(a) Any community mental health or developmental services agency who wishes to develop and support a variety of community-integrated living arrangements may do so pursuant to a license issued by the Department under this Act. However, programs established under or otherwise subject to the Child Care Act of 1969, the Nursing Home Care Act, the Specialized Mental Health Rehabilitation Act of 2013, the ID/DD Community Care Act, or the MC/DD Act, as now or hereafter amended, shall remain subject thereto, and this Act shall not be construed to limit the application of those Acts.(b) The system of licensure established under this Act shall be for the purposes of: (1) ensuring that all recipients residing in community-integrated living arrangements are receiving appropriate community-based services, including treatment, training and habilitation or rehabilitation;(2) ensuring that recipients' rights are protected and that all programs provided to and placements arranged for recipients comply with this Act, the Mental Health and Developmental Disabilities Code, and applicable Department rules and regulations;(3) maintaining the integrity of communities by requiring regular monitoring and inspection of placements and other services provided in community-integrated living arrangements. The licensure system shall be administered by a quality assurance unit within the Department which shall be administratively independent of units responsible for funding of agencies or community services.
(c) As a condition of being licensed by the Department as a community mental health or developmental services agency under this Act, the agency shall certify to the Department that:(1) all recipients residing in community-integrated living arrangements are receiving appropriate community-based services, including treatment, training and habilitation or rehabilitation;(2) all programs provided to and placements arranged for recipients are supervised by the agency; and(3) all programs provided to and placements arranged for recipients comply with this Act, the Mental Health and Developmental Disabilities Code, and applicable Department rules and regulations.(c-5) Each developmental services agency licensed under this Act shall submit an annual report to the Department, as a contractual requirement between the Department and the developmental services agency, certifying that all legislatively or administratively mandated wage increases to benefit workers are passed through in accordance with the legislative or administrative mandate. The Department shall determine the manner and form of the annual report.(d) An applicant for licensure as a community mental health or developmental services agency under this Act shall submit an application pursuant to the application process established by the Department by rule and shall pay an application fee in an amount established by the Department, which amount shall not be more than $200.(e) If an applicant meets the requirements established by the Department to be licensed as a community mental health or developmental services agency under this Act, after payment of the licensing fee, the Department shall issue a license valid for 3 years from the date thereof unless suspended or revoked by the Department or voluntarily surrendered by the agency.(f) Upon application to the Department, the Department may issue a temporary permit to an applicant for up to a 2-year period to allow the holder of such permit reasonable time to become eligible for a license under this Act.(g)(1) The Department may conduct site visits to an agency licensed under this Act, or to any program or placement certified by the agency, and inspect the records or premises, or both, of such agency, program or placement as it deems appropriate, for the purpose of determining compliance with this Act, the Mental Health and Developmental Disabilities Code, and applicable Department rules and regulations. The Department shall conduct inspections of the records and premises of each community-integrated living arrangement certified under this Act at least once every 2 years.(2) If the Department determines that an agency licensed under this Act is not in compliance with this Act or the rules and regulations promulgated under this Act, the Department shall serve a notice of violation upon the licensee. Each notice of violation shall be prepared in writing and shall specify the nature of the violation, the statutory provision or rule alleged to have been violated, and that the licensee submit a plan of correction to the Department if required. The notice shall also inform the licensee of any other action which the Department might take pursuant to this Act and of the right to a hearing.(g-5) As determined by the Department, a disproportionate number or percentage of licensure complaints; a disproportionate number or percentage of substantiated cases of abuse, neglect, or exploitation involving an agency; an apparent unnatural death of an individual served by an agency; any egregious or life-threatening abuse or neglect within an agency; or any other significant event as determined by the Department shall initiate a review of the agency's license by the Department, as well as a review of its service agreement for funding. The Department shall adopt rules to establish the process by which the determination to initiate a review shall be made and the timeframe to initiate a review upon the making of such determination.(h) Upon the expiration of any license issued under this Act, a license renewal application shall be required of and a license renewal fee in an amount established by the Department shall be charged to a community mental health or developmental services agency, provided that such fee shall not be more than $200.(i) A public or private agency, association, partnership, corporation, or organization that has had a license revoked under subsection (b) of Section 6 of this Act may not apply for or possess a license under a different name.Amended by P.A. 102-0944,§ 10, eff. 1/1/2023.Amended by P.A. 100-0863,§ 330, eff. 8/14/2018.Amended by P.A. 100-0313,§ 10, eff. 8/24/2017.Amended by P.A. 100-0058,§ 5, eff. 8/11/2017.Amended by P.A. 099-0180,§ 140, eff. 7/29/2015.Amended by P.A. 098-0104,§ 6-210, eff. 7/22/2013.Amended by P.A. 097-0813,§ 345, eff. 7/13/2012.Amended by P.A. 097-0441,§ 5, eff. 8/19/2011.Amended by P.A. 097-0227,§ 78, eff. 1/1/2012.Amended by P.A. 097-0038,§ 90-135, eff. 6/28/2011.Amended by P.A. 096-0339,§ 90-120, eff. 7/1/2010.