children's Mental Health Act initiated the
development of the Screening, Assessment and Support Services
(SASS) program for children and adolescents experiencing a
mental health crisis; and
WHEREAS, One in six children and adolescents have mental
health conditions, but only half of those receive mental
health services; and
WHEREAS, Undiagnosed, untreated, or inadequately treated
mental illness can significantly interfere with a child's
ability to learn and develop; and
WHEREAS, These delays in treatment also lead to worsened
conditions that are harder and costlier to treat; and
WHEREAS, Delays in treatment further result in higher
rates of school dropout, unemployment, substance use, arrest,
incarceration, and early death; and
WHEREAS, The number of children and adolescents
experiencing a mental health crisis continues to increase,
taxing school and community mental health services; therefore,
be it

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RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE ONE HUNDRED THIRD GENERAL
ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, THE HOUSE OF
REPRESENTATIVES CONCURRING HEREIN, that there is created the
SASS Program Task Force; and be it further
RESOLVED, That the Task Force shall be charged with the
following duties:
(1) Evaluate the SASS program by county, including but
not limited to Crisis and Referral Entry Services (CARES)
hotline volume, hotline staffing, local agency staffing,
local agency staff turnover, local agency staff response
time, local agency staff training, number of referrals for
inpatient and outpatient services, and availability of
inpatient and outpatient services; and
(2) Analyze whether the current funding is sufficient
to meet the needs of the program; and be it further
RESOLVED, That the Task Force shall consist of the
following members:
(1) One legislative member appointed by the President
of the Senate, who shall serve as co-chair;
(2) One legislative member appointed by the Speaker of
the House, who shall serve as co-chair;
(3) One legislative member appointed by the Senate
Minority Leader;

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(4) One legislative member appointed by the House
Minority Leader;
(5) The Director of the Department of Children and
Family Services or his or her designee;
(6) The Director of the Department of Healthcare and
Family Services or his or her designee;
(7) The Secretary of the Department of Human Services
or his or her designee;
(8) One member representing a statewide professional
school social worker association, appointed by the
President of the Senate;
(9) One member representing a statewide professional
school psychologist association, appointed by the Speaker
of the House;
(10) One school social worker or school psychologist
representing a statewide professional teacher
organization, appointed by the Senate Minority Leader;
(11) One school social worker or school psychologist
representing a different statewide professional teacher
organization, appointed by the House Minority Leader;
(12) One school social worker or school psychologist
representing a professional teachers' organization in a
city having a population exceeding 500,000, appointed by
the President of the Senate;
(13) One school district administrator representing a
statewide professional school administrator organization,

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appointed by the Speaker of the House;
(14) One school principal representing a statewide
professional school principal organization, appointed by
the Senate Minority Leader; and
(15) One school board member representing a statewide
professional school board organization, appointed by the
House Minority Leader; and be it further
RESOLVED, That members of the Task Force shall serve
without compensation; and be it further
RESOLVED, That the Department of Children and Family
services, the Department of Healthcare and Family Services,
and the Department of Human Services shall provide
administrative support; and be it further
RESOLVED, That the Task Force shall use the collected
information to write a report, including the findings of the
evaluation and policy recommendations that would address
identified program and financial challenges, and deliver this
report to the Governor and the General Assembly on or before
June 30, 2024, and, upon the filing of its report, the Task
Force shall be dissolved; and be it further
RESOLVED, That suitable copies of this resolution be
delivered to the President of the Senate, the Speaker of the

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House, the Minority Leader of the Senate, the Minority Leader
of the House, the Director of the Department of Children and
Family Services, the Director of the Department of Healthcare
and Family Services, and the Secretary of the Department of
Human Services.