STAND. COM. REP. NO. 3529

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.C.R. No. 42

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2022

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committees on Health and Human Services, to which was referred S.C.R. No. 42 entitled:

"SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION URGING THE HAWAII HEALTH SYSTEMS CORPORATION TO EXPAND THE KA‘U RURAL HEALTH CLINIC TO IMPROVE ACCESS TO URGENT CARE AND OUTPATIENT BEHAVIORAL HEALTH SERVICES,"

beg leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to urge the Hawaii Health Systems Corporation to expand the Kau Rural Health Clinic to improve access to urgent care and outpatient behavioral health services.

Your Committees received testimony in support of this measure from one member of the Hawai‘i County Council.

Your Committees find that individuals with pre-existing mental health conditions may be particularly vulnerable in an emergency. Your Committees further find that rural health clinics help to address the inadequate number of physicians available to serve Medicare beneficiaries in rural areas and increase the availability of primary and preventative health services furnished by rural health clinic practitioners. This measure urges the Hawaii Health Systems Corporation to expand the Kau Rural Health Clinic to improve access to urgent care and outpatient behavioral health services.

As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Health and Human Services that are attached to this report, your Committees concur with the intent and purpose of S.C.R. No. 42 and recommend its adoption.

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

________________________________ JOY A. SAN BUENAVENTURA, Chair

________________________________ JARRETT KEOHOKALOLE, Chair