STAND. COM. REP. NO. 3184

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    S.C.R. No. 135

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Twenty-Eighth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2016

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committees on Education and Commerce, Consumer Protection, and Health, to which was referred S.C.R. No. 135 entitled:

"SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION REQUESTING THE EXECUTIVE OFFICE ON EARLY LEARNING TO COLLABORATE WITH THE EXECUTIVE OFFICE ON AGING TO ENCOURAGE CARE PROVIDERS OF KEIKI AND KUPUNA TO CREATE INTERGENERATIONAL SHARED SITES FOR THE BETTERMENT OF HAWAII'S COMMUNITIES,"

beg leave to report as follows:

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to request the Executive Office on Early Learning to collaborate with the Executive Office on Aging to encourage care providers of keiki and kupuna to create intergenerational shared sites for the betterment of Hawaii's communities.

     Your Committees received testimony in support of this measure from one individual.  Your Committees received comments on this measure from the Executive Office on Early Learning.

     Your Committees find that many elderly persons in the State experience social isolation as well as physical and mental decline.  Although Hawaii has a historic and cultural tradition of multigenerational living, families currently are more often forced to live apart.  As a result, elderly persons are deprived of opportunities to enrich the lives of their family members and children are deprived of meaningful interaction with and learning from their elders.  Some shared care sites in Honolulu, Kapolei, and Kahului have successfully implemented intergenerational programs, where children, youth, and older adults participate in services and programs concurrently at the same site or on the same campus.  Your Committees further find that increased implementation of intergenerational programs will benefit elderly persons as well as children throughout Hawaii.

     As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Education and Commerce, Consumer Protection, and Health that are attached to this report, your Committees concur with the intent and purpose of S.C.R. No. 135 and recommend that it be referred to your Committee on Ways and Means.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Education and Commerce, Consumer Protection, and Health,

________________________________ ROSALYN H. BAKER, Chair

________________________________ MICHELLE N. KIDANI, Chair