Honorable Robert Bunda

President of the Senate

Twenty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2001

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Commerce, Consumer Protection and Housing, to which was referred S.C.R. No. 23, S.D. 1, entitled:

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to urge state and private entities providing long-term care to form a working group to develop a statewide certification program for long-term care providers.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Insurance Division, Department of Health, Department of Human Services, and Healthcare Association of Hawaii.

Your Committee finds that an increase in the types of long-term care options available underscores the need for regulation and certification of long-term caregivers to ensure certain minimum standards of care for the elderly and disabled. Therefore, this measure urges public and private entities providing long-term care to develop a statewide certification program that includes the development of standardized training, a caregivers registry, a partnership with insurers to provide services for licensed caregivers, and a criminal history check system.

Your Committee has amended this measure by making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for purposes of consistency and clarification.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Commerce, Consumer Protection and Housing that is attached to this report, your Committee concurs with the intent and purpose of S.C.R. No. 23, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends its adoption in the form attached hereto as S.C.R. No. 23, S.D. 2.