SPRINGFIELD – State Senator Karina Villa stood alongside State Representative Lindsey LaPointe and fellow legislators and advocates to call for equity in mental health and substance use treatment.

“Many individuals across Illinois are being forced to wait extended periods of time to receive care, have to go out-of-network and rack up extreme debt, or not receive any care at all,” said Villa (D-West Chicago). “People who are already paying costly insurance premiums should be able to access the care outlined in their benefits, but can’t because of the lack of in-network providers.”

Senate Bill 55, with corresponding House Bill 1085, would require insurers to cover medically necessary out-of-network mental health and substance use benefits as if they were in-network. The measures would also set minimum reimbursement rates for care providers for proper compensation of their services and incentivize providers to join insurance networks.

SPRINGFIELD – Senate Democrats joined advocates to bring attention to the needs of those impacted by Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia by wearing purple.

Alzheimer's disease is a type of dementia that affects memory, thinking and behavior. Symptoms eventually grow severe enough to interfere with daily tasks. In 2020, there were 230,000 people over 65 years of age living with Alzheimer’s disease or a related dementia in Illinois. This figure is projected to reach 260,000 in 2025, a 13% increase. 

SPRINGFIELD – To provide translation for the most commonly spoken languages in Illinois, State Senator Mike Simmons is pushing for legislation that would require state websites to engage automatic translation of the website into the 100 most commonly spoken languages in the state.

“Dozens of languages are commonly spoken in Illinois, and especially within the 7th District. Many state programs and resources are simply inaccessible due to language barriers, which in turn disenfranchises entire communities,” said Simmons (D-Chicago). “Translating state websites communicates the importance of being able to access information in a person’s native language, and increases the likelihood that people receive the help they need when turning to state resources.”

SPRINGFIELD – In a landmark effort to tackle food waste and reduce methane emissions, State Senator Adriane Johnson outlined two measures at a press conference Wednesday that are part of Illinois first statewide framework for food scrap management and sustainable composting.

“By diverting edible food to feed people and food waste from landfills and into composting, we help build Illinois’ circular economy,” said Johnson (D-Buffalo Grove). “Creating an infrastructure for enhanced food recovery and food waste diversion, and opening markets for compost makes sense for everyone.”

Senate Bill 1398 would create a food scrap diversion hierarchy, ensuring food is first directed toward human consumption, followed by animal feed, industrial use, composting and anaerobic digestion —all to minimize landfill waste. The bill would set a gradual implementation process and outlines compliance requirements for entities managing food scraps.

SPRINGFIELD – A proposal from State Senator Laura Murphy would make certain equine therapies more accessible by requiring health insurance coverage for the services.

“Offering coverage for equine therapy is a testament to the state’s commitment to personalized, patient-centered care,” said Murphy (D-Des Plaines). “By allowing occupational therapists the flexibility to offer this service to their patients, they can meet the unique needs of their patients and enhance their quality of life and well-being.”

Equine therapy is a term that encompasses therapies that involve interacting with horses, including specific therapies used by physical, occupational and speech therapists to engage different sensory responses for patients. It has proven to be particularly effective with veterans with PTSD and children with autism.

SPRINGFIELD – State Senator Doris Turner passed a measure through committee to mandate training for emergency medical dispatchers on how to provide CPR instructions to someone experiencing cardiac arrest.

“We are losing too many of our friends and family to heart disease,” said Turner (D-Springfield). “Ensuring that our emergency dispatchers are well-equipped to handle these situations will save lives.”

Senate Bill 1295 would mandate all 9-1-1 telecommunicators to be trained in telecommunicator-CPR and would require emergency medical dispatchers to be trained in T-CPR. T-CPR is when a dispatcher provides over-the-phone CPR instructions to someone experiencing cardiac arrest. This process is a key part of the chain of survival for cardiac arrest.

SPRINGFIELD – State Senator Mike Halpin’s bill to support Rock Island mental facilities and vulnerable Iowa patients passed committee today.

“Health care access is a concern that crosses state lines,” said Halpin (D-Rock Island). “Allowing Iowa patients to access Rock Island mental health infrastructure is a win-win, particularly with the quality care our facilities can provide.”

Senate Bill 188 would allow for Iowa involuntary in-patient admissions to be accepted at Rock Island County facilities in Illinois. Illinois law presently does not allow for involuntary admissions to cross state lines and patients may have to travel upwards of five hours away to receive care.

SPRINGFIELD — To assist schools in scheduling major school or athletic events, State Senator Ram Villivalam is sponsoring a measure that would require the Illinois State Board of Education to provide calendar dates indicating when a portion of students may be absent due to cultural or religious reasons.

“Our communities are diverse, which means there are numerous days throughout the academic year where different students may be absent for cultural or religious reasons,” said Villivalam (D-Chicago). “Yet students are having to make challenging decisions such as having to miss a sporting event because it was scheduled on a religious or cultural holiday.”

Currently, the Illinois State Board of Education provides a guide for school districts regarding attendance days, holidays, special circumstances and frequently asked questions about school calendars.