Program Aims to Create Database for Individuals with Disabilities

SPRINGFIELD – Highlighting the importance of ensuring equal access to public safety services, the Illinois House voted unanimously to give final passage to groundbreaking bipartisan legislation for the creation of a special alert system establishing a database to ensure that persons with disabilities and/or special needs have the same access to public safety services provided to all other citizens. Senate Bill 2057, sponsored by State Rep. Sidney Mathias (R-Buffalo Grove), would create the special alert system known as the Illinois Premise Alert Program (PAP).

The PAP database is aimed at individuals who have or are at increased risk for chronic physical, developmental, behavioral or emotional conditions and who also require health and related services of a type or amount beyond that required by individuals generally. The legislation was unanimously approved by the House on Saturday and now goes to the Governor for final approval.

“This new special alert program will allow families to make local police, fire and medical responders aware of individuals with disabilities in the community,” Rep. Mathias said. “The PAP system will also offer some guidance and direction to public safety workers responding to emergencies involving people with special needs.”

Illinois law does not currently have provisions that require an emergency responders’ database for people with special needs or disabilities. Under SB 2057, once the database is established; the individual’s name, date of birth, phone number, and residential address or place of employment could be obtained for possible entry into the database. Whenever possible, written permission would be sought from a parent, guardian, family member, or caregiver of the individual prior to being entered into the database.

All information gathered as part of PAP would remain confidential, with the information being used only to provide assistance to emergency medical and police responders.

“The implementation of a program such as this will greatly benefit all those involved and allow for the public service entities to more easily provide needed services to citizens with disabilities,” Rep. Mathias added.