(20 ILCS 301/20-5)
Sec. 20-5. Development of statewide prevention system.
(a) The Department shall develop and implement a comprehensive, statewide, community-based strategy to reduce alcoholism, prevent the use of illegal drugs and the abuse of legal drugs by persons of all ages, and to prevent the use of alcohol by minors. The system created to implement this strategy shall be based on the premise that coordination among and integration between all community and governmental systems will facilitate effective and efficient program implementation and utilization of existing resources.
(b) The statewide system developed under this Section shall be responsible for:
(1) providing programs and technical assistance to
improve the ability of Illinois communities and schools to develop, implement and evaluate prevention programs.
(2) initiating and fostering continuing cooperation
among the Department, Department-funded prevention programs, other community-based prevention providers and other State or local systems or agencies which have an interest in alcohol and other drug use or abuse prevention.
(c) In developing and implementing this statewide strategy and system, the Department may engage in, but shall not be limited to, the following activities:
(1) establishing and conducting programs to provide
awareness and knowledge of the nature and extent of alcohol and other drug use, abuse and dependency and their effects on individuals, families and communities.
(2) conducting or providing prevention skill building
or education through the use of structured experiences.
(3) developing or supporting existing local community
coalitions or neighborhood-based grassroots networks using action planning and collaborative systems to initiate change regarding alcohol and other drug use and abuse in their community.
(4) encouraging and supporting programs and
activities that emphasize alcohol and other drug-free socialization.
(5) drafting and implementing efficient plans for the
use of available resources to address issues of alcohol and other drug abuse prevention.
(6) coordinating local programs of alcoholism and
other drug abuse education and prevention.
(7) encouraging the development of local advisory
councils.
(d) In providing leadership to this system, the Department shall take into account, wherever possible, the needs and requirements of local communities. The Department shall also involve, wherever possible, local communities in its statewide planning efforts. These planning efforts shall include, but shall not be limited to, in cooperation with local community representatives and Department-funded agencies, the analysis and application of results of local needs assessments, as well as a process for the integration of an evaluation component into the system. The results of this collaborative planning effort shall be taken into account by the Department in making decisions regarding the allocation of prevention resources.
(e) Prevention programs funded in whole or in part by the Department shall maintain staff whose skills, training, experiences and cultural awareness demonstrably match the needs of the people they are serving.
(f) The Department may delegate the functions and activities described in subsection (c) of this Section to local, community-based providers.
(Source: P.A. 88-80.)
Sections: 20-5 20-10 20-15 Next
Last modified: February 18, 2015