REPORT TITLE:
Developmentally Disabled


DESCRIPTION:
Appropriates funds for State's share of matching funds for Title
XIX Medicaid funds for developmentally disabled.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
                                            901         
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES                H.B. NO.           
TWENTIETH LEGISLATURE, 1999                                
STATE OF HAWAII                                            
                                                             
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                   A  BILL  FOR  AN  ACT
RELATING TO DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES.



BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:

 1      SECTION 1.  The legislature finds that individuals with
 
 2 developmental disabilities require life-long supports and
 
 3 services.  Therefore, it is in the best interest for those
 
 4 individuals to be provided with the necessary supports and
 
 5 services which are interdependent, productive, integrated, and
 
 6 included in the community.  In 1995, Act 189 was passed by the
 
 7 eighteenth legislature.  It was the intent of the legislature to
 
 8 provide services in the community for those persons with
 
 9 developmental disabilities who are now at Waimano training school
 
10 and hospital and mandated that all programs and services for
 
11 individuals with developmental disabilities be provided for in
 
12 the community.  Additionally, Act 189 mandated the department of
 
13 health to maximize state funds for community services using those
 
14 funds to match federal funds for Title XIX programs, other
 
15 governmental finance participation programs, and private finance
 
16 programs.
 
17      The legislature further finds that a Medicaid waiver program
 
18 under the authority of Section 1915(c) of the Social Security Act
 
19 was designed to allow states to provide long-term care, supports,
 
20 and services in the community using at least fifty per cent
 

 
Page 2                                         901         
                                     H.B. NO.           
                                            
                                                        

 
 1 federal dollars to individuals with developmental disabilities
 
 2 who would otherwise be institutionalized.  The Medicaid home- and
 
 3 community-based services waiver program provides an array of
 
 4 services such as adult day health, personal assistance,
 
 5 environmental accessibility adaptations, habilitation, supported
 
 6 employment, respite care, skilled nursing, and specialized
 
 7 services designed to support the individual's right to live in
 
 8 the community.
 
 9      The department of health and the department of human
 
10 services have implemented the home- and community-based services
 
11 waiver program since 1983.  There are 1,485 individuals who are
 
12 eligible for the home- and community-based services waiver
 
13 program and 1,485 individuals by fiscal year 2002.  The program
 
14 presently serves approximately 874 individuals with developmental
 
15 disabilities.  There are at minimum, 611 individuals who need
 
16 services and supports to enable them to live in the community.
 
17 The number of individuals with developmental disabilities on the
 
18 wait list continues to grow.
 
19      The home- and community-based services waiver program
 
20 impacts on the economic well-being of the State due to the labor
 
21 intensive nature of the program.  Increased funding will
 
22 significantly increase the number of individuals to be employed
 
23 in the program using matching federal dollars.
 

 
Page 3                                         901         
                                     H.B. NO.           
                                            
                                                        

 
 1      The legislature is concerned that recent statistics indicate
 
 2 that Hawaii ranks forty-seventh in its level of funding for
 
 3 community services and fiftieth in its total funding effort for
 
 4 mental retardation and developmental disabilities services.
 
 5 Furthermore, the home- and community-based services waiver
 
 6 program is underfunded, causing the State to use state dollars
 
 7 inefficiently and miss opportunities to maximize federal dollars.
 
 8      The purpose of this Act is to appropriate the necessary
 
 9 state funds as matching funds in order to phase in 611
 
10 individuals with developmental disabilities during fiscal year
 
11 1999-2000 and 611 individuals with developmental disabilities
 
12 during fiscal year 2000-2001 in the Title XIX Medicaid home- and
 
13 community-based services waiver program.
 
14      SECTION 2.  There is appropriated out of the general
 
15 revenues of the State of Hawaii the sum of $3,749,860, or so much
 
16 thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 1999-2000, and the
 
17 sum of $7,502,164, or so much thereof as may be necessary for
 
18 fiscal year 2000-2001, to serve as the State's share of matching
 
19 federal Title XIX Medicaid funds for individuals with
 
20 developmental disabilities who are eligible and would benefit
 
21 from the Medicaid home- and community-based services program.
 
22      SECTION 3.  The sums appropriated shall be expended by the
 
23 department of health for the purposes of this Act.
 

 
Page 4                                         901         
                                     H.B. NO.           
                                            
                                                        

 
 1      SECTION 4.  This Act shall take effect on July 1, 1999.
 
 2 
 
 3                           INTRODUCED BY:  _______________________