A new state law expands the rights of Connecticut residents experiencing homelessness and recognizes their needs.
The law, which took effect Sunday, was approved during the last legislative session.
It declares homelessness a public health crisis and expands protections afforded to these people under the homeless bill of rights established in 2013.
The new law ensures people without homes receive access to essential medical and mental health care services instead of just emergency medical services. However, the law does not specify what constitutes “essential medical and mental health care services.”
The law is in some ways nominal, but acknowledges the dire state of homelessness in Connecticut, according to Sarah Fox, executive director of the Connecticut Coalition to End Homelessness.
“The terminology can be challenging, framing it as a public health crisis,” Fox said. “People are much more amenable to a humanitarian crisis. But it does recognize that there is a growing issue in the state.”
Connecticut made strides in recent years to combat homelessness, but the COVID-19 pandemic stunted progress, Fox said.
“We also know that our food pantries are seeing more need than they have before. We're seeing more people fall into poverty,” Fox said. “We have to begin to address this as a state and it's going to take resources, and figuring out how to meet people.”
The law was passed with a near-unanimous approval from the general assembly’s Public Health Committee. A single Republican state representative voted against the bill.
Under the law, homelessness constitutes a public health crisis and will continue to “until the right of homeless persons to receive essential medical and mental health care services is adequately safeguarded and protected.”
