Agencies propose specialized shelters and coordinated care for medically vulnerable and older Vermonters

Jill Bowen, Commissioner of the Department of Disabilities, Aging and Independent Living (DAIL), told the committee the agency is tracking older Vermonters who are using General Assistance emergency hotels and working to connect eligible people to Choices for Care and other long‑term supports. Bowen said DAIL and area agencies (AAAs) are coordinating to prioritize care for older and medically vulnerable people and reported that 239 Vermonters were categorized as medically vulnerable in a recent quarter.

DAIL proposed piloting specialized shelters with embedded nursing and on‑site services targeted to medically vulnerable people; the department described a two‑site pilot (north and south), each with 30 beds and direct links to home‑health and primary‑care partners. The department referenced a $2.6 million line in the proposal to stand up specialized shelter capacity and stressed the need for collaboration between shelter providers and healthcare organizations.

Committee members asked how many medically vulnerable individuals were currently in permanent housing, how many remained in GA hotels, and how AAAs and community partners do outreach and referrals. Bowen and staff described data‑sharing between DCF and DAIL, weekly monitoring of Choices for Care participants in GA, and retreats with AAAs to improve identification, expedited variance processes for additional case‑management hours under Choices for Care, and a service continuum called 'Age Strong Vermont.'

Lawmakers asked for more breakdowns (e.g., how many of the 239 medically vulnerable are in permanent housing versus still homeless), and requested the department provide the slide deck and longitudinal data on outcomes for those referred to long‑term supports.