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Ch. 651 LAWS OF MARYLAND
BY repealing and reenacting, with amendments,
Article - Health - General
Section 10-809(c)
Annotated Code of Maryland
(1990 Replacement Volume)
Preamble
WHEREAS, The State psychiatric hospital centers operated by the Mental
Hygiene Administration in the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene discharge
6,000 patients per year on average and use an aftercare planning process that does not
authoritatively link needed aftercare services to persons being discharged nor provide
follow-up services to determine whether discharged persons are receiving the services
needed to prevent homelessness; and
WHEREAS,—According to the Department of Health and. Mental Hygiono
statistics, of 644 discharges from Springfield Hospital Center from March to August
1989 to Baltimore City, 78 or 12% aro at high risk for becoming homelooc booauoo:
(1) 27 persons were discharged to the Baltimore Department of Social
Services Homeless Unit;
(2) 9 were discharged to an unknown living arrangement;
(3) 18 were discharged with no forwarding address; and
(4) 24 were discharged to miscellaneous living arrangements which include
shelter and boarding houses; and
WHEREAS, The Department of Health and Mental Hygiene has reported that
982 chronically mentally ill persons were homeless in 1989, and that these persons are
subject to major health complications, assault, freezing temperatures, inappropriate
incarceration, and exploitation; and
WHEREAS, Research has shown that homelessness of mentally ill persons can
be prevented by providing:
(1) careful aftercare planning;
(2) community services, especially housing and assistance in obtaining
benefits; and
(3) regular follow along or case management services; and
WHEREAS, The Department of Human Resources has established the Shelter,
Nutrition and Service for the Homeless Program in the Community Services
Administration. However, the Mental Hygiene Administration in the Department of
Health and Mental Hygiene has riot established a program office to assume
responsibility for the prevention of homelessness of mentally ill persons; now, therefore,
SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF
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