This bill proposes the establishment of a new section, 36-149.01, in Title 36 of the Arizona Revised Statutes, which would create a homeless recovery telehealth pilot program. The program aims to facilitate access to telehealth services for mental health, addiction, and primary care treatment for homeless individuals statewide, while also maintaining a comprehensive census of the homeless population. The Department of Health Services would select a telehealth provider through a competitive bidding process and would require the provider to partner with homeless shelters and health care facilities, establish telehealth access points, and maintain a secure database for tracking patient care and outcomes.

Additionally, the bill includes provisions for the telehealth provider to remit a percentage of its net annual revenue to the state, seek additional funding from federal grants, and coordinate with homeless shelters to provide immediate housing for individuals diagnosed with mental health or addiction issues. The program would also involve creating personalized recovery plans for participants and monitoring its impact on various metrics, with quarterly reports to be submitted to state leadership. The program is set to be evaluated after five years, with a sunset provision that would repeal the section after December 31, 2032. An appropriation of $10 million from the state general fund for the program is also included, exempt from lapsing provisions.

Statutes affected:
Introduced Version: 36-149.01