Bill > SB434

This bill establishes a pilot program within Hawaii's Department of Health to provide intensive mobile treatment services for chronically homeless adults with serious mental health conditions, specifically focusing on individuals with schizophrenia and schizoaffective disorder. The program will create one mobile team in the community mental health center system, which will manage up to 40 participants and offer comprehensive services including crisis response, after-hours support, emergency room visits, collaboration with law enforcement, and assistance with hospitalizations. The team will prioritize housing placements, initiate psychiatric medication treatments, pursue assisted community treatment orders, and engage social work interns and advanced practice nursing students to expand service capacity. The mobile team will also bill third-party payors, Medicare, or Medicaid for services. The department of health is required to submit detailed reports to the legislature before the 2026 and 2027 legislative sessions, tracking metrics such as participant arrests, hospitalizations, housing placements, and treatment progress. The pilot program is funded with $1,300,000 and will establish 8.1 full-time equivalent positions, including a clinical supervisor, psychiatrist, social workers, a registered nurse, and a program specialist. The program will operate from July 1, 2025, until June 30, 2028, with the goal of providing targeted, comprehensive mental health support for a vulnerable population.

Health and Social Services

https://www.capitol.hawaii.gov/session/measure_indiv.aspx?billtype=SB&billnumber=434&year=2025