Illinois Health Care Violence Prevention Act (210 ILCS 160)
This is a narrow-coverage course. The Illinois Health Care Violence Prevention Act applies only to hospitals, retail health care facilities, and state-operated veterans homes. If you run one of those, your facility needs a workplace violence prevention program, and this course walks your team through what that program covers. If you do not, you almost certainly do not need this one.
Start your free trialThe Illinois Health Care Violence Prevention Act (210 ILCS 160) requires covered facilities to maintain a workplace violence prevention program that follows OSHA guidelines.
Who this course is for (and who it isn't)
Covered by the Act: hospitals (licensed under the Hospital Licensing Act or the University of Illinois Hospital Act), retail health care facilities (a clinic inside a retail store, like a walk-in clinic in a pharmacy or grocery, that does no surgery, uses no general anesthesia, and discharges the same day), and state-operated veterans homes.
Not covered by the Act: independent physician offices, dental offices, outpatient clinics, ambulatory surgical treatment centers (ASTCs), pharmacies, and clinical labs. Those facilities follow OSHA's general duty clause instead.
If you're not sure whether your facility is covered, check with your compliance team.
Course Details
3 lessons, about 5 minutes
State
Illinois Law
Online, self-paced
What your team will learn
- Which facilities the Act covers, and which follow OSHA's general duty clause instead
- What a workplace violence prevention program is, and why covered facilities have to keep one
- The worksite analysis: how to find where staff face the greatest risk
- Engineering controls: locked doors, alarm systems, and camera coverage
- Administrative controls: visitor management and de-escalation
- Recordkeeping and ongoing evaluation that keeps the program current
- Employee protections: no retaliation for reporting, and the right to contact law enforcement
It's a short course: 3 lessons, roughly 5 minutes of content, plus a 10-question knowledge check.
Who needs this training?
The Illinois Health Care Violence Prevention Act (210 ILCS 160) covers a short, specific list of facilities. Most Illinois healthcare practices are not on it. Here's how the common facility types line up.
| Facility Type | Status | Authority |
|---|---|---|
| Hospitals (Hospital Licensing Act / U of I Hospital Act) | Required (if IL) | 210 ILCS 160 |
| Retail Health Care Facilities (clinic inside a retail store) | Required (if IL) | 210 ILCS 160 |
| State-Operated Veterans Homes | Required (if IL) | 210 ILCS 160 |
| Independent Physician Offices | Not covered (OSHA general duty clause) | OSHA general duty clause |
| Dental Offices | Not covered (OSHA general duty clause) | OSHA general duty clause |
| Outpatient Clinics | Not covered (OSHA general duty clause) | OSHA general duty clause |
| Ambulatory Surgical Treatment Centers (ASTCs) | Not covered (OSHA general duty clause) | OSHA general duty clause |
| Pharmacies | Not covered (OSHA general duty clause) | OSHA general duty clause |
| Clinical Labs | Not covered (OSHA general duty clause) | OSHA general duty clause |
Which staff at a covered facility should take it?
If your facility is covered, the program reaches the people who interact with patients and visitors:
- Clinical staff (physicians, nurses, techs, aides): the people most often face to face with patients in distress
- Front-desk and intake staff: the first point of contact for visitors and the people who set the tone
- Security and facilities staff: the people who run the engineering controls and respond when something escalates
- Supervisors and managers: the people who keep the program current and back up staff who report
If you're not sure whether your facility is covered, check with your compliance team before assigning this course.
Common Illinois Health Care Violence Prevention questions
Which facilities does the Illinois Health Care Violence Prevention Act cover?
The Act (210 ILCS 160) applies to three kinds of facilities. Hospitals licensed under the Hospital Licensing Act or the University of Illinois Hospital Act, retail health care facilities (a clinic located inside a retail store, such as a walk-in clinic in a pharmacy or grocery store, that does no surgery, uses no general anesthesia, and discharges patients the same day), and state-operated veterans homes. If your facility is not one of these, the Act does not apply to you.
My practice is not a covered facility. Do I need this?
Probably not. The Act does not cover independent physician offices, dental offices, outpatient clinics, ambulatory surgical treatment centers (ASTCs), pharmacies, or clinical labs. Those facilities follow OSHA's general duty clause instead, which still expects employers to keep the workplace free of recognized hazards, including violence. If you're not sure whether your facility is covered, check with your compliance team.
What does a covered facility have to do?
Covered facilities must maintain a workplace violence prevention program that complies with OSHA guidelines. The program includes a worksite analysis to find where staff face the greatest risk, prevention controls (engineering controls like locked doors, alarm systems, and camera coverage, plus administrative controls like visitor management and de-escalation), employee training, and recordkeeping with ongoing evaluation.
What protections does the Act give employees?
The Act protects employees from retaliation for reporting workplace violence or for raising a concern about the program. It also confirms an employee's right to contact law enforcement when they are the target of violence. An employer cannot discourage an employee from making that call.
Run a covered facility in Illinois? Get your team through the program basics.
3 short lessons, about 5 minutes, plus a 10-question check. Certificate on completion. Start your 14-day free trial now.
Get started freeRegulatory Disclaimer
Training requirements vary by organization type, size, state, payer mix, and accreditation. This guide reflects common federal and state requirements as of April 2026 and is not legal advice. Consult your compliance officer or legal counsel for requirements specific to your organization. State-specific content currently covers CA, TX, FL, NY, and IL. Additional states may have requirements not listed here. Last reviewed: April 2026.