STAND. COM. REP. NO.  1756

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2007

RE:   H.R. No. 145

      H.D. 1

Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Fourth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2007

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committees on Human Services & Housing and Health, to which was referred H.R. No. 145 entitled:

"HOUSE RESOLUTION REQUESTING THE LEGISLATIVE REFERENCE BUREAU TO STUDY RESPITE CARE,"

beg leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this resolution is to request the Legislative Reference Bureau to conduct a study on respite care services provided in other states and an inventory of respite care services provided in Hawaii.

     The Hawaii Aging Advocates Coalition provided testimony in support of this measure.  The Legislative Reference Bureau provided comments.

     Your Committee finds that family caregivers need temporary relief, or respite care, from the responsibilities of caring for a care recipient to attend to their own personal and professional obligations.  Respite care can include medical or social adult day care or a short-term stay in a nursing home or assisted living facility for the care recipient, a home health aide or home health companion, or a private duty nurse or adult foster care.

Your Committee further finds that a study of respite care and the provision of respite care services in other states would provide helpful information in establishing respite care programs for family caregivers in this State.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1)  Requesting the Executive Office on Aging to conduct the inventory of existing respite care services in Hawaii that are funded by federal, state, or county moneys;

(2)  Amending the title of this measure to reflect the foregoing amendments; and

(3)  Making technical nonsubstantive changes for purposes of style, clarity, and consistency.

     As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Human Services & Housing and Health that are attached to this report, your Committees concur with the intent and purpose of H.R. No. 145, as amended herein, and recommend that it be referred to the Committee on Legislative Management, in the form attached hereto as H.R. No. 145, H.D. 1.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Human Services & Housing and Health,

____________________________ JOSHUA B. GREEN, M.D., Chair

____________________________ MAILE SHIMABUKURO, Chair