This year,
Municipal Minute will be counting down to the New Year with updates on
legislation that will be effective starting on January 1, 2025. Today, we will
be covering two Acts passed by the General Assembly that made amendments to the
Municipal Code, State Employees Group Insurance Act, and Counties Code.
Public Act 103-0818 requires insurance coverage for
joint mental health therapy services for police and fire officers in Illinois. In
order to be covered, the mental health therapy services must be provided by a
licensed physician, therapist, psychologist, or social worker. Municipalities,
including home-rule municipalities, must provide insurance coverage for these type of services to members of municipal police and fire departments and their spouses or partners residing with them if they are a self-insurer for health insurance. Similarly, counties that are self-insurers for health insurance must provide insurance coverage for members of the sheriff’s office and any spouse or partner of the member who resides with the member, and fire protection districts that are self-insurers for health insurance must provide similar insurance coverage for members of the fire district and their spouses or partners residing with them.
Public Act 103-1011 makes similar amendments and
requires coverage for mental health counseling services for first responders
starting on June 1, 2025. The term “first responders” includes all police and
corrections officers, deputy sheriffs, firefighters, emergency medical services
personnel, medical dispatchers, public safety telecommunicators, and mental
health professionals dispatched in response to emergency services. Municipalities,
including home-rule municipalities, must provide insurance coverage for these
services if they are a self-insurer.
Post Authored by Alexis Carter & Julie Tappendorf, Ancel Glink
