SPRINGFIELD – To expand access to hospice care, State Senator Meg Loughran Cappel led a measure through the Senate Health and Human Services Committee that would increase the number of people hospice residences can serve and the number of licensed hospice locations per county.

“As someone who has cared for a loved one, I want to ensure health care is available for all residents,” said Loughran Cappel (D-Shorewood). “Caring for people during the end of their life is not an easy job but it’s an important one.

House Bill 1117 would allow hospice programs that own or operate separate hospice residences to serve up to 24 people per location, rather than the current 20 people per location cap. Additionally, the measure would expand the number of licensed hospice locations per county from five to 16.

“Expanding access to hospice care would help address the increased need for hospice and palliative care as it has rapidly grown,” Loughran Cappel said. “We all want our loved ones to have the care they deserve.”

House Bill 1117 passed the Senate Health and Human Services Committee and heads to the full Senate for further consideration.

SPRINGFIELD – To incentivize educational professionals, State Senator Meg Loughran Cappel passed a measure through the Senate Education Committee that would increase the annual pay cap for teachers who mentor or provide professional development for classroom teachers or counselors.

“As a former special education teacher, I understand the struggles many education professionals are facing,” said Loughran Cappel (D-Shorewood). “It’s important for new teachers to have qualified mentors to lean on, especially when first joining the profession. This can lead to increased satisfaction for teachers and education professionals.”

House Bill 1291 would increase the annual pay cap from $1,500 to $2,250 for teachers with National Board for Professional Teaching Standards designations who mentor or provide professional development for classroom teachers or counselors.

To receive National Board for Professional Teaching Standards designation, a teacher must have a bachelor's degree, hold a state license and have at least three years of teaching or counseling experience. The candidate then takes a computer-based assessment and completes three portfolio entries. If the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards deems that a teacher passes all of the components, the teacher receives the designation.

“Many professional educators will spend over 30 hours participating in mentoring and professional development over the course of a year,” said Loughran Cappel. “It’s time that we compensate the teachers who work hard to educate our youth. We have to continue uplifting the education profession and encouraging more people to join it, and this is one step we can take to do that.”

House Bill 1291 passed the Senate Education Committee and heads to the floor for further consideration.

CREST HILL – With strong support from State Senator Meg Loughran Cappel, Stepping Stones Treatment Center is set to receive $240,000 to help address physical construction and accessibility needs.

“Stepping Stones plays an important role in our community by providing treatment services for those in need,” said Loughran Cappel (D-Shorewood). “This strong investment allows the center to grow and continue making a positive impact on residents in Joliet and across Will County.”

A total of $14 million was awarded to 70 human services providers across the state through the Human Services Capital Investment Grant program. The program was designed to prioritize disproportionately impacted areas, the expansion of human services, and to address fire prevention and mitigation.

Stepping Stones in Joliet professionally treats addiction, anxiety, depression and dual diagnosis. The $240,000 grant will be used to expand treatment service physical capacity by 34 people and meet all ADA and safety compliance standards to ensure a safe, healthy environment for staff and clients. With the funding, the center will add beds and a kitchen for the two extended care units, replace its outdated HVAC system and degraded exterior siding and windows, update its electrical system to meet safety compliance requirements, and remodel two bathrooms.

Click here for a full list of Human Services Capital Investment Grant program recipients.

CREST HILL – In partnership with the city of Crest Hill, State Senator Meg Loughran Cappel will join representatives from the state treasurer’s office for an ICash event in Crest Hill on Saturday, April 22.

“People often don’t know that they have unclaimed property they can recover,” said Loughran Cappel (D-Shorewood). “I encourage residents to take advantage of this event to make sure they aren’t missing out on money that’s theirs at no cost.”

The free event is Saturday, April 22 from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. at the White Oak Library District – Crest Hill Branch located at 20670 City Center Blvd. in Crest Hill.

Representatives with the treasurer’s office will be available to check if residents are owed any of the $3.5 billion in unclaimed property currently held by their office. Hundreds of people each year learn through the ICash program that they had money from old bank accounts, life insurance policies or other financial institutions that they had yet to collect.

If residents have questions about the event, Loughran Cappel urges them to contact her office at 815-267-6119.