Need-to-Know Information About Tuberculosis (TB)

TB Testing for All Licensed Organizations

NOTE: Information regarding TB testing guidance was previously shared in a 2022 SMART Alert.

The Illinois Department of Human Services/Division of Substance Use Prevention Recovery (IDHS/SUPR) Administrative Rule, Part 2060.415, specifies the TB testing requirements for licensed organizations. Rule 2060 was adopted in 1996 based on the Center for Disease Control (CDC) guidelines and updated in 2005. Since then, organizations were required to submit a written exception request to the CDC 2005 guidelines. To eliminate an administrative burden, in September 2022, IDHS/SUPR issued a blanket exception to Section 2060.415 eliminating the requirement that organizations submit a written exception request.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Guidelines

Organizations must comply with the following requirement that incorporates the CDC guidelines:

  • Each facility licensed for treatment shall have a policy developed by the Medical Director to ensure compliance with The U.S. Department of Labor Rule for Occupational Exposure to Bloodborne Pathogens, 29 CFR 1910.1030 (January 18, 2001) and annual training requirements for healthcare workers and with the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and Prevention, Guidelines for Preventing the Transmission of Mycobacterium Tuberculosis in Health-Care Settings, 2005; MMWR 2005; 54 (No. RR-17), December 30, 2005.
  • The policy shall be reviewed and updated annually and require a tuberculosis risk assessment for each facility according to the CDC guidelines and utilizing CDC appendices B and C. The policy shall also ensure that each staff member has a TB test upon hire to establish a baseline and then only annually based on the annual risk assessment. Client/patient/resident screening and education regarding infectious disease shall follow current requirements in Part 2060 and the annual risk.

Tuberculosis Education for SUD Patients: DARTS Billing Requirements for SUPR Funded Organizations

Part 2060 also requires all patients receiving services from a licensed IDHS/SUPR organization receive TB education. For those organizations that also have Substance Use Prevention, Treatment, and Recovery Services Block Grant (SUPTRS BG) funding, it is required that these services be reported correctly through DARTS for SUPR to demonstrate compliance for continued SUPTRS BG funding.

  • For any person in Level .5, 1, or 2 care, activity code 10 should be tagged to identify the individual or group session where this information was presented. Patients in Level 3 care should also receive this education, although there is no mechanism to report this education separately from the daily rate. Therefore, please ensure that all TB education is properly documented in the client/patient record.

What is TB?

TB is caused by a bacterium called Mycobacterium tuberculosis. The bacteria usually attack the lungs but can attack any part of the body such as the kidney, spine, and brain. Not everyone infected with TB bacteria becomes sick. As a result, two TB-related conditions exist: latent TB infection (LTBI) and TB disease. If not treated properly, TB disease can be fatal.

How is TB spread?

TB bacteria is spread through the air from one person to another. When a person with TB disease of the lungs or throat coughs, speaks, or sings, TB bacteria can get into the air. People nearby may breathe in these bacteria and become infected.

For more information regarding TB, including Illinois case rates, see: