Villa, LaPointe host press conference on equity in behavioral health care services

SPRINGFIELD – State Senator Karina Villa stood alongside State Representative Lindsey LaPointe and fellow legislators and advocates to call for equity in mental health and substance use treatment.

“Many individuals across Illinois are being forced to wait extended periods of time to receive care, have to go out-of-network and rack up extreme debt, or not receive any care at all,” said Villa (D-West Chicago). “People who are already paying costly insurance premiums should be able to access the care outlined in their benefits, but can’t because of the lack of in-network providers.”

Senate Bill 55, with corresponding House Bill 1085, would require insurers to cover medically necessary out-of-network mental health and substance use benefits as if they were in-network. The measures would also set minimum reimbursement rates for care providers for proper compensation of their services and incentivize providers to join insurance networks.

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Simmons pushes for language translations on state websites

SPRINGFIELD – To provide translation for the most commonly spoken languages in Illinois, State Senator Mike Simmons is pushing for legislation that would require state websites to engage automatic translation of the website into the 100 most commonly spoken languages in the state.

“Dozens of languages are commonly spoken in Illinois, and especially within the 7th District. Many state programs and resources are simply inaccessible due to language barriers, which in turn disenfranchises entire communities,” said Simmons (D-Chicago). “Translating state websites communicates the importance of being able to access information in a person’s native language, and increases the likelihood that people receive the help they need when turning to state resources.”

Read more: Simmons pushes for language translations on state websites

Johnson introduces bills to reduce food waste and methane emissions

SPRINGFIELD – In a landmark effort to tackle food waste and reduce methane emissions, State Senator Adriane Johnson outlined two measures at a press conference Wednesday that are part of Illinois first statewide framework for food scrap management and sustainable composting.

“By diverting edible food to feed people and food waste from landfills and into composting, we help build Illinois’ circular economy,” said Johnson (D-Buffalo Grove). “Creating an infrastructure for enhanced food recovery and food waste diversion, and opening markets for compost makes sense for everyone.”

Senate Bill 1398 would create a food scrap diversion hierarchy, ensuring food is first directed toward human consumption, followed by animal feed, industrial use, composting and anaerobic digestion — all to minimize landfill waste. The bill would set a gradual implementation process and outlines compliance requirements for entities managing food scraps.

Read more: Johnson introduces bills to reduce food waste and methane emissions

Equine therapy could be more accessible under Murphy proposal

SPRINGFIELD – A proposal from State Senator Laura Murphy would make certain equine therapies more accessible by requiring health insurance coverage for the services.

“Offering coverage for equine therapy is a testament to the state’s commitment to personalized, patient-centered care,” said Murphy (D-Des Plaines). “By allowing occupational therapists the flexibility to offer this service to their patients, they can meet the unique needs of their patients and enhance their quality of life and well-being.”

Equine therapy is a term that encompasses therapies that involve interacting with horses, including specific therapies used by physical, occupational and speech therapists to engage different sensory responses for patients. It has proven to be particularly effective with veterans with PTSD and children with autism.

Read more: Equine therapy could be more accessible under Murphy proposal