STAND. COM. REP. NO. 3285

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: H.B. No. 1797

H.D. 1

S.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2022

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Human Services, to which was referred H.B. No. 1797, H.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO HOMELESS SERVICES,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to establish within the Department of Human Services a three-year Medical Respite Pilot Program overseen by the Governor's Coordinator on Homelessness to provide outpatient health care and supportive services to homeless persons recently discharged from the hospital and non-hospitalized homeless persons who are being moved out of unauthorized spaces by the police.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Hawai‘i Psychological Association and one individual. Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Governor's Coordinator on Homelessness, Department of Human Services, and Department of Budget and Finance.

Your Committee finds that many homeless persons who have been discharged from hospitals require extended inpatient stays or experience repeat hospitalizations due to lack of access to a clean and safe place in which to recover. Your Committee believes that this measure will provide such individuals with a coordinated program of care, including medical care, housing assistance, and supportive services, to improve their quality of life and standard of care thereby reducing the number of extended inpatient stays or repeat hospitalizations.

Your Committee notes the testimony of the Department of Human Services suggesting the utilization of existing Medicaid benefits to provide outpatient health care and supportive services under the Medical Respite Pilot Program, which would provide more sustainable funding.

Accordingly, your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Allowing the Governor's Coordinator on Homelessness to enter into contracts for the provision of outpatient health care and supportive 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 such services to be reimbursed by existing Medicaid benefits; and

(2) Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for the purposes of clarity and consistency.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Human Services that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 1797, H.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 1797, H.D. 1, S.D. 1, and be referred to your Committees on Ways and Means and Judiciary.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Human Services,

________________________________

JOY A. SAN BUENAVENTURA, Chair