| R 396 |
| 2024 -- S 3160 Enacted 06/12/2024 |
| S E N A T E R E S O L U T I O N |
| RESPECTFULLY REQUESTING THE EXECUTIVE OFFICE OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES (EOHHS) TO UNDERTAKE A REVIEW AND ANALYSIS OF ESTABLISHING A DEPARTMENT OF HOSPITALS WITHIN THE PREVIEW OF THE SECRETARIAT |
Introduced By: Senator Joshua Miller |
| Date Introduced: June 11, 2024 |
| WHEREAS, In 2022, the Special Legislative Commission to Review and Make |
| Recommendations Regarding the Efficient and Effective Administration of Health and Human |
| Services Programs in the State of Rhode Island submitted its findings about how best to improve |
| access and delivery to those receiving a myriad of services from within the EOHHS departments; |
| and |
| WHEREAS, The Commission met nine times to study EOHHS and its sub-agencies. |
| These meetings included EOHHS history, EOHHS structure, RI’s Medicaid program, behavioral |
| health services, developmental disability services, state hospitals, and health and human services |
| state agency structures in other states; and |
| WHEREAS, The Commission’s second recommendation was to divest hospitals from the |
| Department of Behavioral Health, Developmental Disabilities, and Hospitals and create a |
| separate Department of Hospitals, to include both campuses of Eleanor Slater Hospital, the Rhode |
| Island Veterans Home, and the forthcoming Rhode Island Psychiatric Hospital. This change in |
| the department structure would allow those state facilities to be led by those with specialized |
| hospital skills; now, therefore be it |
| RESOLVED, That this Senate of the State of Rhode Island hereby respectfully requests |
| the Executive Office of Health and Human Services undertake a review and analysis on the |
| establishment of a Department of Hospitals; and be it further |
| RESOLVED, That this Senate hereby further requests that EOHHS report its findings |
| and recommendations to the Senate on or before September 1, 2024; and be it further |
| RESOLVED, That the Secretary of State be and hereby is authorized and directed to |
| transmit a duly certified copy of this resolution to the Secretary of the Executive Office of Health |
| and Human Services. |
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| LC006268 |
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