Revision: Jan. 9, 2024, 12:14 p.m.
SB 410-FN - AS INTRODUCED
2024 SESSION
24-3048
05/08
SENATE BILL 410-FN
AN ACT establishing a mental health community and transitional housing fund.
SPONSORS: Sen. Whitley, Dist 15; Sen. Watters, Dist 4; Sen. Fenton, Dist 10; Sen. Soucy, Dist 18; Sen. Perkins Kwoka, Dist 21; Sen. Rosenwald, Dist 13; Sen. Prentiss, Dist 5; Sen. Altschiller, Dist 24; Sen. Chandley, Dist 11; Rep. Brennan, Merr. 9; Rep. M. Murray, Hills. 37
COMMITTEE: Health and Human Services
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ANALYSIS
This bill establishes a mental health community and transitional housing fund to support community and transitional housing through grants to the community mental health programs. The bill also makes appropriations to the department of health and human services for deposit in the fund and to increase provider rates for community mental health center supported housing.
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Explanation: Matter added to current law appears in bold italics.
Matter removed from current law appears [in brackets and struckthrough.]
Matter which is either (a) all new or (b) repealed and reenacted appears in regular type.
24-3048
05/08
STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE
In the Year of Our Lord Two Thousand Twenty Four
AN ACT establishing a mental health community and transitional housing fund.
Be it Enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court convened:
1 New Section; New Hampshire Mental Health Services System; Mental Health Community and Transitional Housing Fund. Amend RSA 135-C by inserting after section 11 the following new section:
135-C:11-a Mental Health Community and Transitional Housing Fund. There is established in the office of the treasury a mental health community and transitional housing fund, which shall be kept separate and distinct from all other funds. The nonlapsing fund shall be continually appropriated to the department to support the stabilization and growth of community and transitional housing through the state’s community mental health programs. The commissioner may accept funds from any state or federal source, as well as gifts, grants, and donations, for deposit in the fund. The department shall use the fund to provide one-time housing grants to community mental health programs to retain or create new housing in the community. Grants may be disbursed for up to $25,000 and distributed among the 10 community mental health programs. The commissioner shall adopt rules under RSA 541-A relative to grant application procedures, eligibility criteria, and fund disbursement. The department shall initiate rulemaking prior to January 1, 2025 and grant disbursement by April 1, 2025.
2 Appropriation; Department of Health and Human Services; Mental Health Community and Transitional Housing Fund. For the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025, the sum of $1,500,000 is appropriated to the department of health and human services for deposit in the mental health community and transitional housing fund established in RSA 135-C:11-a. Of this amount, the governor shall determine if any remaining discretionary funds appropriated in the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021, Public Law 117-2, or any other federal funds can be used for this purpose and any remainder shall be general funds. The governor is authorized to draw a warrant for said sum out of any money in the treasury not otherwise appropriated.
3 Appropriation; Department of Health and Human Services; Community Mental Health Center Supported Housing Programs. There is hereby appropriated to the department of health and human services the sum of $1,500,000 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025, for the purpose of increasing provider rates for supported community housing. Of this amount, the governor shall determine if any remaining discretionary funds appropriated in the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021, Public Law 117-2, or any other federal funds can be used for this purpose and any remainder shall be general funds. The governor is authorized to draw a warrant for said sum out of any money in the treasury not otherwise appropriated.
4 Effective Date. This act shall take effect July 1, 2024.
24-3048
Revised 1/9/24
SB 410-FN- FISCAL NOTE
AS INTRODUCED
AN ACT establishing a mental health community and transitional housing fund.
FISCAL IMPACT: [ X ] State [ ] County [ ] Local [ ] None
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Estimated State Impact - Increase / (Decrease) | ||||||
| FY 2024 | FY 2025 | FY 2026 | FY 2027 | ||
Revenue | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | ||
Revenue Fund(s) | None | |||||
Expenditures | $0 | $3,000,000 | $96,000 | $99,000 | ||
Funding Source(s) | Federal Funds, Other Funds (gifts, grants, donations), General Funds (if needed) | |||||
Appropriations | $0 | $3,000,000 | $0 | $0 | ||
Funding Source(s) | Federal Funds, General Funds (if needed) | |||||
• Does this bill provide sufficient funding to cover estimated expenditures? [X] Yes • Does this bill authorize new positions to implement this bill? [X] No | ||||||
METHODOLOGY:
This bill establishes a non-lapsing Mental Health Community and Transitional Housing Fund. The fund is to be continually appropriated to the Department of Health and Human Services for the purpose of supporting the stabilization and growth of community and transitional housing through the state’s community mental health programs. Funds may be accepted from any state or federal source, as well as gifts, grants, and donations. The Department shall use the fund to provide one-time housing grants to community mental health programs to retain or create new housing in the community. Grants may be disbursed for up to $25,000 and distributed among the 10 community mental health programs. The bill appropriates $1.5 million in FY25 for deposit into the new fund. Of this amount, the governor shall determine if any remaining discretionary funds appropriated in the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021, or any other federal funds, are able to be used for this purpose. Any remainder shall be state general funds.
The Department anticipates that a new Program Specialist IV position will be needed to provide coordination and management of the newly created fund, as well as to plan the development and modification of programs, policies and procedures, and manage and evaluating the work product of state and local programs providing services. There is no appropriation for this position, though it is assumed that the position cost would be funded by the fund established in the bill. The cost of the position by fiscal year is $93,000 in SFY25, $96,000 in SFY26 and $99,000 in SFY27.
In addition to the appropriation noted in paragraph one above, the bill appropriates $1.5 million in FY25 for the purpose of increasing provider rates for supported community housing. As with the first appropriation, the governor shall determine if any remaining discretionary funds appropriated in the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 or any other federal funds can be used for this purpose. Any remainder shall be state general funds.
AGENCIES CONTACTED:
Department of Health and Human Services