STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1801

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    S.C.R. No. 144

       S.D. 1

Honorable Colleen Hanabusa

President of the Senate

Twenty-Fourth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2007

State of Hawaii

Madam:

     Your Committee on Ways and Means, to which was referred S.C.R. No. 144, S.D. 1, entitled:

"SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION REQUESTING THE DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN SERVICES TO REPORT TO THE LEGISLATURE REGARDING WHAT IMPACT A CASH AND COUNSELING PROGRAM WOULD HAVE ON MEDICAID AND ADULT SERVICES PROGRAMS,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this measure is to request the Department of Human Services to report to the Legislature regarding what impact a cash and counseling program would have on medicaid and adult services programs in Hawaii.

     This measure also requests the Department of Human Services, in completing its report, to:

     (1)  Contact the National Program Office at the Boston College Graduate School of Social Work, which coordinates replications of the program; and

     (2)  Consult with the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation at the United States Department of Health and Human Services, and the Administration on Aging.

     The Department of Human Services offered comments on this measure.

     Your Committee finds that the cash and counseling program allows medicaid recipients to manage their personal care services allowance according to their own specific needs.  Recipients receive counseling and may select a family member or friend to assist them instead of an agency worker.

     This Concurrent Resolution would provide the necessary information to determine whether the cash and counseling program should be established in the State.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Ways and Means that is attached to this report, your Committee concurs with the intent and purpose of S.C.R. No. 144, S.D. 1, and recommends its adoption.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Ways and Means,

____________________________

ROSALYN H. BAKER, Chair