This week's Illinois State Association of Counties (ISACo) News and Views e-newsletter shares our 2022 State Mandates Report, includes information about Governor JB Pritzker's declaration of a public health emergency to contend with Monkeypox, announces the issuance of additional adult use cannabis licenses, provides information about a new policy in Illinois that will increase Medicaid reimbursement rates for abortion services, encourages county officials and staff to participate in the National Association of Counties (NACo) High Performance Leadership Academy, announces an upcoming NACo webinar opportunity, spotlights ISACo corporate partner Mahoney, Silverman and Cross, LLC and invites counties to join ISACo.

ISACo Publishes State Mandates Report

Each year, ISACo compiles a list of new public acts that impose a mandate on county government. Our 2022 State Mandates Report is available via this link. Similar reports for previous years are available here.

Monkey Pox Declared Public Health Emergency 

On Monday, August 1, Governor JB Pritzker issued a proclamation declaring the monkeypox virus a public health emergency and declaring the state of Illinois a disaster area regarding the disease. The Governor stated the following while announcing the proclamation:

"MPV is a rare, but potentially serious disease that requires the full mobilization of all available public health resources to prevent the spread. That's why I am declaring a state of emergency to ensure smooth coordination between state agencies and all levels of government, thereby increasing our ability to prevent and treat the disease quickly. We have seen this virus disproportionately impact the LGBTQ+ community in its initial spread. Here in Illinois we will ensure our LGBTQ+ community has the resources they need to stay safe while ensuring members are not stigmatized as they access critical health care."

Declaring a state of disaster expands the resources and coordination efforts of state agencies in responding to, treating, and preventing the spread of monkeypox. Proclaiming a state of disaster will allow IDPH to expand vaccine and testing capacities with the help of the Illinois Emergency Management Agency (IEMA) and via state and federal recovery and assistance funds. This proclamation will aid in facilitating the logistics and transportation of vaccines across the state to reach the most impacted communities efficiently.

The declaration also authorizes emergency procurements to facilitate the state’s response. The proclamation takes effect immediately and is in place for 30 days.

Additional information is available via this link.

Additional Adult Use Cannabis Licenses Issued

On Friday, July 29, the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation (IDFPR) issued another 28 Conditional Adult Use Dispensing Organization Licenses. The applicants were selected over the course of three lotteries for a total of 185 licenses. These latest awardees join the 149 conditional licenses issued by the Department on July 22, bringing the total number of issued licenses to 177. Eight licenses are left to be awarded.

Additional information is available via this link.

Medicaid Reimbursement Rate Increase 

Effective September 1, Illinois is increasing Medicaid reimbursement rates by 20 percent for abortion services and expanding Title X funding through the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) for family planning and reproductive health service providers across the state. Governor JB Pritzker also eliminated a requirement for providers to receive a Medicare denial before requesting Medicaid payment, which will eliminate a lengthy and layered denial process. Additional information is available via this link. 

NACo High Performance Leadership Academy

The NACo High Performance Leadership Academy is an innovative, completely online 12-week program created to equip frontline county government professionals with practical leadership skills to deliver results for counties and communities. (Click here to learn about NACo's Enterprise Cybersecurity Leadership Academy.)

With a robust curriculum developed by the Professional Development Academy in partnership with Fortune 1000 executives, public sector leaders, world-renowned academics and thought leaders, including General Colin Powell and Dr. Marshall Goldsmith, HPLA was designed specifically for the unique challenges and opportunities of serving in county government.

NACo has announced the following upcoming webinar opportunity. ISACo is a proud partner with NACo and encourages counties to participate in NACo membership and activities. 

Leveraging ARPA Funds to Improve Public Safety 

(Wednesday, August 17, 2022, 12:00-1:00pm CDT)

Many counties and cities are using American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds to reimagine public safety, reduce jail populations, interrupt violence and enhance access to diversion and crisis response opportunities. Join local officials to learn about how their communities are using funds for this purpose, how they made these decisions and who was involved, what they hope the impact will be from these investments and how to engage with local elected officials to sustain the momentum of these efforts.

Click on this link to register for this event.

CORPORATE SPONSOR SPOTLIGHT

This week's corporate partner spotlight highlights ISACo's partnership with Mahoney, Silverman and Cross, LLC. 

The Law Firm of Mahoney, Silverman and Cross, LLC strives to provide superior legal representation with the objective of exceeding their clients’ expectations. Each member of the firm is committed to utilizing critical analysis and innovative approaches to achieve timely resolutions with the best possible results for their clients.

More information about the services provided by Mahoney, Silverman and Cross, LLC is available via this link.

Click on this link to learn more about the benefits and opportunities available through ISACo's Corporate Partner Program.

Become an ISACo Member!