Bill Text: IL HB1526 | 2023-2024 | 103rd General Assembly | Chaptered

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Bill Title: Reinserts the provisions of the introduced bill with the following changes. Provides that the Department of Natural Resources (rather than the Department of Public Health) shall establish an advisory committee to assist and advise the Department of Human Services (rather than the Department of Public Health) in the development and administration of the Outdoor Rx Program. Provides that the Secretary of Human Services (rather than the Director of Public Health) shall set priorities and develop criteria for the award of grants, shall select activities eligible for the awarding of grants, and shall make the final decision on funding a natural resource-based or outdoor-based therapy program. Makes conforming changes.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 24-1)

Status: (Passed) 2023-07-28 - Public Act . . . . . . . . . 103-0284 [HB1526 Detail]

Download: Illinois-2023-HB1526-Chaptered.html

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Public Act 103-0284
HB1526 Enrolled LRB103 25794 CPF 52144 b
AN ACT concerning health.
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
represented in the General Assembly:
Section 1. Short title. This Act may be cited as the
Outdoor Rx Program Act.
Section 5. Intent. Studies have shown that time outdoors
can be a valuable adjunct therapy in addition to more
traditional health care, while also reducing reliance on
prescription medication. The therapeutic benefits of time
spent outdoors is clinically proven and known to help reduce
stress, improve concentration, and promote overall well-being,
both physical and mental. Natural resource-based and
outdoor-based therapy programs, including adventure therapy,
wilderness therapy, horticultural therapy, walk-and-talk
therapy, and other nature-oriented programs, are currently
being used by mental health professionals and are shown to
have benefits, including, but not limited to, reduction of
stress, restoration of attention, and an improved sense of
well-being. Such outdoor programs aim to connect people with
nature, thereby proving to be particularly beneficial to
individuals undergoing a recovery process. Recognizing the
healing benefits of natural resource-based or outdoor-based
therapy programs to residents of the State, particularly

veterans and individuals recovering from substance abuse or a
physical or mental trauma, the General Assembly supports the
establishment of an Outdoor Rx Program.
Section 10. Definitions. In this Act:
"Department" means the Department of Human Services.
"Director" means the Director of Natural Resources.
"Fund" means the Outdoor Rx Program Fund.
"Secretary" means the Secretary of Human Services.
Section 15. Outdoor Rx Program; Department rules.
(a) Subject to appropriation, the Outdoor Rx Program is
created to provide grants for outdoor environmental,
ecological, agricultural, or other natural resource-based or
outdoor-based therapy programs serving the citizens of the
State of Illinois. The Department shall establish, implement,
and administer the Outdoor Rx Program to provide grants for
natural resource-based or outdoor-based therapy programs.
(b) The Department shall adopt any rules necessary for the
implementation and administration of this Act.
Section 20. Advisory committee.
(a) The Department of Natural Resources shall establish an
advisory committee to assist and advise the Department in the
development and administration of the Outdoor Rx Program. The
advisory committee shall consist of at least 7 members,

appointed as follows:
(1) at least one member, appointed by the Director;
(2) at least one member, appointed by the Director of
Public Health;
(3) at least one member, appointed by the Director of
Veterans' Affairs;
(4) at least one member, appointed by the Director of
the Environmental Protection Agency;
(5) at least one member of the business community,
appointed by the Director;
(6) at least 2 members of an outdoor organization,
appointed by the Director; and
(7) any other members the Director deems necessary to
ensure a representative cross section of participants.
(b) The advisory committee shall develop an application
form that eligible applicants shall complete and submit to be
considered for a grant under the Outdoor Rx Program.
Section 25. Outdoor Rx Program Fund.
(a) The Outdoor Rx Program Fund is created as a special
fund in the State treasury. Moneys deposited into the Fund
shall be used solely for the administration of the Outdoor Rx
Program. The Department may accept gifts, grants, donations,
or moneys from any source for deposit into the Fund. Any public
agency in this State may use moneys in the Fund, subject to
approval by the Director under subsection (c) of Section 35,

to develop and implement natural resource-based or
outdoor-based therapy programs. The Department may award
grants to public agencies and contract with any public or
private agency or person to develop and implement natural
resource-based or outdoor-based therapy programs under the
Outdoor Rx Program.
(b) The Department shall establish limitations on the
availability and use of Outdoor Rx Program moneys. However,
any limitations shall be defined in the application package,
and the Department shall establish the limitations only after
considering the following:
(1) consistency with the purpose of the Outdoor Rx
Program, as stated in subsection (a) of Section 15; and
(2) availability of moneys.
(c) The Department may require applicants to make a
matching contribution to be eligible for a grant under the
Act.
(d) The Department may limit the amount of funding
available for any element of natural resource-based or
outdoor-based therapy programs.
(e) The following conditions are placed on the use of
moneys from the Fund:
(1) For every funded program, a contract shall be
executed on behalf of the Department and by the grant
recipient. The grant recipient shall not be reimbursed for
costs incurred prior to the execution of the contract by

