WHEREAS, the Department of Education provides important health services to Hawaii’s school-age children; and

WHEREAS, the health-related services provided by the Department of Education include activities such as: (1) speech/language therapy; (2) occupational/physical therapy; (3) health-related transportation; (4) mental health and other behavioral services; (5) counseling; (6) diagnostic and assessment services; and (7) nursing and health aide services; and

WHEREAS, these services are funded almost entirely by state government; and

WHEREAS, the federal government provides funding for such services under the Medicaid program authorized by Title XIX of the Social Security Act; and

WHEREAS, the federal government encourages states to seek appropriate Medicaid reimbursement for eligible services provided and has provided states with a blueprint for this reimbursement in the "Medicaid and School Health: A Technical Assistance Guide;" and

WHEREAS, the Department of Education provides health-related services at State expense when federal funding is available, resulting in the taxpayers of Hawaii bearing an unnecessary financial burden and children are denied services that could be provided at no additional cost to the state; and

WHEREAS, the Department of Human Services is the single state agency designated by the Governor to administer the Medicaid Program in Hawaii; and

WHEREAS, the Department of Human Services has a federal mandate to ensure that appropriate federal funding is provided for Medicaid-eligible services; and

WHEREAS, the Department of Human Services is similarly required to make every reasonable effort to ensure that eligible children are covered by Medicaid; now, therefore,

BE IT RESOLVED by the Senate of the Twenty-Third Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 2005, that the Department of Education undertake an initiative to secure appropriate additional federal funding authorized by the Medicaid program; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Department of Human Services provide technical assistance and support to the Department of Education in its efforts to claim additional federal funding; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Department of Education provide a report to the Legislature of the State of Hawaii on the results of its efforts to secure appropriate additional federal funding; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Department of Education identify in its report the additional funding that has been secured, claims pending, projected additional federal funding to be secured over the next five years; and plans for the reinvestment of those additional federal funds to expand needed services to the children of Hawaii; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that this report be provided to the Legislature of the State of Hawaii no later than January 1, 2006; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that certified copies of this Senate Resolution be transmitted to the Superintendent of Education and Director of Human Services.

Report Title:

DOE; Federal Medicaid Program Funding Claim