STAND. COM. REP. NO. 3534

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    S.C.R. No. 35

       S.D. 1

Honorable Colleen Hanabusa

President of the Senate

Twenty-Fourth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2008

State of Hawaii

Madam:

     Your Committees on Human Services and Public Housing and Health, to which was referred S.C.R. No. 35 entitled:

"SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION REQUESTING THE EXECUTIVE OFFICE ON AGING, THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH, AND THE DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN SERVICES TO CONDUCT A COLLABORATIVE STUDY AND MAKE RECOMMENDATIONS RELATING TO INFRASTRUCTURE DEFICIENCIES IN THE ACCESSIBILITY AND AVAILABILITY OF CARE SERVICES AND FACILITIES FOR SENIORS, VETERANS, AND PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES IN THE STATE,"

beg leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this measure is to facilitate the implementation of the recommendations of the Maui Health Initiative Task Force by requesting the Executive Office on Aging and the Departments of Human Services and Health to conduct a collaborative study of infrastructure deficiencies in the accessibility and availability of care services and facilities for seniors, veterans, and persons with disabilities.

     Testimony in support of this measure was submitted by the Disability and Communication Access Board and the Hawaii Disability Rights Center.  Testimony in opposition to this measure was submitted by the Department of Human Services and the Executive Office on Aging. 

     Your Committees find that this measure is necessary to address issues of capacity in the community for housing and long-term care services which will, over time, become even more critical. 

     Your Committees have amended this measure and its title by replacing the collaborative needs assessment study to be conducted by the Executive Office on Aging and the Departments of Health and Human Services with a request that the Maui Health Initiative Task Force and Maui Long Term Care Partnership submit to the Long Term Care Commission by November 1, 2008, the findings and recommendations of their comprehensive needs assessment.

     As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Human Services and Public Housing and Health that are attached to this report, your Committees concur with the intent and purpose of S.C.R. No. 35, as amended herein, and recommend its adoption in the form attached hereto as S.C.R. No. 35, S.D. 1.

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

____________________________ DAVID Y. IGE, Chair

____________________________ SUZANNE CHUN OAKLAND, Chair