Honorable Robert Bunda

President of the Senate

Twenty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2003

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committees on Health and Human Services, to which was referred S.B. No. 957 entitled:

beg leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to make an appropriation to hire additional public health nurses to provide early intervention services for infants and toddlers under the age of three with developmental disabilities.

Testimony in support of this measure was submitted by the Hawaii Early Intervention Coordinating Council, the Hawaii Government Employees Association, and twenty private citizens.

Testimony supporting the intent of this measure was submitted by the Department of Health.

Under existing law, the Department of Health is responsible for early intervention services for infants and toddlers, up to the age of three, with special needs. Your Committees find that special needs children require extensive care coordination services due to the complexities of their medical condition and developmental delay. Public health nurses currently provide critical care coordination services to infants and toddlers as well as support to their families. However, your Committees determine that there is a critical shortage of public health nurses in this field.

Therefore, your Committees believe that the hiring of additional public health nurses will provide the staffing and expertise to coordinate with physicians and families the necessary services for developmentally disabled infants and toddlers.

As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Health and Human Services that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 957 and recommend that it pass Second Reading and be referred to the Committee on Ways and Means.