Bill Text: IL SR0220 | 2017-2018 | 100th General Assembly | Introduced
Bill Title: Declares March 15, 2017 as Adult Down Syndrome Awareness Day in the State of Illinois.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 2-0)
Status: (Passed) 2017-03-15 - Resolution Adopted [SR0220 Detail]
Download: Illinois-2017-SR0220-Introduced.html
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1 | SENATE RESOLUTION
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2 | WHEREAS, Approximately one in every 700 babies in the | ||||||
3 | United States is born with Down syndrome,
making Down syndrome | ||||||
4 | the most common chromosomal condition and about 6,000 babies | ||||||
5 | with Down
syndrome are born in the United States each year; and
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6 | WHEREAS, The lives of people with Down syndrome have been | ||||||
7 | transformed over the past half century; as recently as the | ||||||
8 | early 1980s, the average life span of those with Down syndrome | ||||||
9 | was 25 years; today, the life expectancy is approximately 60 | ||||||
10 | years; and
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11 | WHEREAS, The length and quality of life of those with Down | ||||||
12 | syndrome have been transformed; today, many adults
with Down | ||||||
13 | syndrome live semi-independently or even on their own, leading | ||||||
14 | healthy and productive
lives, complete with jobs, volunteer | ||||||
15 | work, recreational activities, and personal relationships; and
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16 | WHEREAS, The Adult Down Syndrome Center of Advocate Medical | ||||||
17 | Group at Advocate Lutheran General
was established in 1992 at | ||||||
18 | the request of leaders of the National Association
for Down | ||||||
19 | Syndrome (NADS) who desired a clinic for adults with Down | ||||||
20 | syndrome; the hospital took a
leap of faith and assigned Brian | ||||||
21 | Chicoine, MD, the newest faculty member in the Family Medicine
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22 | department, to help launch a practice; and
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1 | WHEREAS, The Center began a twice-a-month clinic that | ||||||
2 | served less than 100 patients; today, it has
grown into a | ||||||
3 | five-day-a-week primary care practice providing approximately | ||||||
4 | 7,000 patient visits
annually, making it the busiest and most | ||||||
5 | experienced clinic of its kind in the nation, as well as a
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6 | leader in research, education, and the dissemination; and
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7 | WHEREAS, For the past 25 years, the Center has been | ||||||
8 | dedicated to its mission of enhancing the well-being
of | ||||||
9 | adolescents and adults with Down syndrome using a team approach | ||||||
10 | to provide comprehensive,
community-based health care | ||||||
11 | services; it is guided by three principles: 1) health is more | ||||||
12 | than the
absence of disease; it involves physical, mental, and | ||||||
13 | spiritual well-being; 2) individuals with Down
syndrome should | ||||||
14 | become active participants in their health care; and 3) | ||||||
15 | research, health-promoting
education, and the dissemination of | ||||||
16 | research findings and best practices in health promotion will
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17 | improve care for people with Down syndrome and foster | ||||||
18 | understanding, acceptance, and inclusion; and
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19 | WHEREAS, Dr. Chicoine is supported by a talented staff of | ||||||
20 | medical professionals, including a
physician, registered and | ||||||
21 | licensed dietitian, nurse practitioner, licensed clinical | ||||||
22 | social worker, licensed
occupational therapist, two patient | ||||||
23 | advocates, three certified medical assistants, patient |
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1 | representative,
clinical coordinator, and practice manager; | ||||||
2 | and
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3 | WHEREAS, Compared to the general population, adults with | ||||||
4 | Down syndrome experience greater
incidence of congenital heart | ||||||
5 | abnormalities, thyroid problems, obesity, type-1 diabetes, | ||||||
6 | vision problems,
hearing loss, and Alzheimer's disease; they | ||||||
7 | also experience less common conditions such as heart attacks, | ||||||
8 | high blood
pressure, solid cancer tumors, and strokes; the | ||||||
9 | Center's patient database has the potential to be
instrumental | ||||||
10 | in unlocking these mysteries; and
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11 | WHEREAS, In addition to medical care, the Center's
programs | ||||||
12 | focus on health promotion and psychosocial skills, training to | ||||||
13 | help individuals with Down
syndrome lead healthy and productive | ||||||
14 | lives; the Center disseminates health promotion resources
and | ||||||
15 | research findings through collaborations, publications, and | ||||||
16 | events that communicate the experience and findings of the | ||||||
17 | initiative to people with Down syndrome, their families, and | ||||||
18 | health care professionals; therefore, be it
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19 | RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE ONE HUNDREDTH GENERAL | ||||||
20 | ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we declare March 15, | ||||||
21 | 2017 as Adult Down Syndrome Awareness Day in the State of | ||||||
22 | Illinois; and be it further
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1 | RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be | ||||||
2 | presented to the Adult Down Syndrome Center of
Advocate Medical | ||||||
3 | Group at Advocate Lutheran General Hospital as an expression of | ||||||
4 | our esteem and respect.
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