HEALTH-FITNESS

State Revokes Licenses of Health Care Workers Convicted of Sex Crimes or Crimes against Patients

Staff Writer
Aledo Times Record

                      Earlier today, the Illinois Department of

                      Financial and Professional Regulation (IDFPR) revoked

                      the licenses of 11 health care workers who have been

                      convicted of sex offenses or violent crimes against

                      their patients.  These revocations are required by a

                      new law signed by Governor Quinn last month.  HB 1271

                      (Public Act 97-0156) provides that the professional

                      license of any health care worker who has been

                      convicted of a sex offense or of a violent crime

                      against their patients is permanently revoked without

                      a hearing and further provides that sex offenders

                      cannot be licensed as health care workers in

                      Illinois.

                      “The State takes its responsibilities to protect our

                      residents seriously,” said Brent E. Adams, Secretary

                      of Financial and Professional Regulation.  “This new

                      law establishes tough outcomes that are intended to

                      shield Illinois patients from health care workers who

                      have been convicted of sex offenses and certain

                      violent crimes.”

                      While many health care workers are covered by the new

                      law, regulations will be proposed to specifically

                      list all the types of health care workers that are

                      covered by the law.  The law also lists most of the

                      crimes requiring permanent revocation, but

                      regulations will be proposed to make clear all the

                      crimes that trigger permanent revocation.  These

                      proposed regulations will be filed later this year.

                      Each health care worker whose license was revoked

                      today appears on IDFPR.com, along with the city at

                      which he/she was licensed, and the crime that

                      triggered the permanent revocation.