STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1302

                                   Honolulu, Hawaii
                                                     , 1999

                                   RE:  S.C.R. No. 149
                                        S.D. 1




Honorable Norman Mizuguchi
President of the Senate
Twentieth State Legislature
Regular Session of 1999
State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Health and Human Services, to which was
referred S.C.R. No. 149 entitled: 

     "SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION REQUESTING A STUDY FOR A
     COMPREHENSIVE REVIEW TO ASSESS SERVICES FOR DEAF, HARD OF
     HEARING, AND DEAF-BLIND POPULATIONS,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this measure is to request a study for a
comprehensive review to assess services for deaf, hard of
hearing, and deaf-blind populations.

     Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure
from the Department of Human Services, Commission on Persons with
Disabilities, Hawaii State Coordinating Council on Deafness,
Aloha State Association of the Deaf, Ka Kuli Advocates, and a
private individual.

     There are an estimated 72,000 persons with hearing loss in
Hawaii, who receive inadequate or unacceptable levels of public
and private services for the deaf, hard of hearing, and deaf-
blind persons.  This situation adversely impacts them, and their
work, families, and social activities, resulting in an overall
reduction in their quality of life.  Services for them provided
by public and private agencies tend to be fragmented and
uncoordinated, making it difficult for them to receive all
available services in the most efficient and cost effective
manner.  This measure requests the Commission on Persons with

 
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                                   STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1302
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Disabilities to conduct a comprehensive review to assess services
for deaf, hard of hearing, and deaf-blind persons.

     Your Committee requests the Committee on Ways and Means to
include a budget proviso to appropriate funds for the expenses of
the task force in an amount of $6,000, for fiscal year 1999-2000,
and $12,000, for fiscal year 2000-2001, under HTH 520 for
purposes of implementing this measure.

     Your Committee has amended this measure by including in the
task force, representatives from the Hawaii Registry of
Interpreters for the Deaf, Kapiolani Community College
Interpreter Education Program, and Vocational Rehabilitation and
Services for the Blind Division.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your
Committee on Health and Human Services that is attached to this
report, your Committee concurs with the intent and purpose of
S.C.R. No. 149, as amended herein, and recommends that it be
referred to the Committee on Ways and Means, in the form attached
hereto as S.C.R. No. 149, S.D. 1.

                                   Respectfully submitted on
                                   behalf of the members of the
                                   Committee on Health and Human
                                   Services,



                                   ______________________________
                                   SUZANNE CHUN OAKLAND, Chair

 
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