STAND. COM. REP. NO. 387-20

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2020

RE: H.B. No. 2525

H.D. 1

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirtieth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2020

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Human Services & Homelessness, to which was referred H.B. No. 2525 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO HOMELESSNESS,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to extend the Emergency Department Homelessness Assessment Pilot Program and Medical Respite Pilot Program to December 31, 2021.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Governor's Coordinator on Homelessness; The Queen's Health Systems; Democratic Party of Hawaii; Progressive Democrats of Hawaii; and six individuals. Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Department of Human Services.

Your Committee acknowledges the clear and critical intersection between health care and homelessness. Your Committee finds instructive data indicating promising preliminary results from the Emergency Department Homelessness Pilot Program for the period September 1, 2018, through September 30, 2019, including a finding that sixty-three percent of clients served were "housing document ready", and that average emergency medical services utilization per client per month declined by fifty-three percent. Additionally, your Committee notes that the Queen's Care Coalition, which is operating the Emergency Department Homelessness Pilot Program, reported it had exceeded proposed targets by reducing the number of unnecessary emergency room visits by thirty-nine percent, the number of hospitalized days by seventeen percent, and the amount of ambulance utilization by fifty-three percent.

Both pilot programs reported that nearly one-fifth of clients served exited directly to permanent housing. Your Committee further finds that the focus on permanent housing placement also serves to reduce health care costs for individuals experiencing homelessness. Your Committee recognizes the value of the medical intervention services provided to homeless individuals under these pilot programs. Accordingly, your Committee finds that the continuation of these programs will offer assistance to a greater number of homeless individuals.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Changing the effective date to December 31, 2059, to encourage further discussion; and

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

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Human Services & Homelessness that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 2525, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 2525, H.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Finance.

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

____________________________

JOY A. SAN BUENAVENTURA, Chair