| 47 | | - | SECTION 1. The legislature finds that there is a need for a long-term care facility to provide comprehensive treatment for individuals with behavioral health needs, as well as those with developmental disabilities, intellectual disabilities, and cognitive needs whose behaviors make it difficult for acceptance at most long-term care facilities. There are approximately forty patients at the Hawaii state hospital that do not need inpatient level of care but cannot be discharged to another location due to their behavioral needs, current or historical, as well as current long-term care needs. This number has been growing as new individuals are admitted but are not able to be discharged. There is a similar number of individuals housed at the Hawaii state hospital beyond the need for inpatient hospitalization, yet they are not able to be placed in a non‑secure facility. In order to increase the number of beds available to non‑forensic civil commitment patients in our community (those individuals in psychiatric crisis who are not accused of committing, or have not been found to have committed, a crime), additional facilities need to be constructed. The legislature further finds that renovations at the Hawaii state hospital provide an opportunity to repurpose the hospital's Guensberg building. The Guensberg building is suitable to hold a locked facility for individuals with co-occurring substance use disorder and mental illness. The building could also serve to treat individuals who need intermediate level care that requires a longer stay than the typical five to seven days in a hospital, but do not need long term care at the state hospital. By renovating the Guensberg building for these two important purposes, the State can help to ensure that inpatient psychiatric beds are available for those in need, even if they are not in the criminal justice system. The legislature also finds that the department of health has been exploring options to develop a long-term care facility at the Guensberg building. Estimates of costs involved to renovate the building for this purpose are at least $50,000,000 plus $2,000,000 for design and $1,500,000 for equipment. Accordingly, the purpose of this Act is to authorize the issuance of general obligation bonds funds for the department of health to develop a long-term care facility at the Guensberg building. SECTION 2. The director of finance is authorized to issue general obligation bonds in the sum of $ or so much thereof as may be necessary and the same sum or so much thereof as may be necessary is appropriated for fiscal year 2022-2023 for the purpose of a capital improvement project to develop a long-term care facility at the Guensberg building on the Hawaii state hospital campus, as follows: Design $ 2,000,000 Equipment 1,500,000 Construction 50,000,000 Total funding $ 53,500,000 The sum appropriated shall be expended by the department of health for the purposes of this Act. SECTION 3. The appropriation made for the capital improvement project authorized by this Act shall not lapse at the end of the fiscal biennium for which the appropriation is made; provided that all moneys from the appropriation unencumbered as of June 30, 2024, shall lapse as of that date. SECTION 4. This Act shall take effect on July 1, 2022. |
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| 47 | + | SECTION 1. The legislature finds that there is a need for a long-term care facility to provide comprehensive treatment for individuals with behavioral health needs as well as those with developmental disabilities, intellectual disabilities, and cognitive needs whose behaviors make it difficult for acceptance at most long-term care facilities. There are approximately forty patients at the Hawaii state hospital that do not need inpatient level of care but cannot be discharged to another location due to their behavioral needs, current or historical, as well as current long-term care needs. This number has been growing as new individuals are admitted but are not able to be discharged. There is a similar number of individuals housed at the Hawaii state hospital beyond the need for inpatient hospitalization yet they are not able to be placed in a non-secure facility. In order to increase the number of beds available to non-forensic civil commitment patients in our community -- those individuals in psychiatric crisis who are not accused of committing, or been found to have committed, a crime -- additional facilities need to be constructed. The legislature further finds that renovations at the Hawaii state hospital provide an opportunity to repurpose the hospital's Guensberg building. The Guensberg building is suitable to hold a locked facility for individuals with co-occurring substance use disorder and mental illness. The building could also serve to treat individuals who need intermediate level care that requires a longer stay than the typical five to seven days in a hospital but do not need long term care at the state hospital. By renovating the Guensberg building for these two important purposes, the State can help to ensure that inpatient psychiatric beds are available for those in need without having to go through the criminal justice system. The legislature also finds that the department of health has been exploring options to develop a long-term care facility at the Guensberg building. Estimates of costs involved to renovate the building for this purpose are at least $50,000,000 plus $2,000,000 for design and $1,500,000 for equipment. Accordingly, the purpose of this Act is to authorize the issuance of general obligation bonds funds for the department of health to develop a long-term care facility at the Guensberg building. SECTION 2. The director of finance is authorized to issue general obligation bonds in the sum of $53,500,000 or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2022-2023 for the purpose of a capital improvement project to develop a long-term care facility at the Guensberg building on the Hawaii state hospital campus, as follows: Design $ 2,000,000 Equipment 1,500,000 Construction 50,000,000 Total funding $ 53,500,000 The sum appropriated shall be expended by the department of health for the purposes of this Act. SECTION 3. The appropriation made for the capital improvement project authorized by this Act shall not lapse at the end of the fiscal biennium for which the appropriation is made; provided that all moneys from the appropriation unencumbered as of June 30, 2024, shall lapse as of that date. SECTION 4. This Act shall take effect on July 1, 2022. |
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