STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1657

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    H.C.R. No. 35

       H.D. 1

       S.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Twenty-Ninth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2017

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committees on Higher Education and Human Services, to which was referred H.C.R. No. 35, H.D. 1, entitled:

"HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION REQUESTING THE UNIVERSITY OF HAWAII CENTER ON AGING TO CONVENE A TASK FORCE TO ASSESS CURRENT ELDER AND KUPUNA CARE SERVICES AND THE ANTICIPATED DEMAND FOR THOSE SERVICES IN ORDER TO IMPROVE THOSE SERVICES AND MEET ANTICIPATED DEMAND,"

beg leave to report as follows:

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to request that the University of Hawaii Center on Aging convene a task force to assess existing elder and kupuna care services and the anticipated demand for those services in order to improve services and meet future demand.

     Your Committees received testimony in support of this measure from the University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa Myron B. Thompson School of Social Work, Lanakila Pacific, and two individuals.  Your Committees received comments on this measure from the Executive Office on Aging.

     Your Committees find that by 2030, Hawaii residents aged sixty and older are projected to constitute 27.4 percent of the State's population, and that this large aging population will have a significant impact on the organization and delivery of healthcare.  Your Committees further find that the kupuna care program is an alternative to traditional long-term care supports and services, and has a goal of enabling older adults to lead independent, meaningful, and dignified lives in their own homes and communities.  Kupuna care also strives to provide a safety net of services for all kupuna and their caregivers, including access to affordable and quality home- and community-based services, hot meals, transportation, case management, and personal care assistance.  Your Committees note testimony received which explains that currently it is challenging to find appropriately trained service providers for kupuna care services and the importance of building capacity to respond to the needs of Hawaii's current and growing older population.

     Your Committees acknowledge the significant undertaking that this measure requests of the task force, and find that this measure is intended to be an initial step in the process of assessing Hawaii's kupuna care services and the demand for such services.  Your Committees find that this measure requests that a report be submitted to the Legislature twenty days prior to the convening of the Regular Session of 2018, but that this report may be a preliminary report with a more comprehensive report to be submitted the following year.

     Your Committees have amended this measure by:

     (1)  Inserting language to request the task force to conduct a complete economic analysis of the cost for primary kupuna care services, adequate training, workforce expansion, service expansion, and financing to improve the current elder and kupuna care services and meet anticipated demand;

     (2)  Inserting language to add the Director of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism or the Director's designee to the task force; and

     (3)  Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for the purposes of clarity and consistency.

     As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Higher Education and Human Services that are attached to this report, your Committees concur with the intent and purpose of H.C.R. No. 35, H.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommend its adoption in the form attached hereto as H.C.R. No. 35, H.D. 1, S.D. 1.

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

________________________________ JOSH GREEN, Chair

________________________________ KAIALI'I KAHELE, Chair