SPRINGFIELD – Spouses of people in Medicaid-funded long-term care facilities will soon be able to keep more of their own personal savings thanks to State Senator Julie Morrison.

“By aligning Illinois’ allowance for community spouses with the rest of the country, we are signaling to older adults that we care for them and wish to give them the ability to care for themselves and their spouse with no added stress,” said Morrison (D-Lake Forest). “This is their money – there’s no reason they shouldn’t be have access to it.”

Morrison’s plan – found within House Bill 4343 – will put Illinois in line with nearly every other state in the nation by increasing the allowance for the community spouse resource allowance for older adults whose spouses are in nursing homes and receiving Medicaid benefits. The allowance is the amount of resources a spouse can keep of the couple’s resources without affecting their husband or wife’s long-term care facility nursing home application.

Morrison originally spearheaded this part of the larger Medicaid law signed Friday through Senate Bill 2962. After passing the Senate, it was combined with a number of other standalone Medicaid-related bills to produce a greater overhaul package.

In 2012, Illinois froze its rates for spouses of individuals who receive Medicaid-funded, long-term care at $2,739 per month, so those spouses are not receiving an annual bump in their benefits. However, in many other states across the country, the amount is set at $3,259.

“Illinois is now aligning itself with the national standard by complying with the federal rate,” Morrison said. “Spouses of those who are in nursing homes are already dealing with enough stress – the lasts thing they need is the additional stress of not being able to access their own money.”

House Bill 4343 was signed into law Friday.

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.

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.

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.