Healthcare (Medical Licensing)

Creates the Naturopathic Medical Practice Act. Provides for the licensure of naturopathic doctors. Sets forth the qualifications for licensure. Provides the scope of practice of naturopathic doctors. Requires a person licensed under the Act to use specified titles and prohibits a person not licensed under the Act from using specified titles. Creates the Naturopathic Medical Board to oversee the licensure of naturopathic doctors and matters relating to training and licensure of naturopathic doctors. Sets forth the membership and duties of the Board. Contains provisions concerning approved naturopathic medical educational programs; displaying licenses; written collaboration agreements; prohibited actions by a licensee; exemptions; license expiration, renewal, denial, revocation, and continuing education; grounds for disciplinary action; investigations, notice, and hearings; records of proceedings at formal hearings; and confidentiality. Amends the Medical Practice Act of 1987. Authorizes physicians to collaborate with a naturopathic doctor in accordance with the requirements of the Naturopathic Medical Practice Act. Amends the Illinois Controlled Substances Act. Adds naturopathic doctors to meaning of "prescriber" and "prescription". Effective immediately.

Amends the Acupuncture Practice Act. Provides that "acupuncture" also includes ordering laboratory tests in accordance with State law to check, track, evaluate, and monitor the status and effectiveness of pain management, herbal medicinal plans, dietary and exercise plans, and orders as may be provided to the patient from a physician licensed under the Medical Practice Act. Removes the provision that states that an acupuncturist licensed under the Act who is not also licensed as a physical therapist under the Illinois Physical Therapy Act shall not hold himself or herself out as being qualified to provide physical therapy or physiotherapy services.

Creates the Certified Anesthesiologist Assistant Practice Act. Provides for the licensure of certified anesthesiologist assistants by the Department of Financial and Professional Regulation. Sets forth provisions concerning: email address and address of record for all applicants and licensees; the function, powers, and duties of the Department; supervision requirements; applications for licensure; qualifications for licensure; endorsement by the Department of certified anesthesiologist assistants from another jurisdictions; criminal history records background checks; and other specified requirements. Amends the Regulatory Sunset Act to repeal the Certified Anesthesiologist Assistant Practice Act on January 1, 2030. Amends the Ambulatory Surgical Treatment Center Act and the Hospital Licensing Act. Provides that, in addition to the specified professionals, a licensed certified anesthesiologist assistant may assist a licensed physician, dentist, or podiatric physician. Provides that, in addition to the specified professionals, a licensed anesthesiologist assistant under the supervision of an anesthesiologist is an individual who, with clinical privileges granted at the hospital, may administer anesthesia services. Amends the Medical Practice Act of 1987. Provides that one member of the Illinois State Medical Board shall be a certified anesthesiologist assistant licensed to practice in Illinois. Establishes delegation of authority from a supervising anesthesiologist to a certified anesthesiologist assistant. Provides that the Act does not preclude a certified anesthesiologist assistant from performing specified actions.

Amends the Nurse Practice Act. Provides that one of the criteria that the Board of Nursing shall take into consideration when reviewing a registered professional nurse education program is whether the program satisfies specified criteria in provisions regarding program effectiveness (rather than satisfies the measurement of program effectiveness based on a passage rate of all graduates over the 3 most recent calendar years without reference to first-time test takers). Provides that, in order for a program to obtain initial Department of Financial and Professional Regulation approval and to maintain Department approval, the passage rates of the program's graduating classes on the State-approved licensure exam must meet one of the measurements of program effectiveness (rather than be deemed satisfactory by the Department). Provides that a registered professional nurse education program meeting one of the measurements of program effectiveness shall be deemed in good standing. Provides that the Department may, without hearing, rescind the license of any person who obtained a license or other authorization to practice under the Act based on educational credits received from a registered professional nurse education program that did not meet a set of requirements during the time period when the person obtained the credits. Sets forth requirements for program effectiveness. Effective immediately.

