Legislation

HB375 - S.A.M.'s Bill - The Suicide And Mental Health Awareness Training Bill for Law Enforcement

This Bill mandates that the Illinois Law Enforcement Training and Standards Board create an introductory course incorporating adult learning models that provides law enforcement officers with an awareness of mental health issues including a history of the mental health system, types of mental health illness including signs and symptoms of mental illness and common treatments and medications, and the potential interactions law enforcement officers may have on a regular basis with these individuals, their families, and service providers including de-escalating a potential crisis situation.  

In addition, law enforcement officers will be required to attend refresher training every 3 years.

Finally, the Bill mandates that every police officer, working within a county with a population of more than 3 million persons, attends Crisis Intervention Training (C.I.T.) prior to January 2019.

To view full text of S.A.M.'s Bill click here -   HB375 - S.A.M.'s Bill  

HB2545 - School Suicide Prevention Bill

This Bill requires that "in addition to other topics at in-service training, school personnel ... shall be trained annually to identify the warning signs of mental illness and suicidal behavior in youth and shall be taught appropriate intervention and referral techniques."  

To view full text of this Bill click here -   HB2545   

HB1778 - The Beyond Charity Law

This Bill requires "each school district that serves pupils in any of grades 6 though 12 and issues an ID card to provide contact information for the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, the Crisis Textline" and other suicide prevention information.  It further requires that all public college and university student IDs contain information on the Suicide Prevention Hotline and Crisis Textline. To view the full text of this Bill click here -  HB1778

Ballot initiative for the April 4, 2023 local election in Kankakee County to dedicate 1/4 cent retail sales tax for mental health resource funding. This will provide necessary funding earmarked specifically for mental health initiatives throughout the county where we currently have 1 provider for nearly every 700 people in need.

A special thank you to the Manteno Township and Kankakee County Board member Elisabeth Dunbar for working to rename the Rock Creek Bridge on 11,000 N Road in Manteno, Illinois the "Sam Myers Bridge for Mental Health Awareness."  Hopefully the bridge will forever be a reminder of the tragic result of failing to take proper care of your mental health, but also a reminder that you can find treatment. For resources please see our "If In Crisis" page.

To show your support for continued Mental Health Legislation, please contact you local State Representative and Senator.

For House Member contact information, click here - http://www.ilga.gov/house/

For State Senators, click here - http://www.ilga.gov/senate/