Summary as Introduced
Creates the Hospitals and Homelessness Support Act. Requires the Office to Prevent and End Homelessness within the Department of Human Services to maintain on its publicly accessible website information on how a hospital or healthcare system may connect a patient experiencing homelessness or otherwise in a vulnerable housing situation with shelter and homeless support services for each continuum of care in the State. Requires the Department to ensure that the information required includes, for each continuum of care, any phone number, email address, physical address, primary agencies, or any other information that may be necessary for a person in that continuum of care territory to begin accessing shelter or other homelessness services. Requires the Department to include, where possible, a specific phone number that a hospital or health care facility may call and specific language to use. Requires the Department to also include on its website a way for the hospital or healthcare system to determine which continuum of care applies based on the physical location of the hospital or healthcare system. Requires other information, all of which must be added to the Department's website by October 31, 2025. Contains provisions concerning annual audits.
Staff Analysis
House Amendment 1
House Amendment 1 to HB 3761 refines the introduced bill by focusing on enhancing access to shelter and homelessness support services through better public information and coordination. The amendment shifts the bill’s emphasis toward improving how hospitals and healthcare providers connect individuals experiencing homelessness with appropriate services via a centralized online resource.
Key Provisions:
1. Website Resource Requirement
• The Office to Prevent and End Homelessness within the Department of Human Services (DHS) is required to maintain a publicly accessible webpage.
• This webpage must include detailed information on how hospitals and healthcare providers can connect individuals experiencing homelessness, or those in vulnerable housing situations, to:
• Shelters
• Homeless support services
• The information must be organized by continuum of care (CoC)—regional or local planning bodies that coordinate housing services for homeless individuals.
2. Required Information for Each CoC
The DHS must ensure the site includes for each continuum of care:
• Phone number
• Email address
• Physical address
• Primary agencies
• Any other relevant information needed to begin accessing services
3. Geolocation Support
• The site must include a tool or method to help hospitals or providers determine which CoC serves their physical location.
4. Voluntary Training
• DHS is required to offer voluntary training for hospitals and healthcare providers on how to effectively use the CoC information provided on the website.
5. Deadlines for Implementation
• The amendment sets deadline dates for when the DHS must:
• Publish the information
• Update it periodically to ensure accuracy and usability
Implications:
• For Counties and Local Governments:
• Counties that serve as part of a continuum of care will likely need to coordinate with DHS to provide up-to-date contact information and service details.
• This may lead to increased referrals from hospitals and greater awareness of county-level shelter and homelessness resources.
• For Hospitals and Health Providers:
• The amendment promotes easier access to housing support networks, potentially reducing discharge delays and improving patient outcomes for unhoused individuals.
• While participation in training is optional, hospitals may see increased expectations to use the site as part of discharge planning.
• Statewide Impact:
• Encourages standardization and transparency in how support services are accessed across Illinois.
• Builds a bridge between the healthcare system and homelessness services, addressing a known gap in care continuity for vulnerable populations.
Summary:
HB 3761 as amended requires the Department of Human Services to create and maintain a user-friendly, statewide online resource to help healthcare providers connect homeless or housing-vulnerable patients with local shelters and services through each continuum of care. It includes training support and mandates timely updates, reinforcing the infrastructure for coordinated care and potentially improving access to critical housing resources across Illinois.