1. (a) The Advisory Board for the Maternal and Child Health Block Grant Programs is created within the Department to advise the Department on programs and activities related to maternal and child health in the State of Illinois.

   The Board shall consist of the Director's designee responsible for maternal and child health programs, who shall serve as the Chair of the Board; the Department's Title V administrator, if the Director's designee is not serving in the capacity of Title V Director at the Department; one representative each from the Department of Early Childhood, the Department of Children and Family Services, the Department of Human Services, and the Department of Healthcare and Family Services, appointed by the Director or Secretary of each Department; the Director of the University of Illinois at Chicago's Division of Specialized Care for Children; 4 members of the General Assembly, one each appointed by the President and Minority Leader of the Senate and the Speaker and Minority Leader of the House of Representatives; and 20 additional members appointed by the Director.

   Of the members appointed by the Director:

   1. (1) Two shall be physicians licensed to practice medicine in all of its branches who currently serve patients enrolled in maternal and child health programs funded by the State of Illinois, one of whom shall be an individual with a specialty in obstetrics and gynecology and one of whom shall be an individual with a specialty in pediatric medicine;
   2. (2) Sixteen shall be persons with expertise in one or more of the following areas, with no more than 3 persons from each listed area of expertise and with preference given to the areas of need identified by the most recent State needs assessment: the health of women, infants, young children, school-aged children, adolescents, and children with special health care needs; public health; epidemiology; behavioral health; nursing; social work; substance abuse prevention; juvenile justice; oral health; child development; chronic disease prevention; health promotion; and education; 5 of the 16 members shall represent organizations that provide maternal and child health services with funds from the Department; and

   3. (3) either 2 consumers who have received services through a Department-funded maternal and child health program, 2 representatives from advocacy groups that advocate on behalf of such consumers, or one such consumer and one such representative of an advocacy group. Members appointed by the Director shall be selected to represent the racial, ethnic, and geographic diversity of the State's population and shall include representatives of local health departments, other direct service providers, and faculty of the University of Illinois at Chicago School of Public Health Center of Excellence in Maternal and Child Health.

      Legislative members shall serve during their term of office in the General Assembly. Members appointed by the Director shall serve a term of 4 years or until their successors are appointed.

      Any member appointed to fill a vacancy occurring prior to the expiration of the term for which his or her predecessor was appointed shall be appointed for the remainder of such term. Members of the Board shall serve without compensation but shall be reimbursed for necessary expenses incurred in the performance of their duties.

2. (b) The Board shall advise the Director on improving the well-being of mothers, fathers, infants, children, families, and adults, considering both physical and social determinants of health, and using a life-span approach to health promotion and disease prevention in the State of Illinois. In addition, the Board shall review and make recommendations to the Department and the Governor in regard to the system for maternal and child health programs, collaboration, and interrelation between and delivery of programs, both within the Department and with related programs in other departments. In performing its duties, the Board may hold hearings throughout the State and advise and receive advice from any local advisory bodies created to address maternal and child health.
3. (c) The Board may offer recommendations and feedback regarding the development of the State's annual Maternal and Child Health Services Block Grant application and report as well as the periodic needs assessment.

(Source: P.A. 103-594, eff. 6-25-24.)