Honorable Robert Bunda

President of the Senate

Twenty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2006

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Health, to which was referred S.B. No. 2038 entitled:

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to appropriate funds for Na Lei Wili Area Health Education Center's (AHEC) Grow Our Own Healers program.

The President of the Board of Na Lei Wili AHEC submitted testimony in support of this measure.

Your Committee finds that Na Lei Wili AHEC has developed an excellent program for health careers recruitment on Kauai and on Oahu in after school health career clubs at Dole and Farrington. The program, called Grow Our Own Healers, involves students from middle school through graduate school in the learning process. The year-long program for high school students encourages the students to perform community service and hospital volunteer work while learning about health professions. In the summer, a three-week long program is offered in which middle school students work alongside high school students, nursing students, and visiting medical, medical technology, nursing, and social work students to learn about native healing methods, modern health techniques, and healthy lifestyles. Na Lei Wili AHEC testified that hundreds of students have participated in health career activities with many planning to pursue healthcare careers. Former club members are currently pursuing degrees in health professions at University of Hawaii-Manoa and the community colleges.

Upon further consideration, your Committee has amended this measure to appropriate $100,000 for fiscal year 2006-2007.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Health that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 2038, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2038, S.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Ways and Means.