Rockford Sun

Dave Syverson introduced SB0185 in the Illinois Senate on Jan. 17, 2025, during the general assembly session 104, according to the Illinois General Assembly.

According to the Illinois General Assembly site, the legislature summarized the bill's official text as follows: "Creates the Substance Use Disorder and Mental Health Program Transparency Act. Provides that, within 6 months after the effective date of the Act, the Department of Healthcare and Family Services, in coordination with the Department of Human Services, shall compile a report concerning all substance use disorder and mental health programs in the State. Provides that the report shall identify each State-funded substance use disorder and mental health program in the State and provide specified information about each program. Provides that the Department of Healthcare and Family Services, in coordination with the Department of Human Services, shall collaborate with relevant State agencies to ensure the timely and accurate collection of information required for the report. Provides that the Department of Healthcare and Family Services, in coordination with the Department of Human Services, shall submit the report to the General Assembly and make the report accessible to the public on the Departments' website no later than 6 months after the effective date of the Act. Effective immediately."

The following is our breakdown, based on the actual bill text, and may include interpretation to clarify its provisions.

In essence, the bill, known as the Substance Use Disorder and Mental Health Program Transparency Act, mandates the Illinois Department of Healthcare and Family Services, alongside the Department of Human Services, to produce a comprehensive report within six months of the bill's enactment. This report will catalogue all state-funded substance use disorder and mental health programs, detailing their names, funding sources, services, locations, demographics of clients served, outcomes, and any additional pertinent data. The departments are required to work with relevant state agencies to collect this information accurately and punctually. The completed report must be submitted to the General Assembly and made publicly available on the departments' websites. The legislation is intended to enhance transparency, accountability, and resource allocation efficiency in addressing substance use and mental health issues. This act takes effect immediately upon becoming law.

Syverson graduated from Rock Valley College with a BA.

Dave Syverson is currently serving in the Illinois State Senate, representing the state's 35th Senate District. He replaced previous state senator Christine J. Johnson in 1993.

Bills in Illinois follow a multi-step legislative process, beginning with introduction in either the House or Senate, followed by committee review, floor debates, and votes in both chambers before reaching the governor for approval or veto. The General Assembly operates on a biennial schedule, and while typically thousands of bills are introduced each session, only a fraction successfully pass through the process to become law.

You can read more about bills and other measures here.

Bill Number	Date Introduced	Short Description
SB0185	01/17/2025	Creates the Substance Use Disorder and Mental Health Program Transparency Act. Provides that, within 6 months after the effective date of the Act, the Department of Healthcare and Family Services, in coordination with the Department of Human Services, shall compile a report concerning all substance use disorder and mental health programs in the State. Provides that the report shall identify each State-funded substance use disorder and mental health program in the State and provide specified information about each program. Provides that the Department of Healthcare and Family Services, in coordination with the Department of Human Services, shall collaborate with relevant State agencies to ensure the timely and accurate collection of information required for the report. Provides that the Department of Healthcare and Family Services, in coordination with the Department of Human Services, shall submit the report to the General Assembly and make the report accessible to the public on the Departments' website no later than 6 months after the effective date of the Act. Effective immediately.