Report Title:
Hepatitis Case Management
Description:
Appropriates funds for a case manager to assist individuals with viral hepatitis and requires DOH to establish a hepatitis C virus (HCV) case management pilot program. (SD1)
|
THE SENATE |
S.B. NO. |
1226 |
|
TWENTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2005 |
S.D. 1 |
|
|
STATE OF HAWAII |
||
|
|
A BILL FOR AN ACT
relating to hepatitis.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:
SECTION 1. The legislature finds that there is a growing concern regarding the spread of chronic hepatitis in Hawaii. Conservative estimates indicate that approximately twenty thousand people are currently living with the hepatitis C virus. There are many people who are homeless and have chronic hepatitis C virus that may die from this chronic disease unless they are treated.
The legislature further finds that Hawaii presently lacks a case management program to assist the homeless population that is infected with chronic hepatitis and that is at risk of spreading the infection to others. A case management program will assist the homeless and other hepatitis patients get referrals to and acceptance for medical coverage, housing, and ongoing counseling. Similar services for the HIV/AIDS population are purchased by the department of health rather than provided by department personnel.
The purpose of this Act is to appropriate funds for the department of health to contract for full-time case management services to assist individuals with viral hepatitis with medical, housing, and ongoing counseling assistance referrals and acceptance.
SECTION 2. The department of health shall:
(1) Initiate, develop, and implement a hepatitis C virus (HCV) case management pilot program in the city and county of Honolulu by contracting for full-time case management services to:
(A) Identify, refer, and facilitate acceptance of individuals with viral hepatitis for medical coverage, housing, and ongoing counseling; and
(B) Collect data on the population served; and
(2) Submit a status report on the hepatitis C virus (HCV) case management pilot program to the legislature twenty days before the convening of each regular session beginning with the regular session of 2006 and ending with the regular session of 2010.
SECTION 3. There is appropriated out of the general revenues of the State of Hawaii the sum of $75,000, or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2005-2006, and the same sum, or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2006-2007, for the department of health to initiate, develop, and implement the hepatitis C virus (HCV) case management pilot program in the city and county of Honolulu as specified in section 2 of this Act.
The sums appropriated shall be expended by the department of health for the purposes of this Act.
SECTION 4. This Act shall take effect on July 1, 2005, and shall be repealed on June 30, 2010.