Section 65 ILCS 5/10-4-2.4 - [Effective 1/1/2025] Mental health counseling(a) As used in this Section: "First responders" means police and corrections officers, deputy sheriffs, firefighters, emergency medical services personnel, as that term is defined in Section 3.5 of the Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Systems Act, dispatched pursuant to a 9-1-1 call, emergency medical dispatchers, as that term is defined in Section 3.70 of the Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Systems Act, public safety telecommunicators, as that term is defined in Section 2 of the Emergency Telephone System Act, and mental health professionals employed and dispatched by any unit of local government in response to emergency crisis calls received on public emergency service lines instead of or in conjunction with law enforcement.
"Mental health counseling" means counseling therapy sessions provided by a clinical social worker, professional counselor, or licensed psychologist.
(b) If a municipality, including a home rule municipality, is a self-insurer for purposes of providing health insurance coverage for its employees, the insurance coverage shall include, on and after June 1, 2025, mental health counseling for any employee who is a first responder without imposing a deductible, coinsurance, copayment, or any other cost-sharing requirement on the coverage provided, except that this Section does not apply to the extent such coverage would disqualify a high-deductible health plan from eligibility for a health savings account pursuant to Section 223 of the Internal Revenue Code.(c) The requirement that mental health counseling be included in health insurance coverage as provided in this Section is an exclusive power and function of the State and is a denial and limitation under Article VII, Section 6, subsection (h) of the Illinois Constitution of home rule powers.Added by P.A. 103-1011,§ 10, eff. 1/1/2025.