STAND. COM. REP. NO. 3698

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    H.C.R. No. 90

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Twenty-Eighth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2016

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Ways and Means, to which was referred H.C.R. No. 90 entitled:

"HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION REQUESTING THE CHIEF OF THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES AND INJURY PREVENTION SYSTEM BRANCH TO CONVENE AND CHAIR A WORKING GROUP TO DEVELOP A COMMUNITY PARAMEDIC PROGRAM, INCLUDING EDUCATIONAL STANDARDS FOR CERTIFICATIONS, TO ALLEVIATE EMERGENCY SERVICES FROM RESPONDING TO NON-EMERGENCY CALLS,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to request the Chief of the Department of Health Emergency Medical Services and Injury Prevention System Branch to convene and chair a working group to develop a community paramedic program to alleviate emergency services from responding to non-emergency calls.

     Your Committee received written comments in support of this measure from the American Medical Response, Kauai Paramedics Association, University of Hawaii, and eleven individuals.

     Your Committee finds that a community paramedic program may improve access to care for persons in rural and metropolitan areas statewide who request non-emergent care through the emergency medical services system.  Doing so will conserve emergency medical services resources for use in providing emergency care.

     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 H.C.R. No. 90, and recommends its adoption.

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

________________________________

JILL N. TOKUDA, Chair