Appropriates funds to the executive office on aging for expansion of elder programs and services.

A BILL FOR AN ACT

SECTION 1. The mission of the executive office on aging is to assure the well-being of the State's older adults by providing advocacy and leadership in programs and policies, serving as a clearinghouse for information, and partnering with the Aging Network and the larger community to provide home and community-based care for frail, vulnerable older adults. The office develops, coordinates, and delivers services to adults sixty years and older, providing supportive, nutrition, and other related services to Hawaii's elderly population.

The executive office on aging continues to successfully administer major programs and projects such as the long-term care ombudsman program and its volunteer ombudsman program, vulnerable elder rights and legal assistance programs, sagewatch, sage plus, kupuna care, caregivers resource initiative, and the end-of-life care (kokua mau) project.

The increasing demands of Hawaii's fastest growing elderly population highlight the need for more programs and services requiring more personnel and fiscal resources.

Based upon statistics from the Hawaii Health Information Corporation's publication "Health Trends in Hawaii" as of 2000 (ten-year reporting interval) Hawaii's life expectancy was eighty years and among the highest in the nation. Compared to the rest of the world, Hawaii is fifth in longevity, behind Andorra, San Marino, Japan, and Singapore. The department of business, economic development and tourism projects that by 2030, Hawaii's population ages sixty and over will constitute one in four adults. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, as of 2003, Hawaii's population of persons ages sixty and over was 224,488 or 17.9 per cent of the total population and 23.4 per cent of adults.

The legislature finds that there is an urgent need to provide appropriate services to Hawaii's aging population. The legislature recognizes that these services are costly.

The purpose of this Act is to appropriate funds to the executive office on aging to expand kupuna care, sageplus, project reach, and caregiver support services.

SECTION 2. There is appropriated out of the general revenues of the State of Hawaii the sum of $          , or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2005-2006, and the same sum, or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2006-2007, for the expansion of kupuna care, sageplus, project reach, and caregiver support services.

SECTION 3. The sums appropriated shall be expended by the executive office on aging for the purposes of this Act.

SECTION 4. This Act shall take effect on July 1, 2005.