Morrison leads holistic approach to treating mental health within DCFS

SPRINGFIELD – State Senator Julie Morrison championed a measure signed Wednesday that will provide a more holistic approach to supporting the mental health of children within the care of the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services.

“The COVID-19 pandemic caused a lot of stress and trauma that contributed to skyrocketing rates of mental health problems among children – especially those within the foster care system,” said Morrison (D-Lake Forest). “It’s vital we tackle the alarming rates of mental health problems in ways that are less invasive by providing greater healing-centered care. I firmly believe that’s how you create sustainable, scalable change in the lives of children.”

Morrison’s law – found within House Bill 4306 – creates the Holistic Mental Health Care for Youth in Care Task Force. The nine-member task force will review mental health and wellness services provided to youth in the care of the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services. It will then give recommendations on how the department can provide a more preventative and holistic approach to mental health services to children within the foster care system.  

Specifically, the task force will assess the capacity of Illinois licensed medical health professionals to provide preventative mental health care to youth in foster care, review the current payment rates for mental health care providers serving the youth in care population, and evaluate the process for smaller private practices and agencies to bill through managed care.

 “When we look at how we’re treating the state’s youth in care, we have to remember how vulnerable they already are and how susceptible they’ve been to trauma,” Morrison said.

House Bill 4306 was signed into law Wednesday and takes effect immediately.

Morrison law provides youth in DCFS care with greater transition support

SPRINGFIELD – House Bill 5418, passed by State Senator Julie Morrison (D-Lake Forest) and signed into law Friday, will give children access to intervention and counseling services within the first 24 hours after removal from a home and require the DCFS division of child protection to assess a child’s wellbeing each month.

“Being removed from your home at a young age is an anguishing experience,” Morrison said. “We must provide these children with the support they need immediately.”

As youth in care grow older and the time comes for them to live on their own, this law requires DCFS to ensure they receive classes and instructions on independent living and self-sufficiency in the areas of employment, finances, meals and housing.

Further, under the measure, youth in DCFS care will be provided a document that describes inappropriate acts of affection, discipline and punishment by guardians, foster parents and foster siblings.

“By giving children an understanding of appropriate affection and discipline, we are ensuring they know which acts they should report and the treatment they deserve,” Morrison said.

The law was signed Friday.

Morrison works to further protect children who take school buses from reckless drivers

SPRINGFIELD - State Senator Julie Morrison (D-Lake Forest) led a law signed Friday that includes community service as a possible punishment if a person speeds in a school zone or illegally passes a stopped school bus with its stop arm extended.

“Children taking the bus to school should be worried about their schoolwork, not worried about reckless drivers,” Morrison said. “This measure will further deter folks from speeding or passing school buses and really reflect on how their actions could harm members of their community.”

Currently, people who speed in school zones or pass stopped school busses must pay fines ranging from $150 to $1,000, depending on the frequency of their violations. Under Morrison’s law, community service would be added to the penalties. Morrison believes this initiative will further deter people from violating these regulations.  

Morrison has long been advocate of transportation safety. She previously added community service as a possible punishment for violations of Scott’s Law, which requires that drivers reduce speeds and change lanes for emergency vehicles.

Senate Bill 3793 was signed Friday.  

Morrison brings more equality of access to the ballot box

SPRINGFIELD – Following through on her commitment to provide greater accessibility for all Illinois voters, State Senator Julie Morrison (D-Lake Forest) championed a newly signed law to allow people with certain disabilities to electronically mark their ballots using their own assistive technology.

“While we have expanded vote by mail in many ways, we have yet to provide the same opportunities to voters who cannot read print because of a visual, physical, perceptual, developmental, cognitive or learning disability,” Morrison said. “Equal access at the voting box is a keystone to our democracy. The inclusion of this process into state law will provide safe, private and equal voting opportunities for voters.”

The law will allow voters with a print disability to receive and mark their ballot electronically on an assistive device. It will be printed, sealed and signed before being returned through the mail. The voting procedure will be in place for the November 2022 General Election, and all subsequent elections.

“For years, Illinois law required voters with print disabilities who chose to vote by mail to fill out a paper ballot, necessitating assistance by a person without a disability.” said Cheryl Jansen, Public Policy Director of Equip for Equality.  “As a result, unlike voters without disabilities, they were denied the right to vote privately and independently.  SB 829 is a very important step towards addressing this disparity.  We highly commend Senator Morrison for her leadership and support of this legislation and look forward to working with her on additional steps to ensure that voters with print disabilities have full privacy and independence when voting by mail.”

Senate Bill 829 was signed into law Friday.