THE SENATE	S.C.R. NO.	102
TWENTY-FIFTH LEGISLATURE, 2009		S.D. 1
STATE OF HAWAII

SENATE CONCURRENT

RESOLUTION

ENSURING THAT ANY LEGISLATIVE EFFORT TO REPAIR THE HEALTHCARE SYSTEM IN HAWAII SHOULD INCORPORATE SUSTAINABLE WELLNESS PROGRAMS THAT ADDRESS THE UNDERLYING CAUSAL FACTORS ASSOCIATED WITH CHRONIC DISEASE.

     WHEREAS, increases in costs related to providing healthcare for an aging population and the increasing number of people with chronic disease create a crisis for the healthcare system in Hawaii; and

     WHEREAS, over seventy-two thousand individuals in Hawaii have been diagnosed with diabetes and more than twenty-five thousand remain undiagnosed; and

     WHEREAS, the leading cause of death in Hawaii is cardiovascular disease, which is responsible for more than thirty-six per cent of all deaths in the State; and

     WHEREAS, overweight and obese individuals are at increased risk for developing many diseases, including cardiovascular disease and diabetes; and

     WHEREAS, low-income families face an increased risk of developing chronic disease and do not have the resources necessary to avoid developing serious health problems related to such chronic disease; and

     WHEREAS, there is a growing body of evidence that suggests wellness programs that promote lifestyle changes can diminish the incidence and severity of chronic disease, provide a substantial return on investment, and reduce reliance on the conventional medical care system; and

     WHEREAS, the State of Hawaii has a responsibility to reengineer its healthcare system, which must be revised, to allow for the provision of adequate healthcare for future generations; now, therefore,

     BE IT RESOLVED by the Senate of the Twenty-fifth Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 2009, the House of Representatives concurring, that the Hawaii State Legislature should ensure that any revisions of the healthcare system in Hawaii incorporate sustainable wellness programs that address the underlying causal factors associated with chronic disease; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the public have access to strategies for improving individual health through lifestyle change, including strategies relating to diet, exercise, smoking cessation, and stress reduction; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a certified copy of this Concurrent Resolution be transmitted to the Department of Health.

Report Title: 

Repairing Healthcare; Sustainable Wellness