BUFFALO GROVE – With the life expectancy gap between Black and white Americans at its widest since 1998, State Senator Adriane Johnson (D-Buffalo Grove) said it’s more urgent than ever to enact the reforms proposed in House Bill 158, which seeks to eliminate racism and improve equity in Illinois’ health care system.

“The COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated existing racial disparities in health and health care across the country, and these effects will linger in our communities long after we have defeated the virus,” Johnson said. “It’s time that every Illinoisan—including Black and Brown Illinoisans—has the support and resources they need to be well.”

Johnson is a co-sponsor of the initiative, which represents the health and human services pillar of the Illinois Legislative Black Caucus’s four-pillar agenda aimed at ridding Illinois of systemic racism.

The legislation contains a number of measures to expand services and improve health outcomes for underserved communities, including a provision to ensure health care workers undergo implicit bias training in order to root out racial prejudice in the delivery of medical care.

To fight the recent alarming rise in maternal and infant mortality rates, which are even higher among mothers and babies of color, the legislation would improve peri- and postnatal care in Illinois by increasing access to doulas and home visiting programs and preserving the availability of OB/GYN services in safety net hospitals.

Additionally, the initiative would support Illinoisans’ mental wellness starting at a young age by providing training to day care center and school staff on the topics of early childhood social emotional learning, infant and early childhood mental health, early childhood trauma, and adverse childhood experiences.

Other provisions address access to health care, hospital closures, Medicaid managed care organization reform, community health worker certification and reimbursement, hospital reform, and mental health and substance use treatment.

“Rooting out systemic racism in the health care system is a matter of life and death,” Johnson said. “This legislation takes long-overdue steps to support underserved communities and give all Illinoisans the thoughtful, high-quality medical care they need and deserve.”

House Bill 158 passed the Senate with a vote of 41-16 and now awaits the governor’s signature.

BUFFALO GROVE – To answer residents’ questions about clean water access, conservation efforts and the community’s clean energy future, State Senator Adriane Johnson (D-Buffalo Grove) is joining fellow legislators and energy policy experts for a virtual Environmental Town Hall on Wednesday, April 7 at 7 p.m.

“Illinois possesses unique and beautiful natural spaces, but climate change puts wildlife and landscapes—not to mention our own personal health—at risk,” Johnson said. “I’m looking forward to engaging with residents to discuss how Illinois can ‘go green’ and secure a cleaner, healthier future for the next generation.”

Johnson will be joined by Lake County State Representatives Daniel Didech (D-Buffalo Grove) and Rita Mayfield (D-Waukegan), as well as representatives from the Illinois Environmental Council, the Sierra Club Illinois Chapter, Faith in Place and Clean Power Lake County.

Panelists will talk through some of today’s top environmental issues and discuss the latest environmental policy proposals in the General Assembly and their potential impact on Lake County.

“Environmental policy is ever changing in response to new research and advancements in clean energy technology,” Johnson said. “I urge anyone interested in environmental justice and climate change to join the conversation and learn about the most cutting-edge initiatives to fight the climate crisis in Illinois.”

The free town hall will be held via Zoom. Register here to receive login information.

SPRINGFIELD – Northern Illinois residents who have been involuntarily admitted for treatment of a mental health disorder could seek care closer to home under legislation sponsored by State Senator Adriane Johnson (D-Buffalo Grove).

“If you’re suffering from a mental health disorder, the last thing you need is to be separated from your loved ones,” Johnson said. “This measure would allow residents to be treated at the facility that’s closest to them, even if it’s across the Wisconsin border—it’s just common sense.”

The legislation would create the Interstate Contracts for Mental Health Disorder Treatment Act, allowing Illinois and Wisconsin residents who are involuntarily admitted for inpatient treatment of a mental health disorder to be treated at facilities across state lines.

For residents who live near the border of Illinois and Wisconsin, the closest qualified hospital or facility is often not in their home state. However, current law prohibits residents from being committed for mental health conditions outside the state, meaning that these residents must undergo treatment hours from family and loved ones.

Similar collaborative arrangements have been successfully enacted in Michigan, Iowa and Minnesota, which allow providers in these states to accept patients from Wisconsin for mental health treatment.

“Many Wisconsin residents utilize Illinois services and have family in Illinois, and vice versa. By establishing this agreement, we’re helping residents throughout the region get well,” Johnson said.

Senate Bill 1966 passed the Senate Behavioral and Mental Health Committee Tuesday and now heads to the full Senate for consideration.

BUFFALO GROVE – In response to news that Illinois National Guard teams will be deployed to the Lake County Fairgrounds to bolster vaccine distribution operations there, State Senator Adriane Johnson (D-Buffalo Grove) thanked the National Guard members for helping move the Lake County community closer to recovery.

“I am grateful to all the residents who have been patient over the past few months as they have waited for their vaccine, and to our health care providers as they work tirelessly to get shots into arms as quickly as possible,” Johnson said. “This additional support from the Illinois National Guard will accelerate efforts and allow us to protect even more vulnerable Illinoisans from COVID-19.”

The Illinois National Guard will deploy teams to the Lake County Fairgrounds this week to enhance efforts already underway by the Lake County Health Department. The Fairgrounds site is currently serving adults covered in Phases 1A and 1B of the state’s vaccination plan, including health care personnel, long-term care facility residents, adults age 65 and older, and front-line essential workers.

The team assisting Lake County’s efforts is one of more than 75 National Guard teams—comprised of more than 1,380 service members—supporting vaccination sites across the state each day.

Nearly 11% of Lake County residents are fully vaccinated, including over half of residents age 65 and older. To sign up for an appointment or register to receive a notification when you become eligible for the vaccine, visit AllVax.lakecohealth.org.