Community Project Funding/Congressionally Directed Spending - Construction - Project Title: Delaware Hospital for the Chronically Ill – New Construction Address: 240 Continental Drive, Suite 101, Newark, Delaware 19713 Project Director: Brian Bayley, Deputy Director Contact Phone Number: (302) 781-3556 Email Address: Brian.Bayley@delaware.gov Date: Thursday, May 30, 2023 PROJECT ABSTRACT Overview The Delaware Hospital for the Chronically Ill (DHCI), a State-run long-term care facility operated by the Delaware Division of Services for Aging and Adults with Physical Disabilities (DSAAPD), plays a vital role in the State’s healthcare system as the primary facility that accepts long-term care residents with limited means of insurance coverage and complex needs. DHCI was home to 600 residents when it opened in 1932. DSAAPD has continued to build on its home and community-based services, reducing the number of residents at its facility. However, there is, and will always be, a need for a State-run long-term care facility, especially considering that Delaware is outpacing the country in its aging population growth. In 2020, a feasibility study was completed on the efficiency and effectiveness of DHCI, as the campus needs significant repairs. That study concluded that building a new Skilled Nursing Facility (SNF) to replace the existing infrastructure would be the most person-centered and cost-effective approach for the State to undertake. Should this application be successful, in combination with other State and Federal funding, DSAAPD will be able to build a new, consolidated, facility that fosters a homelike atmosphere for residents and staff. Delaware’s Governor, John C. Carney, avidly supports construction of this new facility. Expert vendors procured through a Request for Proposal, are guiding pre-construction planning. The project is currently in the Design Development phase, with ground-breaking tentatively scheduled for September 2024, and completion set for summer/fall 2026. Purpose and Needs DSAAPD seeks to construct a new building on the DHCI campus site with improved resident rooms and consolidated program service areas within one building for maximum benefits for residents. Constructing a new building is needed to address major safety and environmental concerns within the existing buildings of DHCI. This project provides the least impact on residents. DHCI has been a pillar of service to the community, providing long term care to people who need a higher acuity of care that only a state operation can provide. This will continue if, and only if, a new building is constructed. Conclusion This project is in the design development phase and with ground-breaking scheduled for September 2024. At completion, the erected building will deliver round-the-clock nursing care, rehabilitative therapies, and assistance with activities of daily living to residents who require a higher level of medical supervision and support than what can be provided at home or in other care settings in a state-of-the-art building, comparable in service and facility design to private facilities in Delaware.