HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

THE TWENTY-NINTH LEGISLATURE

REGULAR SESSION OF 2018

 

COMMITTEE ON HEALTH & HUMAN SERVICES

Rep. John M. Mizuno, Chair

Rep. Bertrand Kobayashi, Vice Chair

 

Rep. Della Au Belatti

Rep. Andria P.L. Tupola

Rep. Lei R. Learmont

 

 

NOTICE OF INFORMATIONAL BRIEFING

 

DATE:

Wednesday, April 11, 2018

TIME:

10:00 am

PLACE:

Conference Room 329

State Capitol

415 South Beretania Street

 

A G E N D A

 

The Committee on Health and Human Services will be reviewing polices to address the "Silver Tsunami" which means the significant number of elderly in Hawaii which is projected to represent one in four residents aged 60 or older in Hawaii by year 2020.

 

The Committee will be listening to the Legislature's Kupuna Caucus as well as other Departments and Organizations on specific Kupuna measures still moving through the Legislature for the 2018 session.

 

A major point of interest for the briefing is the growing number of unlicensed illegal community care homes in the State. In January 2018 the state Department of Health fined a former licensed community care home operator $325,000 which closed, became unlicensed and began using a so-called "aging-in-place" model.  Hawaii has approximately 1,700 Licensed Legal Long-Term Care Facilities serving 12,300 residents. In a prior briefing before the Health and Human Services Committee, the state Department of Health reported that 76 Community Care Foster Family Homes closed in 2016 and another 74 Community Care Foster Family Homes closed in 2017 all without citing a reason. Many unlicensed "aging-in-place" models are proliferating throughout the State. The rise of unlicensed community care homes has grown significantly within the last two years. The purpose of the briefing will be to assess the actual impact of unlicensed community care homes in Hawaii and the consumer protection concerns for Hawaii's Kupuna and Disabled and the adverse effect it may create to the long-term healthcare system in Hawaii. Currently, these "aging-in-place" models have no Department of Health oversight, do not allow department personnel to enter their home and refuse to allow department personnel to inspect them, are not licensed by the Department of Health, do not carry Liability Insurance, and are not subjected to the following regulations - Note all licensed community care homes and medical facilities by the Department of Health must have all of the following:

 

1.   Criminal Background Checks of all employees

2.   Be licensed by the Department of Health after fulfilling all safety and insurance requirements

3.   Annual Inspections by the Department of Health

4.   Unannounced Inspections by the Department of Health

5.   Liability Insurance for the patients

6.   Vehicle Insurance for the patients

7.   Building and Fire Code Requirements

8.   Medical Records Requirements

9.   Billing and Financial records requirements

10.  Medication Pass Requirements

11.  TB Clearance

12.  Housing and self-preservation requirements

13.  The right of the resident to access the services of the Long-Term Care Ombudsman

14.  Must allow the State Department of Health to go onsite to visit the patient or the conditions of the home

The briefing will also review the Kupuna Care program, which was appropriated $600,000 by the 2017 Legislature and review the status of the program. The Executive Office on Aging will provide an updated report of the program with information on all contracts secured and what they have completed for possible services for Hawaii's Kupuna to avail of Kupuna Caregiver Services.

 

The following organizations have been invited to participate in the briefing:

 

State Department of Health

State Attorney General's Office

The State Executive Office on Aging

State Long Term Care Ombudsman

Caring Across Generations

Community Ties of America

Community Case Managers

Community Caregiver Organizations

Adult Day Care Organizations

Kokua Council

Kupuna Caucus

AARP

Policy Advisory Board for Elder Affairs

 

At the end of the briefing, the Committee on Health and Human Services will discuss policy moving before the 2018 legislative session and address any recommendations by the presenters.

 

If you require special assistance or auxiliary aids and/or services to participate in the House public hearing process (i.e., sign or foreign language interpreter or wheelchair accessibility), please contact the Committee Clerk at 586-6050 or email your request for an interpreter to HouseInterpreter@Capitol.hawaii.gov at least 24 hours prior to the hearing for arrangements.  Prompt requests submitted help to ensure the availability of qualified individuals and appropriate accommodations.

 

For further information, please call the Committee Clerk at 586-6050.

 

 

 

 

________________________________________

Rep. John M. Mizuno

Chair