both parties.
(2) The grant recipient shall ensure that all natural
resource-based or outdoor-based therapy programs are in
accordance with any technical standards established by the
Department.
(3) The grant recipient shall submit any reports
required by the Department as directed in the funding
contract.
(4) The grant recipient shall agree to and certify
compliance with all applicable federal and State laws,
rules, regulations, and policies.
(5) The grant recipient shall maintain accurate
accounting records on the expenditure of program moneys,
provide the Department with such records consistent with
the agreement or upon request, whichever is applicable,
and permit the Department to audit the use of moneys in
accordance with generally accepted audit practices and
standards. The Department shall reserve the right to
terminate its participation in any program that fails to
perform according to the requirements of this Act.
(f) The Department may assess fees to grant recipients or
Outdoor Rx Program participants for Outdoor Rx Program
services.
(g) Moneys in the Fund shall be expended only for natural
resource-based or outdoor-based therapy programs approved by
the Director. To the extent practicable, the Director shall

ensure that all moneys received during a fiscal year are
expended prior to the end of that fiscal year.
Section 30. Eligibility criteria; applications;
evaluation.
(a) The Secretary shall set priorities and develop
criteria for the award of grants to outdoor environmental,
ecological, agricultural, or other natural resource-based or
outdoor-based therapy programs considering, at a minimum,
programs that:
(1) use veterans for at least 50% of the program's
implementation or administration;
(2) contribute to healthy lifestyles through outdoor
recreation;
(3) will commit matching and in-kind resources;
(4) create partnerships with public and private
entities;
(5) maximize the number of participants who can be
served, particularly participants who are veterans or who
are recovering from substance abuse or physical or mental
trauma;
(6) use a State park, other natural venue, or
Department personnel as a resource;
(7) use research-based and effective environmental,
ecological, agricultural, or other natural resource-based
or outdoor-based therapy;

(8) provide citizens of the State of Illinois with
opportunities to directly experience and understand nature
and the natural world; and
(9) include ongoing program evaluation and assessment
and reporting of program effectiveness.
(b) The Secretary shall select activities eligible for
the awarding of grants. The activities may include, but need
not be limited to, the following:
(1) outdoor recreation;
(2) outdoor environmental studies;
(3) agricultural activities;
(4) natural resource-based activities;
(5) conservation;
(6) ecological activities; and
(7) stewardship or restoration.
(c) The following activities are ineligible for the
awarding of grants from the Outdoor Rx Program:
(1) activities that may be perceived to lobby or
advocate for political purposes;
(2) activities that are not in compliance with local,
State, or federal laws; and
(3) organized youth sports, such as a community league
or school team.
(d) The following criteria shall be used to evaluate
applications:
(1) proposals that provide for public or private

partnerships;
(2) proposals that provide for innovative ways to
increase the availability and use of outdoor recreation
facilities;
(3) proposals that show consideration for the
economics of installation or implementation to provide the
greatest cost-to-benefit ratio, for example, where private
parties contribute more than the minimum amount;
(4) proposals that commit matching and in-kind
resources;
(5) proposals that use a State park, other natural
venue, or Department personnel as a resource;
(6) proposals that contribute to healthy lifestyles
through outdoor recreation and sound nutrition;
(7) proposals that contribute to the statewide network
of facilities or programs;
(8) proposals that encourage community involvement;
(9) proposals that encourage sound environmental
practices;
(10) proposals that maximize the number of
participants who can be served;
(11) proposals that provide an opportunity to
experience the outdoors directly and understand nature and
the natural world;
(12) proposals that include ongoing program evaluation
and assessment and reporting of program effectiveness;

(13) proposals that make use of research-based and
effective environmental, ecological, agricultural, or
other natural resource-based therapy; and
(14) proposals that demonstrate innovative approaches
to outdoor-based therapy.
Section 35. Program selection.
(a) Completed applications shall be reviewed by the
Department to determine eligibility and shall be evaluated in
accordance with the purposes, eligibility requirements,
limitations, and evaluation criteria in this Act.
(b) The Department shall consult with and consider the
recommendations of the advisory committee and present final
recommendations to the Secretary.
(c) The Secretary shall make the final decision on funding
a natural resource-based or outdoor-based therapy program.
Section 40. Report. On or before February 1 of each year,
the Department shall issue a report to the General Assembly.
The report shall state how moneys from the Fund were used
during the preceding calendar year and shall include:
(1) the amount of money deposited into the Fund during
the preceding calendar year as the result of revenue
derived under this Act;
(2) the amount of money disbursed from the Fund and
the process used for such disbursements;

(3) recipients of grants from the Fund;
(4) the amount awarded to each grant recipient;
(5) the purposes for which grants were awarded; and
(6) a summary financial plan for Fund moneys, which
shall include estimates of all receipts and all
disbursements for the current and succeeding fiscal years,
along with the actual results from the prior fiscal year.
Section 90. The State Finance Act is amended by adding
Section 5.990 as follows:
(30 ILCS 105/5.990 new)
Sec. 5.990. The Outdoor Rx Program Fund.