Bill > SB2071

This bill amends the Mental Health and Developmental Disabilities Code to modify how investigations are conducted when allegations of abuse, neglect, or financial exploitation are made against employees at mental health or developmental disability facilities. The bill introduces a tiered approach to handling different severity levels of allegations. For more serious allegations—including physical abuse, sexual abuse, non-de minimis financial exploitation (defined as totaling $100 or more), egregious neglect, or material obstruction of an investigation—an employee will be immediately barred from any contact with facility recipients pending the outcome of an investigation by the Department of Human Services Office of Inspector General (OIG). For less severe allegations—such as minor neglect, de minimis financial exploitation (less than $100), or mental abuse—the facility can take alternative steps like training, reassignment, or limited disciplinary actions while the investigation is ongoing. The bill provides more specific language about when and how employees can be removed from contact with service recipients, aiming to balance protecting vulnerable individuals with ensuring fair treatment of employees during investigations. The changes give the OIG and facilities more structured guidelines for responding to different types and levels of alleged misconduct.

https://www.ilga.gov/legislation/BillStatus.asp?DocNum=2071&GAID=18&DocTypeID=SB&SessionID=114&GA=104