Illinois Compiled Statutes
Chapter 110 - HIGHER EDUCATION
110 ILCS 58/ - Mental Health Early Action on Campus Act.

(110 ILCS 58/1)
Sec. 1. Short title. This Act may be cited as the Mental Health Early Action on Campus Act.

(Source: P.A. 101-251, eff. 7-1-20.)
 
(110 ILCS 58/5)
Sec. 5. Intent. This Act is intended to address gaps in mental health services on college campuses across Illinois, including both 2-year and 4-year institutions, through training, peer support, and community-campus partnerships.

(Source: P.A. 101-251, eff. 7-1-20.)
 
(110 ILCS 58/10)
Sec. 10. Findings. The General Assembly finds all of the following:
(Source: P.A. 101-251, eff. 7-1-20.)
 
(110 ILCS 58/15)
Sec. 15. Purpose. The purpose of this Act is to accomplish all of the following:
(Source: P.A. 101-251, eff. 7-1-20.)
 
(110 ILCS 58/20)
Sec. 20. Definitions. As used in this Act:
"Advisor" means a staff member who provides academic, professional, and personal support to students.
"Campus security" means a law enforcement officer who has completed his or her probationary period and is employed as a security officer or campus police officer by a public college or university.
"Linkage agreement" means a formal agreement between a public college or university and an off-campus mental health provider or agency.
"Mental health condition" means a symptom consistent with a mental illness, as defined under Section 1-129 of the Mental Health and Developmental Disabilities Code, or a diagnosed mental illness.
"Public college or university" means any public community college subject to the Public Community College Act, the University of Illinois, Southern Illinois University, Chicago State University, Eastern Illinois University, Governors State University, Illinois State University, Northeastern Illinois University, Northern Illinois University, Western Illinois University, and any other public university, college, or community college now or hereafter established or authorized by the General Assembly.
"Recovery model" means the model developed by the federal Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration that defines the process of recovery and includes the 4 major dimensions that support a life in recovery, which are health, home, purpose, and community.
"Resident assistant" means a student who is responsible for supervising and assisting other, typically younger, students who live in the same student housing facility.
"Telehealth" means the evaluation, diagnosis, or interpretation of electronically transmitted patient-specific data between a remote location and a licensed health care professional that generates interaction or treatment recommendations. "Telehealth" includes telemedicine and the delivery of health care services provided by an interactive telecommunications system, as defined in subsection (a) of Section 356z.22 of the Illinois Insurance Code.

(Source: P.A. 101-251, eff. 7-1-20.)
 
(110 ILCS 58/25)
Sec. 25. Awareness. To raise mental health awareness on college campuses, each public college or university must do all of the following:
 
(110 ILCS 58/30)
Sec. 30. Training.
(a) The board of trustees of each public college or university must designate an expert panel to develop and implement policies and procedures that (i) advise students, faculty, and staff on the proper procedures for identifying and addressing the needs of students exhibiting symptoms of mental health conditions, (ii) promote understanding of the rules of Section 504 of the federal Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the federal Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 to increase knowledge and understanding of student protections under the law, and (iii) provide training if appropriate.
(b) The Technical Assistance Center under Section 45 shall set initial standards for policies and procedures referenced in subsection (a) to ensure statewide consistency.
(c) All resident assistants in a student housing facility, advisors, and campus security of a public college or university must participate in a national Mental Health First Aid training course or a similar program prior to the commencement of their duties. Training must include the policies and procedures developed by the public college or university referenced under subsection (a).

(Source: P.A. 101-251, eff. 7-1-20.)
 
(110 ILCS 58/35)
Sec. 35. Peer support.
(a) Because peer support programs may be beneficial in improving the emotional well-being of the student population, each public college or university must develop and implement a peer support program utilizing student peers to support individuals living with mental health conditions on campus. Peer support programs may be housed within resident assistant programs, counseling centers, or wellness centers on campus.
(b) Peer support programs must utilize best practices for peer support, including, but not limited to: (i) utilizing the tenets of the recovery model for mental health, (ii) adequate planning and preparation, including standardizing guidance and practices, identifying needs of the target population, and aligning program goals to meet those needs, (iii) clearly articulating policies, especially around role boundaries and confidentiality, (iv) systematic screening with defined selection criteria for peer supporters, such as communication skills, leadership ability, character, previous experience or training, and ability to serve as a positive role model, (v) identifying benefits from peer status, such as experiential learning, social support, leadership, and improved self-confidence, (vi) continuing education for peer supporters to support each other and improve peer support skills, and (vii) flexibility in availability by offering services through drop-in immediate support and the ability to book appointments.

(Source: P.A. 101-251, eff. 7-1-20.)
 
(110 ILCS 58/40)
Sec. 40. Local partnerships.
(a) Each public college or university must form strategic partnerships with local mental health service providers to improve overall campus mental wellness and augment on-campus capacity. The strategic partnerships must include linkage agreements with off-campus mental health service providers that establish a foundation for referrals for students when needs cannot be met on campus due to capacity or preference of the student. The strategic partnerships must also include (i) avenues for on-campus and off-campus mental health service providers to increase visibility to students via marketing and outreach, (ii) opportunities to engage the student body through student outreach initiatives like mindfulness workshops or campus-wide wellness fairs, and (iii) opportunities to support awareness and training requirements under this Act.
(b) Through a combination of on-campus capacity, off-campus linkage agreements with mental health service providers, and contracted telehealth therapy services, each public college or university shall attempt to meet a benchmark ratio of one clinical, non-student staff member to 1,250 students. If linkage agreements are used, the agreements must include the capacity of students providers are expected to serve within the agency. Two years after the effective date of this Act, and once every 5 years thereafter, the Technical Assistance Center developed under Section 45 must propose to the General Assembly an updated ratio based on actual ratios in this State and any new information related to appropriate benchmarks for clinician-to-student ratios. The updated benchmark must represent a ratio of no less than one clinical, non-student staff member to 1,250 students.
(c) Each public college or university must work with local resources, such as on-campus mental health counseling centers or wellness centers, local mental health service providers, or non-providers, such as affiliates of the National Alliance on Mental Illness, and any other resources to meet the awareness and training requirements under Sections 25 and 30 of this Act.

(Source: P.A. 101-251, eff. 7-1-20.)
 
(110 ILCS 58/45)
Sec. 45. Technical Assistance Center. The Board of Higher Education must develop a Technical Assistance Center that is responsible for all of the following:
(Source: P.A. 101-251, eff. 7-1-20.)
 
(110 ILCS 58/50)
Sec. 50. Evaluation. Each public college or university must evaluate the following programs under this Act in the following manner:
(Source: P.A. 101-251, eff. 7-1-20.)
 
(110 ILCS 58/55)
Sec. 55. Funding. This Act is subject to appropriation. The Commission on Government Forecasting and Accountability, in conjunction with the Illinois Community College Board and the Board of Higher Education, must make recommendations to the General Assembly on the amounts necessary to implement this Act. The initial recommendation must be provided by the Commission no later than December 31, 2019. Any appropriation provided in advance of this initial recommendation may be used for planning purposes. No Section of this Act may be funded by student fees created on or after July 1, 2020. Public colleges or universities may seek federal funding or private grants, if available, to support the provisions of this Act.

(Source: P.A. 101-251, eff. 8-9-19.)
 
(110 ILCS 58/99)
Sec. 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect July 1, 2020, except that Section 55 and this Section take effect upon becoming law.

(Source: P.A. 101-251, eff. 8-9-19.)

Structure Illinois Compiled Statutes