HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES	H.C.R. NO.	161
TWENTY-SEVENTH LEGISLATURE, 2013		H.D. 1
STATE OF HAWAII

HOUSE CONCURRENT

RESOLUTION

REQUESTING THE STATE AUDITOR TO CONVENE A WORKING GROUP TO DETERMINE THE SCOPE AND SPECIFIC DUTIES OF THE HEALTH EDUCATOR PROFESSION.

     WHEREAS, pursuant to section 26H-6, Hawaii Revised Statutes, any measure that if enacted, would subject unregulated professions and vocations to licensing or other regulatory controls shall be referred to the State Auditor for analysis.  The referral shall be made by Concurrent Resolution that identifies a specific legislative bill to be analyzed; and

     WHEREAS, H.B. No. 1098, Regular Session 2013, contains language that requires the State Auditor to conduct a sunrise analysis on the regulation of health educators; and

     WHEREAS, testimony relating to the regulation of health educators revealed that the Auditor may not be able to gather the requisite information to analyze the health educator profession because it is unclear what the scope and specific duties for health educators are; and

     WHEREAS, health educators often work with hospital patients, elementary and secondary school-aged children, and community residents receiving primary, secondary, and tertiary prevention levels of health care; and

     WHEREAS, credentialing of health educators first began in 1988 with the establishment of the National Commission for Health Education Credentialing, Inc., an international organization that awards entry- and advanced-level credentials; and

     WHEREAS, credentialing is voluntary, and often persons who do not have any credentials and who do not meet the minimal level of competency hold themselves out to be health educators; and
     WHEREAS, there are over 63,000 health educator jobs in the United States, and this occupational field is expected to grow by 37 percent by the year 2020; and

     WHEREAS, rapid occupational growth requires proactive government regulation to assure the standard of care in Hawaii is maintained by professionally trained, competent, and ethical professionals; and

     WHEREAS, regulation of health educators will help ensure that:

     (1)  Recipients of their specialized work receive quality services at the primary, secondary, and tertiary levels of health care, including program assessments, evaluations, planning and implementation of health education services, and professional consultation and management services;

     (2)  Health educators meet minimum competency requirements in the profession, similar to requirements existing for other health care and educational professionals; and

     (3)  Members of the public, other members of the profession, and the National Commission for Health Education Credentialing, Inc., will be able to assist in maintaining quality standards in the health educator profession by means of reporting ethics violations or disciplinary action to the applicable state regulatory agency; now, therefore,

     BE IT RESOLVED by the House of Representatives of the Twenty-seventh Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 2013, the Senate concurring, that the State Auditor is requested to convene a working group to determine the scope and specific duties of the health educator profession to allow the State Auditor to conduct a sunrise study before regulations and licensing requirements are proposed; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the State Auditor is encouraged to include representatives from the following entities as members of the working group:

     (1)  Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs;

     (2)  Department of Health;

     (3)  University of Hawaii System;

     (4)  Hawaii Pacific University;

     (5)  Hawaii Pacific Health; and

     (6)  Any other organization the State Auditor deems appropriate to contribute to the working group, including health educators; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the working group is requested to report its findings and recommendations, including any proposed legislation, to the Legislature no later than 20 days prior to the convening of the Regular Session of 2014; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that certified copies of this Concurrent Resolution be transmitted to the State Auditor, Director of Commerce and Consumer Affairs, Director of Health, Chair of the Board of Regents of the University of Hawaii, President of Hawaii Pacific University, and President and Chief Executive Officer of Hawaii Pacific Health.

Report Title: 

Health Educators; Working Group