Impacts of the Homeless Discharge Law: SB-1152
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As part of a sociological analysis project at the California Northstate University, College of Health Sciences, myself and a research group submitted a research proposal that evaluated California Senate Bill No. 1152, which regulates discharge planning for patients without a permanent or secure shelter.
Signed into law by former California Governor Jerry Brown in 2018, SB-1152 deters occurrences of "homeless dumping" throughout the state. The law requires healthcare facilities to develop arrangements for homeless patients to receive shelter and additional care from nearby shelters. Hospitals and other emergency. service facilities must have prearranged agreements in coordination with shelters in order to decrease the chances of patients needing re-admittance to hospital treatment. The legislation hopes to create a smooth transition between treatment and rehabilitation in order to aid disadvantaged patients that fit under this criteria.
However, many public policymakers and state taxpayers frequently address the potential shortcomings of the legislation, particularly in regard to the possible burden that hospitals acquire. They believe that SB-1152 leads to a pattern of overcrowding in hospitals throughout the state and inefficient healthcare financing. Below is our research group's full research proposal, which analyzes SB-1152 from the micro institutional perspective of healthcare facilities in Sacramento County.
Project overseen by Dr. Cassandra Perryman, professor of psychology and sociology.