[First Reprint]

SENATE, No. 1676

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

219th LEGISLATURE

 

INTRODUCED FEBRUARY 13, 2020

 


 

Sponsored by:

Senator  BOB SMITH

District 17 (Middlesex and Somerset)

Senator  JOSEPH F. VITALE

District 19 (Middlesex)

 

 

 

 

SYNOPSIS

      Allows hospitals to construct housing and provide wrap-around services for individuals who are homeless or housing insecure.

 

CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT

     As reported by the Senate Health, Human Services and Senior Citizens Committee on September 14, 2020, with amendments.

  


An Act concerning hospitals, amending P.L.1992, c.160, and supplementing P.L.1971, c.136 (C.26:2H-1 et seq.).

 

     Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:

 

      1.  Section 19 of P.L.1992, c.160 (C.26:2H-7a) is amended to read as follows:

      19.  Notwithstanding the provisions of section 7 of P.L.1971, c.136 (C.26:2H-7) to the contrary, the following are exempt from the certificate of need requirement:

      Community-based primary care centers;

      Outpatient drug and alcohol services;

      Hospital-based medical detoxification for drugs and alcohol;

      Ambulance and invalid coach services;

      Mental health services which are non-bed related outpatient services;

      Residential health care facility services;

      Dementia care homes;

      Capital improvements and renovations to health care facilities;

      Additions of medical/surgical, adult intensive care and adult critical care beds in hospitals;

      Inpatient special psychiatric beds used solely for services for patients with co-occurring mental health and substance use disorders;

      Housing and wrap-around services for 1[the] individuals who are1 homeless 1or housing insecure1 provided pursuant to section 2 of P.L.    , c.    (C.             ) (pending before the Legislature as this bill);

      Replacement of existing major moveable equipment;

      Inpatient operating rooms;

      Alternate family care programs;

      Hospital-based subacute care;

      Ambulatory care facilities;

      Comprehensive outpatient rehabilitation services;

      Special child health clinics;

      New technology in accordance with the provisions of section 18 of P.L.1998, c.43 (C.26:2H-7d);

      Transfer of ownership interest except in the case of an acute care hospital;

      Change of site for approved certificate of need within the same county;

      Additions to vehicles or hours of operation of a mobile intensive care unit;

      Relocation or replacement of a health care facility within the same county, except for an acute care hospital;

      Continuing care retirement communities authorized pursuant to P.L.1986, c.103 (C.52:27D-330 et seq.);

      Magnetic resonance imaging;

      Adult day health care facilities;

      Pediatric day health care facilities;

      Chronic or acute renal dialysis facilities; and

      Transfer of ownership of a hospital to an authority in accordance with P.L.2006, c.46 (C.30:9-23.15 et al.).

(cf: P.L.2017, c.94, s.1)

 

     2.    (New section)  a.  A general acute care hospital licensed pursuant to P.L.1971, c.136 (C.26:2H-1 et seq.) may adopt as part of its mission the goal of addressing issues related to homelessness 1and housing insecurity1 .  A hospital that chooses to address issues related to homelessness 1and housing insecurity1 as part of its mission pursuant to 1[subsection a. of]1 this section shall be authorized to construct 1, rehabilitate, or remediate1 housing and provide wrap-around services for 1individuals who are1 homeless 1[persons] and housing insecure1 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 pursuant to P.L.1968, c.413 (C.30:4D-1 et seq.) and P.L.2005, c.156 1[(C.30:4J-1 et al.)] (C.30:4J-8 et al.)1 ; and

     (4)   assistance in identifying and accessing appropriate social services, including, but not limited to, food, transportation, housing, employment, and child care assistance.

      b.   Housing for 1[the] individuals who are1 homeless 1or housing insecure1 constructed 1, rehabilitated, or remediatied1 by a hospital pursuant to subsection a. of this section shall be 1:

      (1)1  deemed a permitted use in all residential and nonresidential districts of a municipality and shall be exempt from local zoning restrictions 1; and

      (2)   exempt from the Department of Health’s health care facility licensing requirements, provided that, if wrap-around services provided in connection with the housing are provided in a health clinic or other comparable health care facility licensed pursuant to P.L.1971, c.136 (C.26:2H-1 et seq.), the clinic or facility shall comply with the department’s health care facility licensing requirements1 .

    c.  Commencing one year after the date a hospital first constructs 1, rehabilitates, or remediates1 housing and begins providing wrap-around services for 1[the] individuals who are1 homeless 1or housing insecure1 pursuant to subsection a. of this section, and annually thereafter, the hospital shall report to the 1[Legislature, pursuant to section 2 of P.L.1991, c.164 (C.52:14-19.1),] the Departments of Health and Human Services1 concerning any reductions in the number of 1[charity care] inpatient1 admissions 1and emergency department visits1 at the hospital 1and increased usage of preventative care related to the construction, rehabilitation, or remediation of housing and the provision of wrap-around services by the hospital to individuals who are homeless and housing insecure1 over the previous year.  1The report shall include data based on each payer type for inpatient admissions and emergency department visits, including charity care.  A health care system shall be permitted to submit the report required under this subsection to the departments on behalf of one or more of the hospitals that are part of the health care system.

      d.  The Departments of Health and Human Services shall annually provide to the Legislature an analysis of the reports submitted to the departments by a hospital or health care system, as applicable, pursuant to subsection c. of this section.

      e.  As used in this section, “individual who is housing insecure” means a person: whose housing costs are more than 50 percent of the person’s monthly income; who lives in substandard or poor quality housing; who lives in a house or apartment with overcrowded conditions which impact the person’s health and safety; who lives in a house or apartment with other individuals or families in order to share housing costs; who is experiencing housing instability, including, but not limited to, periods of living in shelters or hotels or frequent moves from house to house due to economic reasons; or who experiences periods of homelessness.1

 

     3.    This act shall take effect immediately.