Public Act 100-0482
 
HB2647 EnrolledLRB100 08180 MJP 18276 b


  
    AN ACT concerning State government.
  
 
    Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
 
represented in the General Assembly:
  


 
 
    Section 5. The Department of Veterans Affairs Act is 
amended  by adding Section 2h as follows:
 
    (20 ILCS 2805/2h new)
    Sec. 2h. Task Force on Veterans' Suicide recommendations. 
The provisions of this Section are based on the recommendations 
in the final report of the Task Force on Veterans' Suicide, 
published on December 1, 2016. The Department shall adopt any 
rules necessary to implement this Section. The Department shall 
seek available federal funding, grants, or private funding to 
help fund the requirements of this Section; or the Department 
shall collaborate with other departments, existing veterans' 
organizations, nonprofit organizations, or private 
organizations to implement the requirements of this Section.
        (1) The Department shall reach out and coordinate with  
    the United States Department of Veterans' Affairs  in order 
    to identify veterans returning from service in combat 
    units. The Department shall establish a proactive outreach 
    program for veterans that served in  combat units.
        (2) The Department or the Department in collaboration 
    with not-for-profit organizations shall engage in a public 
    awareness campaign concerning the trauma and internal 
    injuries suffered by veterans in order to promote 
    understanding and acceptance from the general public. The 
    public awareness campaign shall work to dispel the myths 
    associated with grieving, suicide, and mental health 
    healing. The Department shall evaluate existing programs, 
    including, but not limited to, the Suicide Prevention 
    Alliance under the Suicide Prevention, Education, and 
    Treatment Act, and coordinate messaging using messaging 
    guidelines that existing programs have found to be 
    successful.
        (3) The Department shall provide training to frontline 
    employees at veterans service organizations established 
    under this Act on mental health services to identify 
    veterans who might be at risk of suicidal thoughts. This 
    training may include, but not be limited to, mental health 
    first aid training and amplified suicide advanced training 
    programs. The Department shall provide assistance to 
    Veterans Assistance Commissions established under Section 
    9 of the Military Veterans Assistance Act and veterans' 
    service associations, including, but not limited to, the 
    American Legion, Veterans of Foreign Wars, and AMVETS, in 
    providing the training under this paragraph to the 
    employees of the Veterans Assistance Commissions and 
    veterans' service associations that seek participation in 
    the Department's training events.
        The Department shall have priority for hiring combat 
    veterans to serve as veteran service officers at veterans 
    service organizations established under this Act for the 
    purpose of having veteran services officers who are able to 
    properly relate to fellow combat veterans.
        (4) The Department shall collaborate with institutions 
    of higher education to address environmental factors that 
    could negatively impact a veteran's ability to learn in a 
    traditional classroom setting. The Department, in 
    coordination with institutions of higher education, shall 
    provide proactive outreach as part of an educational 
    success program for veterans experiencing difficulties in 
    higher education.
        (5) The Department shall coordinate with existing 
    veterans' associations and military organizations to 
    provide a family preparation course concerning the 
    emotional cycle of deployment that is designed to help a 
    family unit adjust to changes in discharged and returning 
    veterans and inform the family members of where to go to 
    seek assistance. This course shall be made available to the 
    family of a veteran prior to the discharge and homecoming 
    of the veteran.
        (6) The Department shall reach out to the United States 
    Department of Veterans' Affairs to obtain information on 
    returning veterans and develop a transition program for 
    returning veterans that reside in the State including 
    information on local organizations that provide resources 
    or services for veterans that a veteran can access.
        (7) The Department shall collaborate with non-profits, 
    businesses, and employers in the State that focus on the 
    needs of employees who are veterans seeking employment and 
    that support employees who are veterans. 
        (8) The Department, in collaboration with veterans' 
    organizations in the State, shall coordinate with the 
    United States Department of Veterans' Affairs to promote 
    their peer specialist program and collaborate with outside 
    programs to establish a peer-to-peer program.