STAND. COM. REP. NO. 3060

                                   Honolulu, Hawaii
                                                     , 2000

                                   RE:  S.C.R. No. 135
                                        S.D. 1




Honorable Norman Mizuguchi
President of the Senate
Twentieth State Legislature
Regular Session of 2000
State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Health and Human Services, to which was
referred S.C.R. No. 135 entitled:

     "SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION REQUESTING THE DEPARTMENT OF
     HUMAN SERVICES TO CONVENE A PUBLIC-PRIVATE INTERAGENCY GROUP
     TO EXAMINE WAYS TO ADVOCATE THE CAPTURE AND MAXIMIZATION OF
     FEDERAL FUNDS TO SUPPORT HAWAII'S HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
     PROGRAMS,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this measure is to request the Department of
Human Services (DHS) to convene a public-private interagency
working group to examine ways to advocate the capture and
maximization of federal funds to support Hawaii's health and
human services programs.

     Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure
from the Kokua Council, Hawaii Long Term Care Association, Legal
Aid Society, Hawaii Coalition for Affordable Long Term Care, and
Welfare & Employment Rights Coalition.  Informational testimony
was presented by the DHS.

     The intent of this measure is for Hawaii to evaluate and
determine how best to maximize available federal funds to support
Hawaii's health and human services programs in a way that uses
the resources and abilities of both the public and private
sectors.  Federal funding is diverse and complex, including
matching funds, waivers, and exceptions.  Even within established
federal programs, such as Medicare, Hawaii may not be receiving

 
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its full share of home care and skilled nursing care federal
funding compared with other states.  Federal moneys could go
unclaimed by Hawaii if the State is unable to devote the
necessary personnel to plan programs and submit applications, and
to provide matching funds.

     Your Committee has amended this measure by including the
Executive Office on Aging and Kokua Council on the task force and
on the list of entities to receive certified copies of this
measure, clarifying the correct name of the Welfare and
Employment Rights Coalition, and changing the reporting date to
December 15, 2000.

     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. 135, 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. 135, 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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