Honorable Robert Bunda

President of the Senate

Twenty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2006

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committees on Health and Human Services, to which was referred S.C.R. No. 115 entitled:

beg leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to request the Executive Office on Aging to convene a focus group to assess yearly service needs and long-term planning for Kupuna Care.

Your Committees received testimony in support of this measure with comments from the Executive Office on Aging, the City and County of Honolulu Department of Community Services, the Policy Advisory Board for Elder Affairs, and Catholic Charities Hawaii.

Your Committees find that Kupuna Care has proven to be a successful program that assists elderly individuals in remaining independent and avoiding institutionalization and homelessness. In order for this program to address the growing elderly population and remain successful in the upcoming years, a focus group is needed to assess the yearly service delivery needs and to develop a strategic long-term plan for Kupuna Care.

Your Committees have amended this measure in response to testimony submitted by Catholic Charities Hawaii by clarifying that an additional critical step to ensure an efficient service delivery system includes increased funding for the provision of current and needed Kupuna Care services.

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 concur with the intent and purpose of S.C.R. No. 115, as amended herein, and recommend its adoption in the form attached hereto as S.C.R. No. 115, S.D. 1.