Bill Text: HI SB2469 | 2020 | Regular Session | Amended

Hawaii Senate Bill 2469 (Prior Session Legislation)

Bill Title: Relating To Human Services.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 9-0)

Status: (Engrossed - Dead) 2020-05-11 - Passed Second Reading as amended in HD 1 and referred to the committee(s) on FIN with none voting aye with reservations; none voting no (0) and Representative(s) Thielen excused (1). [SB2469 Detail]

Download: Hawaii-2020-SB2469-Amended.html

THE SENATE	S.B. NO.	2469
THIRTIETH LEGISLATURE, 2020		S.D. 2
STATE OF HAWAII		H.D. 1

A BILL FOR AN ACT

RELATING TO HUMAN SERVICES.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:

SECTION 1. The legislature finds that homelessness continues to be one of the State's most significant and challenging social problems. Although the Hawaii statewide homeless point-in-time count conducted in January 2018 found that there are 6,530 homeless individuals in the State, an overall decrease of 9.6 per cent from 2017, the costs of caring for this population have continued to grow. Many homeless persons face a wide range of challenges, including general health issues, mental illness, and substance abuse issues. These problems affecting homeless persons also impact the general population through the costs of social and health care services. In 2016, homeless persons in the State made more than twenty thousand hospital visits. In 2016, state hospitals billed $214,000,000 in charges for caring for the homeless, up drastically from $70,500,000 in 2010. Treatment for these homeless individuals is sometimes uncompensated; one hospital alone estimates it incurs more than $10,000,000 in uncompensated costs annually.

The legislature also finds that mobile clinics have become increasingly popular across the nation as state governments try to find ways to address the health care needs of homeless populations. In places like Dallas, Texas; Denver, Colorado; San Jose, California; and Seattle, Washington, mobile clinics offer a variety of free health care services for local homeless populations, resulting in significant cost savings when compared to emergency room visits. One estimate from 2016 found that each dollar spent on mobile clinics saved twelve dollars in other costs.

The purpose of this Act is to appropriate funds for purchasing, staffing, and operating mobile clinics to serve homeless individuals; provided that of the mobile clinics shall be allocated to the county with the largest land mass.

SECTION 2. The department of human services shall contract with nonprofits to establish and operate mobile clinics to serve homeless individuals; provided that:

(1) mobile clinic shall be allocated to the county with the largest land mass;

(2) No funds shall be made available under this Act unless the department of human services first obtains matching funds on a dollar-for-dollar basis to the amount appropriated by the State;

(3) Mobile clinic staff may include a primary care provider, a nurse, a pharmacist, a psychiatrist, a psychologist, a social worker, an outreach worker, students pursuing degrees in medicine or nursing, and other staff as needed; and

(4) The mobile clinics may provide, at a minimum, the following services:

(A) Non-emergency medical services for chronic, acute, and episodic conditions;

(B) Testing for sexually transmitted disease, human immunodeficiency virus, and hepatitis;

(D) Child and family services;

(E) Behavioral health and substance abuse services;

(F) Mental health services;

(G) Dental care;

(H) Referral services;

(I) Shower and laundry services;

(J) Clean clothing;

(K) Health insurance enrollment;

(L) Pharmacy services;

(M) Street medicine; provided that for the purposes of this subparagraph, "street medicine" means the practice of directly delivering health care and related services to unsheltered homeless persons;

(N) COVID-19 testing; and

(O) Other assistance services.

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 2020-2021 to purchase, staff, and operate mobile clinics to serve homeless individuals pursuant to 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, 2050.

Report Title:

DHS; Mobile Clinics; Homelessness; Appropriation

Description:

Appropriates funds for the Department of Human Services to purchase, staff, and operate mobile clinics to serve homeless persons; provided that an unspecified number of the mobile clinics shall be allocated to the county with the largest land mass. Requires matching funds. Effective 7/1/2050. (HD1)

The summary description of legislation appearing on this page is for informational purposes only and is not legislation or evidence of legislative intent.