CHILDREN MENTAL HEALTH COUNCIL

Creates the Children's Mental Health Council Act. Creates the Children's Mental Health Council. Requires the Council to conduct at least 4 meeting each year, research and provide recommendations for the General Assembly on children with mental and behavioral disabilities and residential placements around the State and out of state, research and provide recommendations on how State agencies will be able to provide emergency placement for children with disabilities, research and provide recommendations on expanding residential beds and increasing the workforce, and review and provide recommendations for the General Assembly, State Board of Education, Department of Children and Family Services, Department of Healthcare and Family Services, Department of Juvenile Justice, and any other agency that is involved in the process of the placement of a child. Provides guidelines for appointing members. Provides terms for members appointed by the Governor. Provides that the State Board of Education shall provide administrative support. Provides that the Council shall prepare and deliver annual reports to the General Assembly, the Governor, and certain State agencies with any recommendations for legislation and any additional recommendations regarding children's mental and behavioral health. Provides that the Act is repealed on January 1, 2032. Effective immediately. Senate Floor Amendment No. 2 Deletes reference to: New Act Adds reference to: 405 ILCS 49/5 Replaces everything after the enacting clause. Amends the Children's Mental Health Act of 2003. Adds a requirement that the Children's Mental Health Plan include recommendations on how to more effectively meet the emergency and residential placement needs for all children with severe mental and behavioral challenges. Adds representatives of community mental health provider trade organizations to the group of representatives to the Children's Mental Health Partnership that are appointed by the Governor. Provides that the annual report will be delivered to the Governor and the General Assembly (currently, only the Governor). House Floor Amendment No. 5 Adds reference to: 405 ILCS 49/1 Replaces everything after the enacting clause. Amends the Children's Mental Health Act of 2003. Changes the title of the Act to the "Children's Mental Health Act". Provides that the Children's Mental Health Partnership shall advise the State of Illinois on designing and implementing short-term and long-term strategies to provide comprehensive and coordinated services for children from birth to age 25 and their families with the goal of addressing children's mental health needs across a full continuum of care. Provides that the Partnership shall have the responsibility of developing and updating the Children's Mental Health Plan and advising the relevant State agencies on implementation of the Plan (instead of developing and monitoring the implementation of the Plan as approved by the Governor). Removes provisions concerning development of previous Plans. Provides for the powers and duties of the Partnership. Provides that the Partnership shall submit: an annual report to the Governor and the General Assembly on the progress of the Plans; recommendations regarding State policies, laws, or rules necessary to fulfill the purposes of the Act; and any additional recommendations regarding mental or behavioral health that the Partnership deems necessary. Provides that the Department of Healthcare and Family Services shall provide technical and administrative support for the Partnership. Effective January 1, 2023. House Floor Amendment No. 6 Provides that a representative of a statewide organization representing pediatricians shall also be included as one of the required public representatives of the Partnership appointed by the Governor.