Amends the Illinois Dental Practice Act. Creates a license for dental therapists. Sets forth requirements for licensure, a written collaborative management agreement, the examination of applicants, and the scope of practice. Requires the Department of Financial and Professional Regulation to maintain a list of the names and addresses of all dentists, dental therapists, and dental hygienists and of all persons whose licenses have been suspended or revoked, together with other information relative to the enforcement of the Act. Makes conforming changes.

Amends the Illinois Occupational Therapy Practice Act. Requires a licensed occupational therapist or licensed occupational therapy assistant who intends to provide services for individuals, groups, and populations concerning occupational therapy needs without a referral to do so within the licensee's scope of practice. Provides that a referral is not required for the purpose of providing consultations, habilitation services, screenings, education, wellness services, preventions services, environmental assessments, and work-related ergonomic services. Provides that, except for occupational therapy services within the licensee's scope of practice at the time of evaluation and services provided pursuant to provisions concerning when referrals are not required, an occupational therapist shall refer a patient to the patient's treating health care professional of record, or to a health care professional of the patient's choosing if there is no health care professional of record, if the patient meets certain criteria. Provides that an occupational therapist shall refer a patient to the patient's treating health care professional of record, or to a health care professional of the patient's choosing if there is no health care professional of record if the patient does not demonstrate measurable or function improvement after 10 visits (rather than after 10 visits or 15 business days, whichever occurs first).

Amends the Clinical Psychologist Licensing Act, the Clinical Social Work and Social Work Practice Act, the Marriage and Family Therapy Licensing Act, the Music Therapy Licensing and Practice Act, and the Professional Counselor and Clinical Professional Counselor Licensing and Practice Act. Allows an applicant for licensure under those Acts to temporarily practice under supervision while the applicant's application for licensure is pending under specified circumstances. Removes good moral character standards as qualification requirements for the licensing of social workers and music therapists. Creates procedures for placing a license on inactive status for social workers and professional counselors. Provides that the Department of Financial and Professional Regulation must allow reasonable exam accommodations for licensed marriage and family therapists and clinical psychologists whose primary language is not English if a test in the therapist's or psychologist's primary language is not available.

Amends the Medical Assistance Article of the Illinois Public Aid Code. Provides that, beginning January 1, 2026, the personal needs allowance for a qualifying medical assistance recipient who is a resident in a facility licensed under the Community-Integrated Living Arrangements Licensure and Certification Act shall equal $100. Provides that, beginning January 1, 2027, the personal needs allowance shall increase annually at the same rate as the Social Security cost-of-living adjustment to take effect on January 1 of each year.

Condemns the practice of conversion therapy on any population as unethical and fraudulent. Asserts that no licensed professional operating in the State of Illinois should engage in this practice, whether with minors or adults, as it violates the ethical standards of professional behavioral healthcare. Condemns conversion therapy as described herein, regardless of the target population or how the service is marketed or titled. Acknowledges that conversion therapy is not a legitimate form of therapy but is a dangerous and discredited practice that has no place in a professional setting, and that any professional engaging in such practices is in violation of the ethical guidelines governing their licensure. Encourages the Illinois Department of Public Health to launch a statewide public awareness campaign to educate communities about the harms of conversion therapy and its fraudulent nature, to collaborate with the Department of Financial and Professional Regulation to investigate and hold accountable practitioners offering conversion therapy under false pretenses, to develop guidelines for healthcare professionals to recognize, report, and prevent practices associated with conversion therapy, and to support outreach initiatives to connect survivors of conversion therapy with affirming mental health resources.

Amends the Acupuncture Practice Act. Provides that "acupuncture" also includes ordering laboratory tests in accordance with State law to check, track, evaluate, and monitor the status and effectiveness of pain management, herbal medicinal plans, dietary and exercise plans, and orders as may be provided to the patient from a physician licensed under the Medical Practice Act. Removes the provision that states that an acupuncturist licensed under the Act who is not also licensed as a physical therapist under the Illinois Physical Therapy Act shall not hold himself or herself out as being qualified to provide physical therapy or physiotherapy services.