REPORT TITLE:
Housing for Mentally Ill


DESCRIPTION:
Appropriates funds for a study of appropriate housing options for
persons with serious and persistent mental illness.  (HB398 HD1)

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
                                                        398
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES                H.B. NO.           H.D. 1
TWENTIETH LEGISLATURE, 1999                                
STATE OF HAWAII                                            
                                                             
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                   A  BILL  FOR  AN  ACT

RELATING TO HOUSING.



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

 1      SECTION 1.  The legislature finds that there is currently an
 
 2 urgent social problem in the care of persons with serious and
 
 3 persistent mental illness (SPMI) who have multiple needs and
 
 4 lifestyles, with no single model of treatment appropriate for all
 
 5 of them.  One of the most immediate pressing needs of the SPMI
 
 6 population is adequate and appropriate housing, since many tend
 
 7 to be homeless with a typical background of revolving door
 
 8 hospitalizations, prison stays, and failed treatment attempts.
 
 9 The SPMI population can be described as the homeless mentally
 
10 ill, who society has cast aside to the government to care for.
 
11 The legislature further finds that it is incumbent upon
 
12 government as a humane and social duty to provide resources for
 
13 the care of the SPMI population.
 
14      The purpose of this Act is to conduct a study of appropriate
 
15 housing options for the SPMI population.
 
16      SECTION 2.  (a)  The housing and community development
 
17 corporation of Hawaii shall conduct a study to plan and develop
 
18 appropriate housing options for persons with serious and
 
19 persistent mental illness.  The study shall consider short-term
 
20 (consisting of emergency care for the homeless and transitional
 

 
Page 2                                                     398
                                     H.B. NO.           H.D. 1
                                                        
                                                        

 
 1 care for those leaving acute and institutional facilities) and
 
 2 long-term supportive housing options, including three levels of
 
 3 care:
 
 4      (1)  The highest level being twenty-four hour care with a
 
 5           high staff-to-patient ratio;
 
 6      (2)  The middle level being flexible, small living
 
 7           environments with onsite or nearby services; and
 
 8      (3)  The lowest level being independent individual or group
 
 9           living, including rent subsidies, with onsite or nearby
 
10           services.
 
11      (b)  The housing and community development corporation of
 
12 Hawaii shall work in collaboration with the department of health,
 
13 the department of human services, and the governor's special
 
14 assistant to housing to develop the plan.
 
15      (c)  The housing and community development corporation of
 
16 Hawaii shall report its findings and recommendations to the
 
17 legislature no later than twenty days prior to the convening of
 
18 the regular session 2000.
 
19      SECTION 3.  There is appropriated out of the general
 
20 revenues of the State of Hawaii the sum of $     or so much
 
21 thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 1999-2000 for the
 
22 planning and development of supportive housing options for
 
23 persons with serious and persistent mental illness.
 

 
Page 3                                                     398
                                     H.B. NO.           H.D. 1
                                                        
                                                        

 
 1      The sum appropriated shall be expended by the housing and
 
 2 community development corporation of Hawaii for the purposes of
 
 3 this Act.
 
 4      SECTION 4.  This Act shall take effect on July 1, 1999.