Appropriates funds for developmental disabilities residential service providers.

A BILL FOR AN ACT

SECTION 1. Developmental disabilities residential service providers provide vital care for individuals with developmental disabilities or mental retardation. Presently, the State is not adequately reimbursing providers of developmental disabilities domiciliary homes or operators of developmental disabilities apartment complexes for their services. As a result, a number of developmental disabilities homes have been closed due to a lack of funding. This is of significant concern to the State because this population has been given community-based services rather than institutionalized since the closure of the Waimano Training School and Hospital in 1999.

The purpose of this Act is to ensure that developmental disabilities residential service providers are adequately reimbursed for the residential services they provide.

SECTION 2. There is appropriated out of the general revenues of the State of Hawaii the sum of $1,600,000, or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2006-2007, for the purpose of providing adequate reimbursement for developmental disabilities residential service providers.

SECTION 3. This Act shall take effect on July 1, 2006.