STAND. COM. REP. NO. 385

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    S.B. No. 1196

Honorable Colleen Hanabusa

President of the Senate

Twenty-Fourth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2007

State of Hawaii

Madam:

     Your Committee on Human Services and Public Housing, to which was referred S.B. No. 1196 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO CAREGIVING,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this measure is to make an appropriation to the Executive Office on Aging (EOA) to continue to coordinate a statewide system of family caregiver support.

     Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Health, the EOA, Hawaii Pacific Health, Hawaii Aging Advocates Coalition, Policy Advisory Board for Elder Affairs, Kokua Council, and one individual.

     Your Committee finds that families, rather than institutions, are the primary providers of long-term care for older adults in the State.  According to the EOA, in 2003, approximately twenty‑one per cent of Hawaii's adult population provided care or assistance to a person age sixty or older.  Caregivers are motivated to provide care to family members because of their family-oriented values, the preference of the elderly to remain at home with their families, and the high cost of institutional long‑term care.

     Under Act 262, Session Laws of Hawaii 2006, the EOA is required to coordinate a statewide system of caregiver support services.  Act 262 also appropriated $80,000, to the EOA to coordinate a statewide system of family caregiver support services.  This measure would similarly enable the continuance of those support services.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Human Services and Public Housing that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 1196 and recommends that it pass Second Reading and be referred to the Committee on Ways and Means.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Human Services and Public Housing,

____________________________

SUZANNE CHUN OAKLAND, Chair