SAN DIEGO - Homeless advocates protested outside of Scripps Mercy Hospital in San Diego Wednesday, accusing the medical center of 'patient dumping,' which is treating homeless patients and then releasing them back to the streets.
“This is not only a crisis of public health, it’s a crisis of humanity," Lauren Chechel, a nurse and homeless advocate, told NBC 7. "The solution to this crisis does not reside in one organization or one hospital but instead requires that we as a community stand up and say this is unacceptable, to have people left alone and to suffer and die on the curb.”
SB-1152 requires hospitals to have a homeless discharge policy and requires hospitals to provide homeless people a meal and find them a shelter or safe place to go after discharge. Scripps Health released a statement saying it complies with all provision of the law but says hospitals cannot directly secure homeless shelter beds for patients.
Homeless advocates are hoping state lawmakers will convene a hearing about the issue.
Photo: Getty Images