| 47 | | - | SECTION 1. The legislature finds that many homeless persons who have been hospitalized need supportive services and follow-up care. Persons lacking access to a clean and safe place in which to recover may require extended inpatient stays and repeated hospitalizations. Hawaii Health Information Corporation estimates that homeless persons in the State are hospitalized more than ten thousand times per year, at an annual cost of approximately $100,000,000. The legislature recognizes that the costs of these hospitalizations are often absorbed by treating medical facilities, privately insured patients, and taxpayers. The legislature further finds that some extended hospital stays and repeated hospitalizations could be avoided by providing recently discharged homeless persons with a coordinated program of care, including medical care, housing assistance, and supportive services. Accordingly, the purpose of this Act is to improve the quality of life and standard of care for homeless persons in the State by establishing a medical respite pilot program. SECTION 2. (a) There is established within the department of human services a three-year medical respite pilot program to provide outpatient health care and supportive services to homeless persons recently discharged from the hospital. The pilot program shall be overseen by the governor's coordinator on homelessness. The governor's coordinator on homelessness may enter into contracts for the provision of these services in compliance with the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services' guidance for a waiver under section 1115 of the Social Security Act, also known as a medicaid section 1115 waiver, to allow the cost of the services to be reimbursed by existing medicaid benefits. (b) The department shall administer the pilot program in each county having a population of more than six hundred thousand. (c) The pilot program shall be based at a federally qualified health center that shall coordinate with other hospitals, emergency rooms, health plans, and social service providers to develop and implement individualized care plans for each referred person. (d) Services provided or coordinated by the federally qualified health center shall include: (1) Assistance in securing clean and safe housing for the duration of the person's post-discharge recovery; (2) Access to regular and timely medical care, including: (A) Preventative and primary care services; (B) Medication refills; (C) Treatment for allergic reactions; (D) Treatment for asthma and respiratory conditions; (E) Treatment for burns; (F) Treatment for muscle strains; (G) Treatment for colds, flu, and other common illnesses; (H) Testing for tuberculosis; (I) Vaccinations; (J) Minor procedures, including sutures for small wounds; and (K) Basic behavioral health services; (3) Services to address basic non-medical needs; (4) Referrals to community resources to address social determinants of health; and (5) Assistance in transitioning to permanent housing. (e) The federally qualified health center shall work with designated county departments to engage in community outreach efforts to educate homeless persons on the services offered by the medical respite pilot program. (f) The federally qualified health center shall also work with designated county departments to coordinate and provide medical and other care services for non-hospitalized homeless persons who are being moved by police out of unauthorized spaces. (g) The pilot program shall terminate after three years of operation. (h) The department shall submit a report of its findings and recommendations, including a recommendation on whether the pilot program should be extended or made permanent and any proposed enabling legislation, to the legislature no later than twenty days prior to the convening of the regular session of 2025. SECTION 3. There is appropriated out of the general revenues of the State of Hawaii the sum of $ or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2022-2023 for the medical respite pilot program established by section 2 of this Act. The sum appropriated shall be expended by the department of human services for the purposes of this Act. SECTION 4. This Act shall take effect on July 1, 2060. |
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| 47 | + | SECTION 1. The legislature finds that many homeless persons who have been hospitalized are in need of supportive services and follow-up care. Persons lacking access to a clean and safe place in which to recover may require extended inpatient stays and repeated hospitalizations. Hawaii Health Information Corporation estimates that homeless persons in the State are hospitalized more than ten thousand times per year, at an annual cost of approximately $100,000,000. The legislature recognizes that the costs of these hospitalizations are often absorbed by treating medical facilities, privately insured patients, and taxpayers. The legislature further finds that some extended hospital stays and repeated hospitalizations could be avoided by providing recently discharged homeless persons with a coordinated program of care, including medical care, housing assistance, and supportive services. Accordingly, the purpose of this Act is to improve the quality of life and standard of care for homeless persons in the State by establishing a medical respite pilot program. SECTION 2. (a) There is established within the department of human services a three-year medical respite pilot program to provide outpatient health care and supportive services to homeless persons recently discharged from the hospital. The pilot program shall be overseen by the governor's coordinator on homelessness. (b) The department shall administer the pilot program in each county having a population of more than six hundred thousand. (c) The pilot program shall be based at a federally qualified health center that shall coordinate with other hospitals, emergency rooms, health plans, and social service providers to develop and implement individualized care plans for each referred person. (d) Services provided or coordinated by the federally qualified health center shall include: (1) Assistance in securing clean and safe housing for the duration of the person's post-discharge recovery; (2) Access to regular and timely medical care, including: (A) Preventative and primary care services; (B) Medication refills; (C) Treatment for allergic reactions; (D) Treatment for asthma and respiratory conditions; (E) Treatment for burns; (F) Treatment for muscle strains; (G) Treatment for colds, flu, and other common illnesses; (H) Testing for tuberculosis; (I) Vaccinations; (J) Minor procedures, including sutures for small wounds; and (K) Basic behavioral health services; (3) Services to address basic non-medical needs; (4) Referrals to community resources to address social determinants of health; and (5) Assistance in transitioning to permanent housing. (e) The health center shall work with designated county departments to engage in community outreach efforts to educate homeless persons on the services offered by the medical respite pilot program. (f) The federally qualified health center shall also work with designated county departments to coordinate and provide medical and other care services for non-hospitalized homeless persons who are being moved by police out of unauthorized spaces. (g) The pilot program shall terminate after three years of operation. (h) The department shall submit a report of its findings and recommendations, including a recommendation on whether the pilot program should be extended or made permanent and any proposed enabling legislation, to the legislature no later than twenty days prior to the convening of the regular session of 2025. SECTION 3. There is appropriated out of the general revenues of the State of Hawaii the sum of $ or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2022-2023 for the medical respite pilot program established by section 2 of this Act. The sum appropriated shall be expended by the department of human services for the purposes of this Act. SECTION 4. This Act shall take effect on July 1, 2060. |
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