Community Budget Issue Requests - Tracking Id #27FY0102

Broward House ALF

Requester:

Will Trower

Organization:

North Broward Hospital District

Project Title:

Broward House ALF

Date Submitted:

12/18/2001 11:46:54 AM

Sponsors:

Walter Campbell

Statewide Interest:

Improvement in the quality and accessibility of health care services and health outcomes for homeless, low income and medically compromised patients in Broward County.��� Reduction in cost to taxpayers due to improved health status.� Improvement in status of health for patients also affords them the opportunity to more readily hold gainful employment and contribute to the community.

Recipient:

Broward House Inc.

Contact:

Tom Shidaker

417 SE 18th Court

Contact Phone:

(954) 522-4749

Fort Lauderdale 33316

Counties:

Broward

Gov't Entity:

Private Organization (Profit/Not for Profit):

Yes

Project Description:

The funds will be used to purchase a building to house the Broward House Medical Respite facility, an assisted living facility. This ALF will provide medical respite for nearly 600 medically compromised low-income residents.� The program provides a supportive housing environment for low income, homeless, and medically compromised individuals to recuperate upon leaving the hospital.� The current options available to individuals who are medically ready for discharge from a hospital, but who are financially indigent and unable to find suitable housing are limited.� This lack of appropriate placement most frequently results in continuing hospitalization at $600-$900 per day or discharge to the streets.� Medical respite is a cost effective, client sensitive alternative.

This project's goals are consistent with the state's goals to address homelessness and to improve the health status of the community.� In addition, the program provides low cost, recuperative care that will increase the benefit to the individual by pooling community resources into a centralized respite facility.� The Broward House respite program nurse, case managers, substance abuse and mental health counselors, and dietary staff help clients avoid medical complications and obtain complete recovery in a safe, caring environment.� The staff along with their community partners in the program addresses the individual's unique concerns and develops a plan of care to meet those specific concerns.� The program interrupts the indigent homeless process by promoting recovery and linking the person to support services to assist him/her to become self-sufficient. Over the past year, the Broward County homeless Initiative Partnership, Inc., along with health and homeless advocacy/service organizations, has been examining the need for respite services for the homeless population.� Limited data on homeless persons discharged from area hospitals have been collected through discussions with discharge planning staff and review of utilization statistics.� These data reveal the following critical indicators: Of "traditional homeless" discharges, over 80% do not have or qualify for public or commercial insurance.�� Approximately, 12% are below the age of 18 years, 65% are between the ages of 18 to 49 years, 15% are between the ages of 50 and 65 years, and 5% are 65 + years of age.� According to Broward General Medical Center, over 50% of the "traditional homeless" admissions are trauma related.� This includes injuries sustained from pedestrian accidents, fights and accidental injuries.� Of the estimated 2,820 annual "traditional homeless" discharges, approximately 70% need some type of post-discharge recuperative care.� An estimated 25% required skilled nursing care (511), 50% require intermediate or moderate care (1,022) and 25% require minimal care such as bed rest, fluids and supervision.� It is estimated that as much as one third of this population are re-admissions.� The ability for these patients to stay in an assisted living facility would greatly impact this number for the better.� The Broward House respite program is a collaborative project involving multiple partners, including the North Broward Hospital District, South Broward Hospital District, Broward County Government, Department of Health, and various state and federal non-profit foundations.� These sources, however, barely cover the cost of the day to day operations

Measurable Outcome Anticipated:

Improvement in health outcomes, decrease cost in care, decrease in re-admissions, and decrease in homelessness

Amount requested from the State for this project this year:

$1,500,000

Total cost of the project:

$2,840,000

Request has been made to fund:

Operations

What type of match exists for this project?

Local

In-Kind Amount:

$1,340,000

Was this project previously funded by the State?

No

Is future-year funding likely to be requested?

No

Was this project included in an Agency's Budget Request?

No

Was this project included in the Governor's Recommended Budget?

No

Is there a documented need for this project?

Yes

Documentation:

North Broward Hospital District patient date, Broward County date, DOH

Was this project request heard before a publicly noticed meeting of a body of elected officials (municipal, county, or state)?

Yes

Hearing Body:

Broward County Legislative Delegation

Meeting Date:

8/27/2001