STAND. COM. REP. NO. 152

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    S.B. No. 821

       S.D. 1

Honorable Colleen Hanabusa

President of the Senate

Twenty-Fifth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2009

State of Hawaii

Madam:

     Your Committees on Health and Human Services, to which was referred S.B. No. 821 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO ELDER CARE,"

beg leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this measure is to effectuate the findings of the Joint Legislative Committee on Aging in Place and to maintain the levels of kupuna care service provided statewide in fiscal year 2007-2008.

     The measure attempts to accomplish this goal by requiring the Executive Office on Aging to cooperate with the county offices of aging to develop:

     (1)  A plan to increase voluntary contributions to support the cost of kupuna care programs;

     (2)  Procedures for managing the waitlist for kupuna care service; and

     (3)  Policies for applying a cash and counseling approach to service delivery.

In addition, this measure provides for an appropriation to the Department of Health to maintain levels of kupuna care service provided statewide in fiscal year 2007-2008.

     Your Committees received testimony in support of this measure from Catholic Charities Hawaii, Hawaii Alliance for Retired Americans, Lanakila Meals on Wheels, Moiliili Community Center, Project Dana, and one private individual.

     Your Committees received testimony in opposition to this measure from the Executive Office on Aging.

     The Department of Community Services, City and County of Honolulu, submitted comments on this measure.

     Copies of written testimony are available for review on the Legislature's website.

     Your Committees find that the kupuna care program has been one of the most cost effective programs delivering vital services to our elders.  Your Committees further find that it is important to maintain critical elder services and programs in the State, like kupuna care.

     Your Committees have amended this measure by removing the appropriation provision as the appropriation for this program has been included in another measure utilizing the emergency and budget reserve fund.

     As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Health and Human Services that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 821, as amended herein, and recommend that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 821, S.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Ways and Means.

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

____________________________ SUZANNE CHUN OAKLAND, Chair

____________________________ DAVID Y. IGE, Chair