SPRINGFIELD – To bring awareness to Tuberous Sclerosis Complex (TSC), which impacts one in every 6,000 newborns in the U.S., State Senator Laura Fine introduced Senate Resolution 60 commemorating May 15 as Tuberous Sclerosis Complex Awareness Day.

“TSC can cause long-lasting complications on a young person’s health and is unfortunately often misdiagnosed,” said Fine (D-Glenview). “Observing Tuberous Sclerosis Complex Awareness Day will increase knowledge of this disease and hopefully help people find a correct diagnosis to get the most effective treatment to improve their health.”

TSC is a multi-system genetic disease that causes non-cancerous tumors in the brain and other vital organs such as the kidneys, heart, eyes, lungs and skin. It can also affect the central nervous system leading to seizures, impaired intellectual development, autism, behavioral problems, skin abnormalities and kidney diseases. Most people with TSC start experiencing symptoms when they are a year old. However, identifying symptoms of the disease take longer to develop so TSC can be misdiagnosed or missed for many years.

Approximately 40,000 to 80,000 people in the U.S. have TSC. There is no cure for TSC; however, treatments are available based on individual symptoms. Observing Tuberous Sclerosis Complex Awareness Day urges those in Illinois to support research to find a cure in addition to assisting individuals and families affected by this disease.

Senate Resolution 60 establishes May 15, 2023 as Tuberous Sclerosis Complex Awareness Day in Illinois.

SPRINGFIELD – In an effort to improve the behavioral health crisis response system, State Senator Laura Fine has passed the Strengthening and Transforming Behavioral Health Crisis Care in Illinois Act.  This will ensure we have a dependable behavioral health crisis system, including the 9-8-8 hotline. 

“We need to make certain Illinoisans have an effective behavioral health crisis response system that can meet their needs,” said Fine (D-Glenview). “This legislation will help us assess the quality and affordability of behavioral health crisis services and as a result, make improvements to the system.”

House Bill 3230 would require an independent third party to conduct a cost analysis of a statewide initiative for the coordination and delivery of the continuum of behavioral health crisis response services in the state. Following the results of the report, a working group will develop recommendations for a cohesive behavioral health crisis response system that will be able to support the needs of Illinoisans. This would include the costs of maintaining crisis call centers, staffing, technological infrastructure enhancements and more. 

SPRINGFIELD – State Senator Laura Fine’s legislation to eliminate hurdles HMO patients face when seeking treatment by medical specialists passed the Senate on Thursday, moving it one step closer to becoming law.

“The current HMO system can cause serious delays for people who need specialized care, which can lead to adverse health effects,” said Fine (D-Glenview). “This new measure will ensure patients can get the care they need as soon as possible to allow them to start feeling healthy again.”

SPRINGFIELD – To provide all victims of human rights violations the opportunity to seek justice, State Senator Laura Fine is working on legislation with the Illinois Department of Human Rights to improve how they investigate possible violations.

“With this law, we are assuring Illinoisans who have a human rights complaint that we hear them and are willing to fight for them,” said Fine (D-Glenview). “There will be more avenues to pursue justice with this measure and will help ensure no one slips through the cracks.”

SPRINGFIELD –State Senator Laura Fine is launching an initiative to review data from the first year of operations and recommend updates for the future in order to make the 988 hotline as effective as possible for hotline operators and people experiencing a mental health crisis.

“The 988 hotline is the most accessible form of mental health care in Illinois and can be lifesaving in times of crisis,” said Fine (D-Glenview). “It is vital that we work to make the operation of care as effective as possible to best support Illinoisans struggling with their mental health.” 

Last year, Illinois launched the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline, a three-digit dialing code for a national suicide prevention and mental health hotline, offering 24/7 access to trained counselors who can help people experiencing mental health-related distress. The hotline has been beneficial to many Illinoisans, but currently there is no method of collecting data on the hotline that may be used to improve the 988 system.

SPRINGFIELD – Navigating the healthcare system can be challenging and time consuming, especially for patients with HMOs.  Currently, to see a specialist, HMO patients first have to visit their primary care doctor to get their specialist appointment covered by their insurance. State Senator Laura Fine has introduced legislation in order to eliminate this hurdle.

“When it comes to your health, getting the right care in a timely manner can make a tremendous difference,” said Fine (D-Glenview). “With this initiative, people will be able to get the specialized care they need as soon as possible.” 

House Bill 1186 would allow HMO patients to have appointments and care with in-network specialists covered by their insurance, eliminating the requirement to get a referral from a general practitioner. This will allow HMO patients to get the care they need in a timely manner.

SPRINGFIELD – State Senator Laura Fine has passed legislation to ensure reports of abuse or neglect in state-operated developmental centers are thoroughly investigated and addressed. The legislation intends to address allegations of abuse at Choate Mental Health and Developmental Center in Anna, Illinois, where certain staff members have been accused and charged with multiple accounts of abuse to patients.

“Vulnerable residents living in state-run facilities are entitled to the best care possible and deserve to be treated with dignity and respect,” said Fine (D-Glenview). “This initiative will ensure people who take advantage of people in our care will face consequences for their actions.”  

Choate Mental Health and Developmental Center serves patients struggling with mental and behavioral health concerns and/or developmental disabilities. Some employees of Choate have been charged with and found guilty of physically or emotionally abusing patients, as well as obstructing official probes and lying to investigators about wrongdoing. 

SPRINGFIELD – State Senator Laura Fine’s legislation to require public institutions to provide accommodations for individuals with disabilities if they meet transparent eligibility requirements passed the Senate, making it one step closer to becoming law.

“Destigmatizing disabilities in our society is a multi-step process,” said Fine (D-Glenview). “Ensuring accommodations are easily accessible to university students is a good place to start.”

Currently, federal law only protects students with disabilities seeking public higher education from being discriminated against based on their disability and does not outline the need for reasonable academic accommodations past high school. Senate Bill 99 would establish a process for students with disabilities to receive reasonable accommodations from public universities and colleges.