New Legislation Enhances "Mission of Service" by California's Not-For-Profit Hospitals

SACRAMENTO, Calif., April 20, 2015 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- California's not-for-profit hospitals support a diverse array of community benefit programs across the state that are tailored to meet specific local health care needs. Those programs would be strengthened by Assembly Bill (AB) 1046 by Assemblymember Matt Dababneh (D-Encino), which provides greater transparency and accountability in the reporting of these programs. These community benefit programs, which provide help to millions of vulnerable Californians, are the subject of a new video produced by the California Hospital Association.

Community benefit programs are a core mission of not-for-profit hospitals, which invest every penny of unspent revenue back into their communities. These programs include the City Heights Teaching Kitchen in San Diego, an acute detox center for heroin addicts in Ventura County, an innovative biotechnology academy for high school students in Contra Costa County, and an interim care program for the homeless in Sacramento.

The video can be found here: www.calhospital.org/community-benefit-programs

Dababneh's measure, AB 1046, would align federal and state reporting requirements for these community benefit programs, streamlining paperwork requirements and allowing more resources to be devoted to community partnerships. It would also preserve the ability of hospitals to collaborate with community groups to support programs that target local needs.

"These are hospitals that have a mission of service, these are hospitals that want to serve their community. I want to make sure we're empowering them to do that," Dababneh said. "To make a one-size-fits-all program or a one-size-fits-all requirement doesn't serve my community any better, and doesn't help these hospitals achieve their goals."

Kim Milstien, formerly the Chief Executive Officer at Simi Valley Hospital, said the drug detox program developed during her tenure addressed a sharp rise in opiate abuse that the community needed to confront.

"We all think it happens in the next town, on the next street, in the next family." Milstien said.

Hospital leaders say that with 12 million Californians now enrolled in Medi-Cal, the need for these successful community benefit programs is greater than ever.

The California Hospital Association is sponsoring AB 1046.

SOURCE California Hospital Association

Related Links

http://www.calhealth.org