Bill > S1676

Introduced Session

This bill authorizes general acute care hospitals to adopt, as part of their missions, the goal of addressing issues related to homelessness. A hospital that chooses to address issues related to homelessness will be authorized to construct housing and provide wrap-around services for homeless persons who are treated at the hospital, which wrap-around services may include: (1) referrals to outpatient primary care and behavioral health care services; (2) appropriate follow-up care and treatment management assistance; (3) assistance identifying and procuring sources of health benefits coverage, including, but not limited to, coverage under the State Medicaid and NJ FamilyCare programs; and (4) assistance in identifying and accessing appropriate social services, including, but not limited to, food, transportation, housing, employment, and child care assistance. The provision of housing and wrap-around services for the homeless will be exempt from certificate of need requirements, and housing for the homeless constructed by a hospital will be deemed a permitted use in all residential and nonresidential districts of a municipality and will be exempt from local zoning restrictions. A hospital that constructs housing and provides wrap-around services for the homeless will be required to submit annual reports to the Legislature concerning any reductions in the number of charity care admissions at the hospital over the previous year.

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Committee Categories

Herbert Conaway (D)*,  Bob Smith (D)*,  Valerie Vainieri Huttle (D)*,  Joe Vitale (D)*,  Craig Coughlin (D),  Vin Gopal (D),  Lou Greenwald (D),  Mila Jasey (D), 

Approved P.L.2021, c.134. (on 06/30/2021)

Official Document